William G. Lambert papers, bulk 1956-1969
Summary Information
At a Glance
- Call No.:
- MS#1926
- Bib ID:
- 6911003 View CLIO record
- Creator(s):
- Lambert, William G, 1920-1998
- Repository:
- Rare Book and Manuscript Library
- Physical Description:
- 8.84 linear feet (8 record cartons and 2 document boxes)
- Language(s):
- English .
- Access:
- You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.
-
This collection is located off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
This collection has no restrictions.
Description
Summary
This collection consists of journalist William G. Lambert's (1920-1998) collected investigative materials such as correspondence, news clippings, notes, notebooks, photographs and transcripts related to his award winning reporting for The Oregonian, Portland, and for Life magazine. In 1957, Lambert and his college Wallace Turner received the Pulitzer Prize for their reporting, which uncovered widespread vice and corruption within the municipal Portland city government that involved labor union officials of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen and Helpers of America, Western Conference. In 1970, Lambert accepted the George Polk Award for his Life magazine reporting, which revealed that Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas accepted and later returned a suspect $20,000 fee, spurring Fortas' resignation.
This collection consists of journalist William G. Lambert's (1920-1998) collected investigative materials such as correspondence, news clippings, notes, notebooks, photographs and transcripts related to his award winning reporting for The Oregonian, Portland, and for Life magazine. In 1957, Lambert and his colleague Wallace L. Turner (1921-2010) received the Pulitzer Prize for their reporting, which uncovered widespread vice and corruption within the municipal Portland city government that involved labor union officials of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen and Helpers of America, Western Conference. In 1970, Lambert accepted the George Polk Award for his 1969 Life magazine reporting, which revealed that U.S. Associate Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas (1910-1982) accepted and later returned a suspect $20,000 fee, spurring Fortas' resignation.
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I. Investigations--Research Files, 1949-1992
This series contains seven subseries arranged in Lambert's original order by investigation subject. Under each subseries, the folders are arranged in alphabetical order by subject or title. Lambert's research materials include correspondence, news clippings, notes, notebooks, photographs and transcripts.
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II. Libel Litigation Consultancy, 1964-1994
This series consists of three subseries related to Lambert's post journalism career as a libel litigation consultant. The first subseries II.1: Libel Cases--Testimony (1975-1994) is arranged alphabetically by libel case title. Subseries II.2: Law--Research (1964-1994) is arranged alphabetically by subject. The third subseries II.3: Mock Libel Trials (1985-1987) is arranged chronologically and documents his participation in various state and national press association conventions and conferences.
Arrangement
- I. Investigations--Research Files, 1949-1992
- I.1 Teamsters--Corruption--Portland, OR, 1949-1973
- I.2 Roy M. Cohn, 1963-1990
- I.3 James W. Hoffa and John W. McCormick, 1964-1975
- I.4 Howard Hughes and Ronald Reagan, 1966-1985
- I.5 David Burnham, Lyndon B. Johnson, E. Howard Hunt, and Miscellaneous Subject Files,, 1961-1991
- I.6 Abe Fortas, 1966-1992
- I.7 Cornelius E. Gallagher, 1959-1975
- II. Libel Litigation Consultancy, 1964-1994
Using the Collection
Restrictions on Access
You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.
This collection is located off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
This collection has no restrictions.
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction
Reproductions may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.
Preferred Citation
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); William G. Lambert Papers; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.
Selected Related Materials
Accruals
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.
Custodial History
Papers accessioned 8/26/2016 PTL 2016.2017.M035.
About the Finding Aid / Processing Information
Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Processing Information
Papers processed by Christopher M. Laico, March-April 2018.
Revision Description
2018-11-06 xml document instance created by Christopher M. Laico.
2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.
Biographical Note
William G. Lambert (1920-1998), an investigative journalist, was born in Langford, SD on February 2, 1920. After decorated military service in the U.S. Army during World War II in the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO), Lambert, became a reporter and news editor at the Enterprise-Courier, Oregon City, OR. In 1950, Lambert joined The Oregonian, Portland. At The Oregonian, he teamed up with Wallace L. Turner (1921-2010) on a five-part series that uncovered widespread vice and corruption within the municipal Portland city government that involved labor union officials of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen and Helpers of America, Western Conference. These reports would spur U.S. congressional investigations into organized crime across the country. In 1957, for example, Lambert and Turner testified before the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee of Investigations. Lambert and Turner would also receive the 1957 Pulitzer Prize for "Local Reporting – No edition time". The Pulitzer Prize Board stated: "They fulfilled their assignments despite great handicaps and the risk of reprisal from lawless elements."
After a brief stint as an anchor and news director at KPTV Oregon Television, in 1963, Lambert joined Life magazine as a staff reporter. At Life, he wrote an article that brought down U.S. Associate Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas (1910-1982), who was compelled to resign from the court in 1969. In 1970, Lambert accepted the George Polk Award for his 1969 reporting on the Fortas case. Besides Fortas, Lambert and his colleagues also wrote investigative pieces on such figures as controversial attorney Roy M. Cohn (1927-1986) and U.S. Dem. NJ Congressman Cornelius E. Gallagher (1921-2018).
Lambert went on to report for the Time-Life News Service (1971-1973) and The Philadelphia Inquirer (1974-1990). During the course of his distinguished career, Lambert received many awards including a Pulitzer Prize for local reporting (1957); Heywood Broun Award (1957); Nieman Fellowship for Journalism, Harvard University (1960); award for magazine reporting Sigma Delta Chi (1967); Worth Bingham Prize for distinguished reporting (1967); Heywood Broun Award (1969); George Polk Award for magazine reporting Abe Fortas articles (1969); Sigma Delta Chi Award, National Headliners Club Award, Page One Award (1970); Pennsylvania Bar Association Award, Philadelphia Bar Association award, Philadelphia Sigma Delta Chi award, Associated Press Managing Editors Award (Pennsylvania) (1981). Upon his retirement, he went on to work as a libel litigation consultant (1990-1998). On February 2, 1998, William G. Lambert passed away after a long illness. Upon hearing of Lambert's death, the former Philadelphia Inquirer executive editor Eugene Leslie "Gene" Roberts, Jr., who hired Lambert in 1974, asserted that "he was the modern-day father of investigative journalism."
Subject Headings
The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches for other collections at Columbia University, through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, and through ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.
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