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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 45 Collections and/or Records:

Helen Foster Snow periodicals, 1933-1996

 Sub-Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 8 Sub-Series 7
Scope and Contents

Contains magazines, journals, and other periodicals. Topics include tourism, history, foreign affairs and other subjects, all related to China. Dated 1933 to 1966.

Dates: 1933-1996
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / MSS 2219, Helen Foster Snow papers / Helen Foster Snow miscellaneous materials

Helen Foster Snow photograph documentation, 1973-1979

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 5 Sub-Series 5
Scope and Contents

Contains documentation, mainly grouped together in binders or originally grouped in binders. Documentation includes letters to Tim Considine, copies of photographs he owns as well as photographs in the Helen Foster Snow papers, and lists of captions for Helen Foster Snow and Tim Considine's photographs. Helen went to China in 1978 with Tim Considine and a film crew to retrace her steps from X'ian to Yan'an. Dated 1973 to 1979.

Dates: 1973-1979
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / MSS 2219, Helen Foster Snow papers / Helen Foster Snow photographs

Helen Foster Snow photographs, approximately 1853-2000

 Series
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 5
Scope and Contents Contains photographs, including slides and negatives, taken by or collected by Helen Foster Snow throughout her life. Photographs of Helen’s personal life include family members, friends, vacations in the United States, Europe, and other destinations, and trips she took throughout Asia with her husband, Edgar Snow. The bulk of the photographs come from her professional life, documenting her time as a photojournalist in China beginning in 1931 and later returns to China in 1972 and 1978. Also...
Dates: approximately 1853-2000
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / MSS 2219, Helen Foster Snow papers

Helen Foster Snow photographs distributed by Magnum Photos, Inc., approximately 1933-1937

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 5 Sub-Series 3
Scope and Contents

Contains photographs taken during Helen's time as a photojournalist in China and distributed by Magnum Photos, Inc. Duplicates of these photographs are also found throughout the subseries "Helen Foster Snow photographs of Asia." Also included are photocopies of the original typed captions for the photographs. Materials dated 1933 to 1940.

Dates: approximately 1933-1937
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / MSS 2219, Helen Foster Snow papers / Helen Foster Snow photographs

Helen Foster Snow photographs from Asia, approximately 1902-1949, approximately 1970-1987, bulk: 1931-1940

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 5 Sub-Series 2
Scope and Contents Photographs taken by or collected by Helen Foster Snow during her time as a photojournalist in China during the rise of the Chinese Communist Party. Also includes photographs of Helen Foster Snow and husband Edgar Snow on their trips to Bali, the Philippines, and various locations in China. Photographs dated 1970 and later are mainly from Helen’s trips back to China, one of which was with Tim Considine in 1978, and many of which are slides. Materials span 1902 to 1949, and 1970 to 1987, with...
Dates: approximately 1902-1949; approximately 1970-1987; Majority of material found within 1931-1940
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / MSS 2219, Helen Foster Snow papers / Helen Foster Snow photographs

Helen Foster Snow photographs of family and friends, approximately 1853-2000

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 5 Sub-Series 1 Sub-Series 1
Scope and Contents Contains photographs, including slides, pertaining to the life of Helen Foster Snow. Photograph subjects include Helen's ancestors, family members, Utah childhood, friends, pets, and domestic animals. Photos of Helen's adulthood are mainly located at her home in Connecticut or in the eastern United States. Photographs are mainly unrelated to Helen's time working in China, although some depict friends visiting from China. Many photographs have accompanying captions written on the front or...
Dates: Other: approximately 1853-2000
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / MSS 2219, Helen Foster Snow papers / Helen Foster Snow photographs / Helen Foster Snow photographs of family, friends, and vacations

Helen Foster Snow poetry, 1925-1995

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 3 Sub-Series 16
Scope and Contents note

All folders contain poetry written by Helen Foster Snow. "The nomenclature of Helen Foster Snow and Nym Wales are used intermittently in ascribing the author." Drafts with and without annotations, bound volumes, award-winning items, poetry for music, limericks, and other humorous material. Materials date from 1925 to 1995.

Dates: Other: 1925-1995
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / MSS 2219, Helen Foster Snow papers / Helen Foster Snow published and unpublished manuscripts

Helen Foster Snow published and unpublished manuscripts, approximately 1919-1995

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 3
Scope and Contents

Contains manuscripts and associated materials produced by Helen Foster Snow, both inside the United States and in China. Includes non-fiction and fiction writings on China and other topics. Materials date from between 1919 and 1995.

Dates: approximately 1919-1995
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / MSS 2219, Helen Foster Snow papers

Helen Foster Snow topically-arranged correspondence, 1940s-1990s

 Sub-Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 4 Sub-Series 2
Scope and Contents

Contains letters and other correspondence spanning from the 1940's to the 1990's, both career-related and personal. During this period of time, Helen lived in the United States, but travelled abroad several times.

Dates: 1940s-1990s
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / MSS 2219, Helen Foster Snow papers / Helen Foster Snow correspondence

Helen Foster Snow unpublished manuscripts, 1982-1991

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 3 Sub-Series 15
Scope and Contents note

Contains folios, various drafts and copies, and other materials for Book Ends: A Reader's Notes; Ethics and Energism, the Bridge to the Future; Lines of Communication; Long Thoughts; Longer Thoughts; More Long Thoughts; People I Have Known; Primitives and Pastorals; Why is a Classic?, and other works; also sections of unidentified works, and information about the author. Materials date from 1982 to 1991.

Dates: Other: 1982-1991
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / MSS 2219, Helen Foster Snow papers / Helen Foster Snow published and unpublished manuscripts

Filtered By

  • Subject: China X

Additional filters:

Type
Archival Object 43
Collection 2
 
Subject
China -- Politics and government -- 1928-1937 39
Photojournalism -- China 39
Photojournalists -- China 39
China -- Politics and government -- 1912-1949 35
Politics, Government, and Law 26
∨ more
India 24
Philippines 24
Yan'an Shi (China) 24
Beijing (China) 23
Shanghai (China) 23
Utah 23
Xi'an Shi (China) 23
Drafts (Documents) 15
Genealogy 14
Letters 14
Communes (China) 13
International Relations 13
Books 11
Journalism 11
Articles 9
Literature 8
Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences 7
Essays 7
Book reviews 6
Manuscripts 6
Photographs 6
Communism -- China -- History 5
Correspondence 5
Connecticut -- Photographs 4
Notes 4
Asia -- Photographs 3
China 3
China -- Photographs 3
Documents 3
Photojournalism 3
Poetry 3
Research 3
Social Life and Customs 3
United States -- Photographs 3
Autobiographies 2
Civic Activism 2
Interviews 2
Negatives 2
Papers (Documents) 2
Personal papers 2
Publications 2
Vacations 2
Acetate negatives 1
Agriculture -- China 1
Artifacts 1
Audiocassettes 1
Authors, American -- Biography 1
Bali (Indonesia : Province) -- Photographs 1
Book covers 1
Books -- Reviews 1
China -- History -- 20th century 1
Chinese language 1
Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.) 1
Clothing 1
Communism 1
Contracts 1
Documentary films 1
Domestic animals -- Photographs 1
East (U.S.) -- Photographs 1
Economics and Banking 1
Fiction 1
Financial records 1
Folklore 1
Glass negatives 1
Home and Family 1
Labor History 1
Lists 1
Minutes (Records) 1
Paintings 1
Periodicals 1
Philippines -- Photographs 1
Photocopies 1
Proposals 1
Seneca Falls (N.Y.) 1
Slides (Photography) 1
Speeches, addresses, etc. 1
Telegrams 1
Translations 1
Utah -- Photographs 1
Videocassettes 1
+ ∧ less
 

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