Aleph Number:
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[Identification of item], Doris Duke Foundation Records, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Historical Archives, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
The Doris Duke Foundation Records were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library as a donation from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation in June 2009.
Processed by Mary Samouelian, October 2011
Encoded by Mary Samouelian, October 2011
Accession(s) described in this finding aid: UA2009-0030
Descriptive sources and standards used to create this inventory:
This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.
The Doris Duke Foundation, Inc., formerly known as Independent Aid, Inc., was incorporated in 1934 as a philanthropic organization to operate for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes. Doris Duke decided when she reached her majority to organize a foundation in order to deal with the many requests for aid addressed to her. She reasoned that a wisely selected board of directors, by reason of their broad experience, could act with her in reaching objective decisions on appeals for assistance. Doris Duke's idea at the start had been to help people to help themselves, either by offering opportunities for education or for retraining or financial assistance during a period of stress due to illness, unemployment, unexpected family burdens and the like. In October 1951, the officers of Independent Aid, Inc. voted to change its name to the Doris Duke Foundation. At the time of this change, the foundation's interests were primarily in the fields of education and welfare. It did not operate directly, but made grants to other organizations and institutions. The Doris Duke Foundation was supported directly by Doris Duke until her death in 1993. The Doris Duke Foundation continues to exist as a private grant-making entity.
The Doris Duke Foundation records (formerly DDF.9) is part of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Historical Archives which were donated to the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. The collection is arranged into three series: Administrative Records, Financial Records, and Subject Files. It primarily spans the years 1934–2009, although the bulk of the collection is concentrated from the late 1940s–1982. The records illustrate Doris Duke’s devotion to philanthropy as well as her many varied interests. Some of the major topics represented in the Donation Files are poverty, the disabled, education, health care, animal welfare, underprivileged children, the performing arts (including musical prodigies Lorin Maazel and Dike Newlin), refugees, and various community services. Two topics of great interest to Miss Duke were spirituality and American Indians. This is illustrated by the extensive files on the Self-Realization Fellowship Church and the American Indian Oral History Project. Doris Duke’s own notations are sometimes found in the Subject Files series, demonstrating her very close involvement with the foundation. Geographically there is a focus on “local” organizations based in areas connected with the Duke Family. These include New York City, New Jersey, North Carolina, Rhode Island, and Hawaii. Several international organizations are also represented.
From the 1930s until the mid-seventies the records were maintained at the Doris Duke Foundation’s (also Independent Aid, Inc.’s) office in New York City (New York Business Office was located at 30 Rockefeller Plaza until 1971 when it was relocated to 505 Park Avenue). In March 1975 the Duke Business Office moved to the New Jersey estate, and records from that point on were maintained at Duke Farms.
The records appeared to have been maintained by the Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Foundation. These include Marion Paschal beginning in the 1930s/early 1940s until her death in 1946 (although according to the records Clarence E. Pickett served as Executive Secretary during this time period, M. Paschal might have been Treasurer or had a different administrative title); Georgea T. Furst from 1946–1953 (from 1943–1946 she served as Assistant to the Executive Secretary and Board Member Clarence E. Pickett); Sophia van Theis from 1953–1957; and May E. McFarland from 1957 until 1975. After the move to New Jersey the records were maintained by Elisabeth McConville (although she appears to have had a purely secretarial, not executive, position, that role seems to have been taken on by A.E. Searles).
These are searchable subject entries for this collection. Performing a search on these subjects in the Duke University Libraries online catalog will bring up other related research materials.
This series contains an assortment of materials related to the business activities of the Doris Duke Foundation. Materials include correspondence related to various grant requests for donations (both from individuals and other charitable organizations) to the Doris Duke Foundation (DDF), lists of contributions made by the DDF, contributions made by the DDF, and general correspondence of the DDF related to regular business activities including meeting minutes, leases, and amendments to the by-laws. Also included in this series are grant requests to the foundation after the death of Doris Duke.
The materials are arranged in the order in which they were found
RESTRICTED: Access to folders in boxes 4 and 5 are restricted and require prior written approval from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation to view.
Access restricted
Access restricted
The Financial Records series contains a wide assortment of records related to the daily financial operations of the Doris Duke Foundation. Materials included are financial statements, annual reports of the DDF, journals and general ledgers, correspondence and other related materials regarding the financial status of the DDF.
The materials are loosely arranged in chronological order.
The Subject Files series primarily documents the donating activities of the Doris Duke Foundation, including incoming correspondence from various non-profit organizations soliciting donations, donations that were granted, and donation requests that were denied. This series illustrates the transition of the foundation from Independent Aid, Inc. to the Doris Duke Foundation, in particular documenting the foundation's changing philanthropic interests. In addition to correspondence, the files often contain clippings, proof of tax exemption status, treasurer’s receipts, review sheets, photographs, reports and proposals, annual reports, pamphlets, and other promotional material.
The “Closed Files” and “Current Files” appear to have been maintained at the same time. When an organization was no longer under consideration or receiving donations they were removed from the “Current File” to the “Closed File.” Both appear to have been maintained until around 1975, although some later material can be found in the files.
Files regarding the staff and Board of the DDF are also included amongst the various correspondence files. W.C. Davison, Duke University Medical Center Dean and Vice President of the Board of Trustees, is featured prominently in the series, often advocating aid to various healthcare related causes, especially in North Carolina. Additional files on Georgea T. Furst (Includes correspondence with Doris Duke regarding travels abroad with birth control activist Margaret Sanger), Clarence E. Pickett (Board President until 1957), C.D. Jackson (Board Member), John M. Schiff (Board Member), Sophia van Theis (Executive Secretary-Treasurer and Board Member), Leta McBean (Board Member, began serving under her maiden name McDonald), Michael Chinigo (consultant), Lloyd A. Pantages (Board Member) and the Duke Office provide insight into the administration of the DDF.
Grants-In-Aid, Scholarships are records of individual scholarships awarded by Independent Aid, Inc. and the Doris Duke Foundation. These grants were issued between 1937 and 1959, with an additional grant being awarded in 1967. Included in the first folder are photocopies of the original folders listing each scholarship recipient by year. Unlike the rest of the Closed Files subseries these files were not arranged alphabetically, but instead were placed at the end of the series by the records’ creators.
1975 Denials contain a record of organizations that were denied aid. In addition to denials from 1975, denials from as early as 1951 were kept interfiled within this subseries. 1976 and 1977 Denials contain aid rejections from their respective calendar years. The 1975 Denials were most likely maintained at the DDF New York Office by May E. McFarland, while the later Denials were maintained by Elisabeth McConville at the N.J. Residence.
The Miscellaneous Donation Files were created by combining all donation materials which were not included in the previous categories, i.e., some files were foldered and labeled, some unlabeled, and others were found loose in the drawers. Of particular interest are the May E. McFarland files which contain correspondence from Doris Duke's Personal Fund and donations to Negro Colleges in the 1960s and 1970s.
Arrangement Note: All Subject Files are arranged in the order in which they were found. For the most part, they are arranged alphabetically, with the exception of the Miscellaneous Donation Files which were arranged in the order in which they were found.
RESTRICTED: Access to folders in boxes 103 and 104 are restricted and require prior written approval from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation to view.
Access restricted
Access restricted