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Snow, Edgar, 1905-1972

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1905 - 1972

Biography

Edgar Snow (1905-1972) was a journalist and foreign correspondent in China.

Edgar Snow was born on July 10, 1905 in Kansas City, Missouri. Snow moved to China as a correspondent for the Consolidated Press Association. Edgar met Helen Foster Snow when she came to China. The two were married on December 25, 1933 in Tokyo, Japan. They moved to Peking, where Edgar taught at Yanjing University. At the University, Edgar and Helen sympathized with the students protesting the government’s allowance of Japanese invasion. The two helped organize movements like the December 9th movement of 1935, and provided press coverage of events censored by Chinese papers.

In June of 1936 Edgar left Peking for Xian, and into the communist camp as the first foreign journalist in that territory. He composed the first biographical account of Mao during this time. Mao asked Ed to set peace terms between the Nationalists and the Chinese Government. An interview with Mao published in Life magazine in 1936 gained a great amount of attention. Edgar Snow became the editor to his new magazine Democracy. Red Star Over China, Edgar’s book on his time with the communists was published in 1938. Edgar Snow died on February 15, 1972 in Eysins Switzerland.

Citation:
Helen Foster Snow: An American Woman in Revolutionary China, 2006: p. 32 (b. July 19, 1905; Kansas City, Missouri; Shanghai correspondent for Consolidated Press Association); p. 39 (m. Helen Foster Snow 1933); 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. 49 (move to Manchuria to investigate, 1933); p. 50 (job teaching at Yanjing University); p. 55 (helped plan December 1935 movements); p. 58 (moved to more neutral area; p. 62 (press coverage of events censored by Chinese papers); p. 64 (December 16th movement); p. 67 (June 1936 Xian then Baoan to communist camp); p. 70 (worked with artists); p. 71 (short stories published to West); p. 73 (published Living china); p. 79 (October 1936, interview with Mao Zedong; published in Life, journal Democracy, editor); p. 87 (controversial exposure of communist ideas); p. 109 (Red Star Over China, 1938); p. 110 (long march reports; first foreign journalist in communist territory); p. 111 (left Peking June 1936, Xian; 92 day tour, Zhou Enlai); p. 113 (first biographical account of Mao; set terms for peace between CCP and GMD); p. 114 (return to Peking Oct. 1936, write book); p. 117 (Shanghai)

FamilySearch, July 12, 2018 (d. February 15, 1972; Eysins, Switzerland)

Found in 13 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

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 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 legal and personal papers, 1941-1983

 Sub-Series — Box 171: Series 8 [Barcode: 31197227638225]
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 8 Sub-Series 3
Scope and Contents

Contains marriage certificate and documents, correspondence between Helen and Edgar, separation agreement and divorce papers, Helen's writings about the marriage, alimony papers, last will and testament, warranty and mortgage deeds, notes and correspondence on finances, information on Helen's literary trust fund and properties.

Dates: 1941-1983

Helen Foster Snow miscellaneous materials, 1726-2000

 Series
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 8
Scope and Contents

Contains miscellaneous documents, manuscripts, and papers relating to Edgar and Helen Foster Snow, mostly concerning their lives outside of their careers. Materials date from 1726-2000.

Dates: 1726-2000

Helen Foster Snow miscellaneous papers, 1880-1997

 Sub-Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 8 Sub-Series 5
Scope and Contents

Contains scrapbooks, awards, and memorial service materials. Also included are papers relating to Snow's story and movie contracts (notebooks, journals, maps, contracts, art, Chinese currency, correspondence, report cards, silks and woodcuts, Indusco materials, passports, war ration books, and postcards). Additionally, Snow's official 1934 transcript from the University of Utah prior to her departure to China. Materials date from 1880-1997.

Dates: 1880-1997

Helen Foster Snow pamphlets, 1928-1994

 Sub-Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 9 Sub-Series 4
Scope and Contents

Contains pamphlets authored by Mao Zedong, as well as items published by China's Foreign Languages Press. Additional topically-arranged pamphlets are also included.

Dates: 1928-1994

Helen Foster Snow papers on women's issues, approximately 1726-2000

 Sub-Series — Box 172: Series 8 [Barcode: 31197227638563]
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 8 Sub-Series 4
Scope and Contents

Contains undated and untitled essays, material on Chinese and general women's issues, topical correspondence, and material relating to the Seneca Falls Convention.

Dates: approximately 1726-2000

Filtered By

  • Subject: International Relations X

Additional filters:

Type
Archival Object 12
Collection 1
 
Subject
Letters 8
Articles 3
Documents 3
Books 2
Essays 2