Snow, Helen Foster, 1907-1997
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 27 Collections and/or Records:
Biographical material about and by Helen Foster Snow, 1935-1987
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.
Helen Foster Snow audiovisual materials, 1937-1999
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.
Helen Foster Snow chronologically-arranged correspondence, 1940-1997
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.
Helen Foster Snow collection addendum, 1925-2000
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.
Helen Foster Snow correspondence, 1940s-1990s
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.
Helen Foster Snow documents written in Chinese, 1927-1997
Helen Foster Snow essays, 1919-1993
Essays written by Helen Foster Snow, ranging from 1919 to 1993. Includes untitled works and pages from unidentified works at the end.
Helen Foster Snow files on China Builds for Democracy, approximately 1941
Contains book covers, carbon copy drafts with an alternate title, Indian copy with introduction by Jawaharlal Nehru, complete and partial manuscript drafts in sections, bound copy of the 1941 edition, reviews, notes and research, and letters and essays about the book.
Helen Foster Snow files on Living China, approximately 1931-1940
"Living China" is a collection of short stories related to left-wing Chinese ideology that was translated by Edgar and Helen Foster Snow during their years in China from 1931-1940. Contains an annotated draft, partial drafts, partial photocopy of the published book, article on "The Modern Chinese Literary Movement," excerpts, and reviews.
Helen Foster Snow files on New China, undated
Contains an introduction, copy of "Biographical Notes and a Comprehensive Bibliography of the Yenan Hui by Magaret Stanley," clipped reviews, edited and annotated drafts, and proofs of "Women in Modern China."
Additional filters:
- Type
- Archival Object 26
- Collection 1
- Subject
- China -- Politics and government -- 1912-1949 24
- China -- Politics and government -- 1928-1937 24
- Photojournalism -- China 24
- Photojournalists -- China 24
- Communes (China) 13
- Genealogy 13
- India 13
- International Relations 13
- Philippines 13
- Yan'an Shi (China) 13
- Beijing (China) 12
- Journalism 12
- Letters 12
- Shanghai (China) 12
- Utah 12
- Xi'an Shi (China) 12
- Drafts (Documents) 10
- Articles 9
- Essays 7
- Books 6
- Correspondence 5
- Book reviews 4
- Manuscripts 4
- China 3
- Documents 3
- Interviews 2
- Literature 2
- Papers (Documents) 2
- Personal papers 2
- Publications 2
- Research 2
- Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences 1
- Audiocassettes 1
- Book covers 1
- Books -- Reviews 1
- Contracts 1
- Diaries 1
- Documentary films 1
- Economics and Banking 1
- Fiction 1
- Financial records 1
- Labor History 1
- Minutes (Records) 1
- Notes 1
- Periodicals 1
- Photographs 1
- Proposals 1
- Reports 1
- Seneca Falls (N.Y.) 1
- Speeches, addresses, etc. 1
- Telegrams 1
- Translations 1
- Videocassettes 1 + ∧ less