Douglas MacKinnon papers, 1917-1982
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Summary
- Creator:
- MacKinnon, Douglas, 1903-1984
- Abstract:
- Douglas MacKinnon was a radio program director, businessman, and music aficionado. The collection includes materials from MacKinnon's many ventures in music and radio, including his work at Harvard University, his leadership at the WQXR radio station in New York, his service in the U.S. Army during World War II, his work with Radio Free Europe, his writings for Opera News, and numerous other interests and pursuits. Also present are MacKinnon's diaries, datebooks, personal correspondence, and autobiographical writings.
- Extent:
- 14 Linear Feet
10500 Items - Language:
- Material in English
- Collection ID:
- RL.00834
Background
- Scope and content:
-
This collection includes a wide range of materials documenting MacKinnon's many pursuits in radio and music. Collection contains diaries, correspondence, financial papers, photographs, printed materials and news clippings related to MacKinnon's radio broadcasting and business career, as well as his personal life. The collection includes materials from MacKinnon's work for WQXR radio, the Armed Forces Master Records, Radio Free Europe, Investors Overseas Services, and Career Protreptors. Also included are notes, ephemera, programs, and his personal critiques of operas he saw around the world; drafts and notes about his autobiography; an assortment of writings and article drafts; photographs from his World War II service; personal documents; extensive correspondence; and other miscellaneous items.
- Biographical / historical:
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Douglas MacKinnon studied music at Harvard University. He was musical founder and director of New York's music station WQXR. As assistant to the National Broadcasting Company's Music Counsel, Dr. Walter Damrosch, he helped produce The Children's Hour, did research for the NBC Symphony, and wrote its scripts. In World War II he was a founder of the Armed Forces Master Records (AFMR) which sent disks of classical music to military bases. In the South Pacific he served with the Office of War Information, broadcasting to troops. He also worked as chief of music production for Radio Free Europe.
Other career ventures later in life included Career Protreptors, a music agency; he also reviewed operas throughout the world for the Metropolitan Opera's magazine, Opera News.
- Acquisition information:
- The Douglas MacKinnon Papers were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a gift in 1987.
- Processing information:
-
Processed by Sara Reams, April 2014
Updated by Meghan Lyon, May 2015
Accession(s) described in this collection guide: 1987
Materials may not have been ordered and described beyond their original condition.
- Physical location:
- For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Subjects
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Contents
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- Restrictions:
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Collection is open for research.
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All or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. The library may require up to 48-hours to retrieve these materials for research use.
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- Terms of access:
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The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.
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- Preferred citation:
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[Identification of item], Douglas MacKinnon Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.