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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 35 Collections and/or Records:

Helen Foster Snow manuscripts published outside the United States, 1923-1980

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 3 Sub-Series 11
Scope and Contents note Contains drafts and other materials (bound and annotated copies, drafts in sections, etc.) for My Yenan Notebooks, An American Experience in China, Return to China, Mao Country, Notes on the Chinese Student Movement, Notes on the China Experience, Old Impressions and Memoirs of Yenan, Profiles from China, The Chinese-American Special Relationship, The Gung Ho Papers, Totemism, the T'ao-T'ieh and the Chinese Ritual Bronzes, Unbound Feet, Women in Traditional China, and others. Dated...
Dates: Other: 1923-1980

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 China, 1927-1997

 Series
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 2
Scope and Contents

Contains works written during Helen's nine years in Asia spent as a foreign correspondent, mostly covering events and people related to the Chinese Revolution. Materials include articles, essays and personal correspondence. Materials date from September 1931 through December 1940.

Dates: 1927-1997

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

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

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

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

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

Filtered By

  • Subject: China -- Politics and government -- 1912-1949 X

Additional filters:

Type
Archival Object 34
Collection 1
 
Subject
Politics, Government, and Law 24
Beijing (China) 23
India 23
Philippines 23
Shanghai (China) 23