Departmental Report: The Supreme Court Historical Society

William H. Press

The Supreme Court Historical Society, an independent non-profit organization which began operations in the Spring of 1975, is making rapid progress toward its mission of better informing the general public about the bulwark of our constitutional system, the least known branch of government--the Supreme Court of the United States.

It is now almost completely organized, building a substantial membership, fully financed for the year ahead and actively engaged in a number of projects.

The purposes for which the Society is organized are to operate, not for profit, but exclusively for educational and other charitable purposes, as set out in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, and pursuant to that purpose, the Society will:

"1. Disseminate knowledge of and provide opportunity for research into such historic, scientific, literary and other documents, records, objects, memorabilia of or relating to the Supreme Court of the United States and the justices thereof and any other miscellaneous data as are pertinent to increased public knowledge of the Supreme Court of the United States and its place in American history;

"2. Acquire knowledge concerning the history of the entire Judicial Branch of the United States Government;

"3. Make the knowledge and materials acquired available to scholars, historians, and the public under conditions prescribed from time to time by the Board of Trustees;

"4. Acquire through gift or loan, or on occasion through purchase, when and as funds for such purposes become available, documents, objects of historical significance, or objects of personal property or other memorabilia which may be related to the Society's purposes, or incorporated into continuing displays within the United States Supreme Court building or elsewhere, in order to portray to visitors to the premises the persons and events associated with the Supreme Court of the United States in the course of its history;

"5. Assist in effectuating the national policy for preserving all documents, records, objects and memorabilia which are of national significance for the inspiration and benefit of the people of the United States, more especially as those materials affect the development, functions, personnel, buildings and history of the Supreme Court of the United States and of the federal judiciary generally and as such preservation may be accomplished through specified activities such as the installation and presentation of educational exhibits, documentation, registration, storage, and when necessary, through acceptance of gifts of services and materials for preservation, conservation, maintenance and security of any articles or data acquired for such exhibits;

"6. Acquire by purchase and accept gifts, royalties or bequests of money, securities and other property, personal or real; purchase or otherwise acquire, own, use, improve, hold and operate for investment or develop, mortgage, sell, convey, lease, donate or otherwise dispose of, or deal in, improved or unimproved real estate wherever situate;

"7. Acquire, own, hold, improve, use and pledge, sell, donate or otherwise dispose of any personal property whatever situate including gifts to the United States, and borrow sums of money, all in furtherance of the Society's objectives and purposes, and subject always to the provision of the introductory paragraph in this article;

"8. Accept contributions from the public in varying amounts, in return for membership in the Society and benefits derived therefrom, or any otherwise lawful contributions independent of membership;

"9. Employ such staff, personnel or agents as may be necessary, enter into contracts, and do each and everything now or hereafter permitted by the corporation laws of the District of Columbia which are necessary, suitable or proper for the accomplishment of any of the purposes or the attainment of any one or more of the objects herein enumerated or which shall at any time appear to be conducive to, or expedient for, the protection or benefit of the Society and which are not inconsistent with these Articles of Incorporation, and subject always to the provisions of the introductory paragraph in this article;

"10. Allow for the extension of the purposes and activities described above to other courts within the Federal Judicial system and to such other agencies, public or private, educational or philanthropic, when and as the Board of Trustees of the Society shall deem appropriate, to the end that ultimately there may be, when resources permit, a continuing, comprehensive study of the historical record of the entire judicial branch of the government of the United States."

The Supreme Court Historical Society was incorporated in the District of Columbia on November 20, 1974 by Rowland F. Kirks, Earl W. Kintner and Alice L. O'Donnell as a result of nearly three years of planning by an ad hoc committee appointed by Chief Justice Warren E. Burger. This Advisory Historical Committee was chaired by Professor William F. Swindler and consisted of the following members: Erwin C. Surrency, James B. Rhoads, Richard H. Howland, Clement E. Conger, Charles E. Van Ravenswaay, T. Perry Lippitt and Merlo J. Pusey.

In response to the request of the incorporators, the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation on January 15, 1975, approved a charter grant of $125,000 to launch the new Society. The grant specifically included funds for the initial organizational, research, mail and other expenses to get the Society under way. Funds were also provided for research and planning for a movie concerning the Supreme Court and for acquisitions of historical significance for display at the Court, including a portrait of the Supreme Court's first six Justices.

On February 12, 1975, William H. Press was named Executive Director by the incorporators, who at that time served as "the initial Board of Trustees."

The initial Board of Trustees on March 31, 1975 adopted By-Laws and a tentative budget for the year 1975. The Board also discussed Society objectives, named retired Justice Tom C. Clark Chairman and compiled a list of distinguished Americans who would be asked to serve as Trustees and members of the Advisory Board. The Executive Committee composition was adopted, an appropriation was made to partially cover costs of Senate ceremonies dedicating the restored Supreme Court chamber on May 22, 1975, and it was agreed that a dinner launching the Society should be held at about this time when convenient to the Chief Justice. The Chief Justice, Mark Cannon, Catherine Hetos and Professor Swindler particpiated in some of these discussions.

In mid-April, offices of the Supreme Court Historical Society were opened in Suite 400, 1629 K Street, N.W., in Washington.

After the Senate dedication on May 22, the Board of Trustees dinner in the East Conference Room of the Supreme Court Building convened at 8 PM. Present were the Chief Justice and Mrs. Burger, Justice and Mrs. Blackmun, Justice Brennan, Justice and Mrs. Marshall, Justice and Mrs. Rehnquist, and Justice and Mrs. Clark. Twenty-six Trustees, including most of the Officers, Advisory Board members and wives attended.

During this very enjoyable historic occasion chaired by Justice Clark, our Chairman, Professor Swindler gave a brief history of the work of the ad hoc Advisory Historical Committee and probable interests of the Supreme Court Historical Society.

Chief Justice Burger made inspiring comments about the Society's objectives, expressed gratitude to Mrs. Gwendolyn Cafritz for her generous charter grant and introduced Executive Director William H. Press.

No business was conducted at the dinner.

During May and June the incorporators selected the officers and 26 Trustees and revised the Society's dues schedule. The Executive Director developed a membership brochure, invitation and application and a mailing list of approximately 37,000. This mailing was dispatched in mid-July.

In accordance with the By-Laws the Executive Committee was named consisting of President Elizabeth Hughes Gossett, Vice-Presidents Earl W. Kintner, Sol M. Linowitz, William P. Rogers, Robert T. Stevens, Secretary Mrs. Hugo L. Black, Treasurer Vincent C. Burke, Jr. and Trustees Charles T. Duncan, A. Linwood Holton, Rowland F. Kirks and Fred M. Vinson, Jr.

The first meeting of the Executive Committee was held in the Supreme Court Building on July 22, 1975. Trustees for 1, 2 and 3 year terms (as required by the By-Laws) were selected by naming the members of the Executive Committee to three-year terms, and then by drawing, the following were named to two-year terms: J. Albert Woll, Francis R. Kirkham, Patricia C. Dwinnell, Alice L. O'Donnell, Bernard G. Segal, Gwendolyn D. Cafritz, Melvin M. Payne, Glen A. Lloyd, David A. Morse, David L. Kreeger and Richard A. Moore. The remaining Trustees were named to one-year terms ending June 30, 1976: Ralph E. Becker, Herbert Brownell, William T. Coleman, Jr., Newell W. Ellison, Paul A. Freund, Erwin N. Griswold, Joseph H. Hennage, Nicholas D. Katzenbach, Fred Schwengel, Whitney North Seymour, Hobart Taylor, Jr. and Howland Chase. The Chairman of the Advisory Board was designated a trustee ex officio.

Standing Committee chairpersons were named as follows:

Acquisitions Joseph H. Hennage

Finance Earl K. Kintner

Membership Fred M. Vinson, Jr.

Nominating Mrs. Hugo L. Black

Publications William F. Swindler

Plans for the first Yearbook of the Supreme Court Historical Society were reviewed and in general approved as was an outline of the make-up of the Quarterly Newsletter. Subsequently it was decided that in this first year each member would be sent a copy of the Yearbook without cost. Members may purchase additional copies for $5. All other purchasers will pay $7.50 per copy.

The October 15, 1975, Executive Committee meeting adopted an expression of regret because of the death of Trustee Glen A. Lloyd. Two additional Trustees were named, Mr. Orbert C. Tanner of Utah and Mrs. Glen A. Lloyd of Illinois.

Chief Justice Warren E. Burger was elected Honorary Chairman of the Society and David A. Sacks was named Tax Counsel.

Included in Committee reports at this meeting was an estimate of $436,500 income through June 30, 1976, and a proposed budget of $170,990 through June. The budget was adopted. Membership of 446 on October 10 was reported, of which 6 were life members. Several other members have announced their intentions to bring their dues paid up to the $5,000 minimum life membership requirement. Cash balances of $189,344.42 were reported as of October 15.

Through the generosity of Mrs. Hazen the Society was able to purchase and place in the Justices' Dining Room a Duncan Phyfe Tambourine Table and 14 matching accompanying chairs. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Hennage presented to the Society an 1810 Sheraton pedestal drop leaf table and an 1810 Sheraton New York sofa. These pieces will be appropriately placed in the Supreme Court Building.

The first public announcement of the formation of the Society appeared in the May 1975 issue of THE THIRD BRANCH, the Bulletin of the Federal Courts. On July 23 a lengthy press conference was held at the Supreme Court in which the Chief Justice, Justice Clark, President Gossett and Executive Director Press participated. Reporters and photographers from the A.P., U.P.I., the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and the Washington Post and Star covered the conference. Excellent articles appeared in the papers covering and several others. A comprehensive article about the Society written by Dr. William Swindler was in the September issue of the American Bar Association Journal. A number of magazine articles are being prepared for publication in the near future.

Copyright 1975, Supreme Court Historical Society