William T. Golden papers, 1946-2008
Summary Information
Abstract
At a Glance
- Call No.:
- MS#1508
- Bib ID:
- 7401114 View CLIO record
- Creator(s):
- Golden, William T., 1909-2007
- Repository:
- Rare Book and Manuscript Library
- Physical Description:
- 33 linear feet (30 record cartons; 6 document boxes; 2 cassette boxes; 1 folder in a mapcase 15-H-11)
- 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 offsite. You will need to request this material from the Rare Book and Manuscript Library 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
Correspondence, articles, clippings, reports and memos related to William T. Golden's professional career.
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Series I: Alphabetical Files, 1947-2007
The alphabetical files series comprises the bulk of the collection and contains Golden's files related to all aspects of his professional work, including records related to the many boards and advisory councils on which he sat, including the Carnegie Institute of Washington, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the American Museum of Natural History. These files include correspondence, reports, and related files. The series also includes records relating to the Black Rock Forest Consortium, which Golden founded.
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Series II: Biographical Files, 1979-2008
The Biographical Material series consists of articles and press clippings about William T. Golden, as well as honors and awards he received over the course of his career.
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Series III: Truman Administration Files, 1946-1951
The Truman Administration Files relate to Golden's work with the Truman Administration, and in particular as the assistant to Lewis L. Strauss, a Commissioner of the Atomic Energy Commission.
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Gift of Pam Golden
Files; photographs; prints; oral histories/interviews transcripts; cassettes; and books.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in 4 series.
- Series I: Alphabetical Files, 1947-2007
- Series II: Biographical Files, 1979-2008
- Series III: Truman Administration Files, 1946-1951
- Series IV: Addition, 2019
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 offsite. You will need to request this material from the Rare Book and Manuscript Library 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); Name of Collection; Box and Folder (if known); Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.
Accruals
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
2009.2010.M035: Source of acquisition--William Golden. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--09/23/2009.
About the Finding Aid / Processing Information
Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Processing Information
Papers processed Rohan Jolly 12/05/2012.
Finding aid written Carrie Hintz 12/10/2012.
Revision Description
2012-12-11 xml document instance created by Carrie Hintz
2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.
2019-07-24 2019 addition processed by Patrick Lawlor
Biographical Note
William T. Golden was a securies analyst, a philanthropist and a main architect of American science policy in the 20th century. Both his philanthropic and policy work focused on supporting scientific research both through government research agencies and policies, and nonprofit scientific and research institutions.
William T. Golden was born on Oct. 25, 1909, in Manhattan. He attended the University of Pennsylvania as a young man, earning a bachelor's degree in English in 1930, and then heading to Harvard Business School. After leaving Harvard, Golden returned to New York City where he worked as a securities analyst on Wall Street. The work proved sufficiently lucrative to allow Golden to build a second career as a philanthropist and architect of American scientific policy.
He was an advisor to President Harry S. Truman and originated the idea of a Science Advisor to the President, as position that was created in 1957 at his suggestion. Golden was a major force in creating the major government agencies that manage U.S. scientific research and policy; he was instrumental in organizing the National Science Foundation and acted as assistant to one of the Commissioners of the Atomic Energy Commission. In 1991 he, as co-chairman of the Carnegie Commission on Science, Technology and Government, inaugurated a series of biannual meetings of science advisors from the G7 nations.
Though Golden was an important force in encouraging a stronger role for the federal government in scientific research, he was also actively involved in research and philanthropy in the private sphere. He sat on the board of organizations as diverse as the American Museum of Natural History and the National U.S. Radiator Corporation. He served on the board of trustees for the Carnegie Institute of Washington, now the Carnegie Institution for Science, for 28 years.
Golden retained his passion for knowledge throughout his life. He returned to school in 1979, at age 70, to earn a Master's degree in biology from Columbia University, and published books and articles on scientific policy throughout most of his life. He died in 2007 at the age of 97.
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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