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Snow, Helen Foster, 1907-1997

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1907 - 1997

Biography

Helen Foster Snow (1907-1997) was an American journalist, photographer, and activist in China.

Helen Foster Snow was born on September 21, 1907 in Cedar City, Utah. She attended West High School. After graduating, she attended the University of Utah. She took the civil service exam, gained a position in China, and moved to Shanghai in August 1931. After arriving in China Helen met Edgar Snow, a reporter also from the U.S. The two were married on December 25, 1933 in Tokyo, Japan. The couple moved to Peking where Helen Foster Snow attended and Edgar taught at Yanjing University. From there they published information regarding the Manchurian incident. Helen Foster and Edgar Snow sympathized with the students who protested the government and its complacency toward Japanese invasion. They helped plan the December movements, and covered events censored in Chinese papers.

Helen published an interview with Zhang Xueliang, a general, who expressed support for communists, contradicting Chiang Kai-shek. In 1937 Edgar and Helen published the magazine Democracy. She worked on the editorial board to editor, and then the editor while Edgar wrote Red Star over China.

Snow entered the communist camp in April 1937, where she interviewed leaders, women, and children of the camp. She would publish her findings in her book Inside Red China in 1938. Helen later toured the Chinese Industrial Cooperatives and wrote to raise support of the initiatives. Helen returned to the United States, living in Madison, Connecticut and travelling the world. Helen died on January 11, 1997.

Citation:
OCLC 17967705: Stanley, M. Foreigners in areas of China ... 1987 (hdg.: Snow, Helen Foster, 1907- ; usage: Helen Foster Snow)

LC data base, 11/19/90 (hdg.: Wales, Nym, 1907- ; usage: Helen Foster Snow; Helen Foster Snow (Nym Wales); Hai-lun Fu-ssu-tʻe Ssu-no; Nym Wales; Nym Wales (Helen Foster Snow))

Pseuds. and nicknames dict., c1987 (Snow, Helen Foster, 1907- ; American author and poet; pseud.: Wales, Nym)

Bridging, 1997: t.p. (Helen Foster Snow) p. xxxvii (died 1/11/97)

Women in modern China, 2004: t.p. (Helen Foster Snow) colophon (海伦斯诺 = Hailun Sinuo = Snow, H.)

Familysearch.org, Dec. 6, 2011 (Helen Foster; b. Sept. 21, 1907 in Cedar City, Utah; d. Jan. 11, 1997 in Guilford, Conn.; m. Dec. 25, 1932 in Tokyo, Japan to Edgar Parks Snow)

Wikipedia, Dec. 6, 2011 (taught at Yenching University)

Helen Foster Snow, 2006: p. 13 (b. Cedar City, Utah; b. September 21, 1907); p. 15 (Hannah and John Foster); p. 16 (parents civically engaged); p. 18 (frequent moves in childhood); p. 19 (move to Salt Lake City, UT, West High School, yearbook, student gov't); p. 20 (graduated West High, University of Utah); p. 23 (secretary w/ A.G Mackenzie of American Silver Mining Commission in Utah; wanted Europe; decided on China); p. 24 (to China in August 1931); p. 25 (secretary to an American company in China); p. 31 (secretary for bankers); p. 34 (wrote on Manchurian incident); p. 36 (Shanghai refuge for leftist intellectuals and reformists); p. 38 (developed left leaning political opinions; social secretary at U.S. consulate; p. 39 (m. 1933 Edgar Snow); p. 42 (m. Dec. 25, Tokyo); p. 41 (honeymoon in Formosa, the Philippines, Borneo, the Dutch Indies, and Bali); p. 45 (move to Peking); p. 47 (modelling in Peking); p.50 (student of philosophy, religion, and esthetics at Yanjing University); p. 52 (student movement December 1935); p. 55 (rose awareness of fascist threat in China; helped plan December 1935 movement); p. 58 (home as anti-Japanese salon); p. 61 (poem calling students to action; planned Dec. 9 movement in home); p. 62 (press coverage of events censored by Chinese papers; pen names Nym Wales and Hsueh Hai-lun); p. 64 (December 16th movement); p. 69 (foreign correspondence); p. 70 (worked with artists); p. 71 (Chinese short stories published for West); p. 73 (published Living China); p.74 (poetry); p. 76 (Korea trip alone); p. 77 (Communist territory invitation, returned to Peking; interviewed Zhang Xueliang, support for communists against Japan); p. 80 (editorial board, Democracy); p. 81 (editor, democracy); p. 86 (Xian April 23, 1937); p. 87 (journals in the camp, women and children, leaders); p. 94 (observed visitors, GMD reps); p. 97 (Ding Ling); p. 99 (Kang Keqing; wife of Zhu De); p. 100 (divorce and marriage among communists); p. 107 ("The Passing of the Chinese Soviets."); p. 109 (Inside Red China, 1939); p. 117 (Shanghai); p. 125 (children in labor organizations); p. 126 (women in cooperatives); p. 132 (U.S. policy towards China); p. 135 (photographs); p. 136 (Song of Ariran, Korea and Japan interactions); p. 137 (Indusco inspection tour, Chinese Industrial cooperatives campaign); p. 140 (China Builds for Democracy); p. 144 (Dec. 1940 United States); p. 144 (vc American Committee in Aid of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives; China, Indusco II, 1979, founder of I)

UPB files, July 25, 2018 (1931, American consulate; Living China, short stories, 1935; photojournalism; Song of Ariran)

Found in 56 Collections and/or Records:

Biographical material about and by Helen Foster Snow, 1935-1987

 Sub-Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 8 Sub-Series 1
Scope and Contents

Contains papers and articles written by and about Helen Foster Snow, including autobiographical pieces by Snow; articles about her pseudonym by June Rice, and other papers by Kelly Ann Long and Lora Sabin. Also included are articles about Helen's 80th birthday celebration and exhibition, the Helen Foster Snow Institute at Utah State University, and correspondence.

Dates: 1935-1987

Edgar Snow papers, 1928-1994

 Sub-Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 8 Sub-Series 2
Scope and Contents

Contains information written by or about Edgar Parks Snow. Includes correspondence, poetry, manuscripts, articles about Red Star Over China and other literature, notes, articles on Edgar written or typed by Helen and others, symposium speeches about Edgar, financial papers, obituaries, and pamphlets.

Dates: 1928-1994

Helen Foster Snow artifacts, approximately 1850, approximately 1925-1991

 Series
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 7
Scope and Contents

Contains artifacts from Helen Foster Snow's family and career, including an ancestral coverlet, items from Chinese cooperatives, clothing worn or obtained while in China, certificates, paintings of Helen, and medals. Also contains a list of artifacts and accompanying descriptions provided by Helen Foster Snow. Dated approximately 1850, and approximately 1925 to 1991.

Dates: approximately 1850; approximately 1925-1991

Helen Foster Snow audiovisual materials, 1937-1999

 Series
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 6
Scope and Contents

Contains audio and videocassettes of Helen Foster Snow, with the depicted material dating from 1937 to 1999. Content includes interviews and conversations, news stories, documentaries, Helen's memorial service, music, and narrative from Sheril Bischoff as she sorts Helen's photograph collection.

Dates: 1937-1999

Helen Foster Snow books, 1938-2000

 Sub-Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 8
Scope and Contents

Contains items in Chinese written by Helen Foster Snow (as herself and under her pseudonym, Nym Wales) such as the Chinese editions of Song of Ariran, Inside Red China, and Return to China- and by Wu Jiliang. Also items in English, by various authors (one by Nym Wales: "China Builds For Democracy"), on Chinese history, tourism, government, and other subjects related to the country. Includes biographies of Americans with connections to China. Dated from 1938-2000.

Dates: 1938-2000

Helen Foster Snow chronologically-arranged correspondence, 1940-1997

 Sub-Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 4 Sub-Series 1
Scope and Contents

Includes at least one 'undated' (sometimes also an 'incomplete') folder for each decade, as well as general undated and incomplete folders. Folders contain various correspondence between Helen Foster Snow and others between 1940 and 1997.

Dates: 1940-1997

Helen Foster Snow collection addendum, 1925-2000

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 9
Scope and Contents

Contains materials added later to the Helen Foster Snow collection, including documents, books, and pamphlets. Materials span much of her life, and represent many of her experiences both in the United States and in China. Dated from 1925 to 2000.

Dates: 1925-2000

Helen Foster Snow correspondence, 1940s-1990s

 Series
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 4
Scope and Contents

Contains letters and other correspondence between Helen Foster Snow and others throughout her life, from the 1940's to the 1990's. Correspondence concerns both her career and her personal life. Materials span her time in the United States as well as her time abroad.

Dates: 1940s-1990s

Helen Foster Snow documents written in Chinese, 1927-1997

 Sub-Series — Box 35: Series 2 [Barcode: 31197227637748]
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 2 Sub-Series 4
Scope and Contents Contains essays by Helen Foster Snow, a Chinese translation of one of her novels, articles and reports on Helen Foster Snow, papers on Edgar Snow, letters to Helen, articles about Helen's friends and Indusco, copies of articles Helen collected, essays by Edgar, a film on Helen, and letters about Helen and her book. Materials range from 1927 to 1997.This sub-series contains manuscripts in Chinese that deal with a number of various subjects. Only the titles have been translated to...
Dates: 1927-1997

Helen Foster Snow essays, 1919-1993

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 3 Sub-Series 17
Scope and Contents

Essays written by Helen Foster Snow, ranging from 1919 to 1993. Includes untitled works and pages from unidentified works at the end.

Dates: Other: 1919-1993

Filtered By

  • Type: Archival Object X

Additional filters:

Subject
China -- Politics and government -- 1928-1937 38
Photojournalism -- China 38
Photojournalists -- China 38
China -- Politics and government -- 1912-1949 34
Politics, Government, and Law 27
∨ more
India 23
Philippines 23
Yan'an Shi (China) 23
Beijing (China) 22
Shanghai (China) 22
Utah 22
Xi'an Shi (China) 22
Letters 19
Drafts (Documents) 17
Genealogy 13
Journalism 13
Books 12
Communes (China) 12
International Relations 12
Articles 10
Photographs 10
Essays 9
Notes 9
Literature 8
Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences 7
Correspondence 7
Book reviews 6
Connecticut -- Photographs 6
Manuscripts 6
Archival materials -- Digitization -- Utah -- Provo 5
Library exhibits -- Utah -- Provo 5
Workflow management systems -- Utah -- Provo 5
China 4
Colleges and Universities 4
Communism -- China -- History 4
Domestic animals -- Photographs 4
Education 4
Proposals 4
United States -- Photographs 4
Agendas 3
Asia -- Photographs 3
China -- Photographs 3
Conference materials 3
Documents 3
Memorandums 3
New England -- Genealogy 3
Photojournalism 3
Poetry 3
Research 3
Civic Activism 2
France -- Photographs 2
Greece -- Photographs 2
India -- Photographs 2
Interviews 2
Maps 2
Minutes (Records) 2
Negatives 2
Pamphlets 2
Papers (Documents) 2
Personal papers 2
Publications 2
Reports 2
Research (Documents) 2
Social Life and Customs 2
Vacations 2
Acetate negatives 1
Agriculture -- China 1
Artifacts 1
Audiocassettes 1
Autobiographies 1
Bali (Indonesia : Province) -- Photographs 1
Book covers 1
Books -- Reviews 1
Caricatures and cartoons 1
Chinese language 1
Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.) 1
Clothing 1
Communism 1
Computer software -- Development -- Utah -- Provo 1
Conference papers and proceedings 1
Contracts 1
Diaries 1
Documentary films 1
East (U.S.) -- Photographs 1
Economics and Banking 1
England -- Photographs 1
Families -- Research -- United States 1
Fiction 1
Financial records 1
Folklore 1
Glass negatives 1
Japan 1
Korea 1
Labor History 1
Lecture notes 1
Lists 1
Music -- Manuscripts 1
Newspapers -- Sections, columns, etc. 1
Notebooks 1
Paintings 1
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