Skip to main content

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 52 Collections and/or Records:

Helen Foster Snow family papers, 1833-1999

 Series
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 1
Scope and Contents

Contains research and writings compiled by Helen Foster Snow early in her life regarding her family history and genealogical records of New England.

Dates: 1833-1999

Helen Foster Snow files on China Builds for Democracy, approximately 1941

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

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.

Dates: Other: approximately 1941

Helen Foster Snow files on Fables and Parables, approximately 1952

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

A collection of Helen's short stories published in 1952. Contains annotated and plain carbon copy drafts of the book, reveiws, loose fables, and a partial draft.

Dates: Other: approximately 1952

Helen Foster Snow files on Living China, approximately 1931-1940

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 3 Sub-Series 9
Scope and Contents note

"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.

Dates: Other: approximately 1931-1940

Helen Foster Snow files on My China Papers, approximately 1984

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 3 Sub-Series 8
Scope and Contents note

Contains draft cuts, alternate titles, extract copies, original and copied drafts in sections, synopsis, edited drafts, companion book drafts, cut and miscellaneous chapters, preparatory stories and essays, autobiographical notes, annotated drafts, correspondence and reviews, loose chapters, and drafts of an alternate version ("East of the Sun West of the Moon").

Dates: Other: approximately 1984

Helen Foster Snow files on New China, undated

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 3 Sub-Series 10
Scope and Contents note

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."

Dates: Other: undated

Helen Foster Snow files on Red Dust, approximately 1952

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 3 Sub-Series 6
Scope and Contents note

"Red Dust" was a book by Helen Foster Snow (Nym Wales) published in 1952 that told the story of Chinese communist leaders. Contains book reviews, correspondence, edited drafts, annotated and plain partial drafts, carbon copy drafts, miscellaneous pages, extracted chapters, and interviews by Edgar Snow.

Dates: Other: approximately 1952

Helen Foster Snow files on Song of Ariran, approximately 1941

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 3 Sub-Series 2
Scope and Contents note

The Song of Ariran was a book published in 1941 by Helen Foster Snow that related Korea's fight for independence from Japan. Contains essays and miscellaneous articles about The Song of Ariran, annotated drafts in sections, foreword, preface, preparatory notebooks, correspondence, and copies of Korean essays about the book.

Dates: Other: approximately 1941

Helen Foster Snow files on The Chinese labor movement, approximately 1945

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 3 Sub-Series 4
Scope and Contents note

The Chinese Labor Movement was a book written by Helen Foster Snow under the pseudonym of Nym Wales in 1945. Contains letters, reviews, annotated drafts, carbon copies, extracts, and miscellaneous papers.

Dates: Other: approximately 1945

Helen Foster Snow files on The Root and the Branch, undated

 Sub-Series
Identifier: MSS 2219 Series 3 Sub-Series 14
Scope and Contents From the Series:

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: undated

Additional filters:

Type
Archival Object 50
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 27
∨ 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) 17
Letters 16
Genealogy 14
Communes (China) 13
International Relations 13
Books 12
Journalism 12
Articles 10
Photographs 10
Essays 9
Literature 8
Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences 7
Manuscripts 7
Book reviews 6
Connecticut -- Photographs 6
Correspondence 6
Communism -- China -- History 5
Notes 5
Domestic animals -- Photographs 4
United States -- Photographs 4
Asia -- Photographs 3
China 3
China -- Photographs 3
Documents 3
New England -- Genealogy 3
Photojournalism 3
Poetry 3
Research 3
Social Life and Customs 3
Autobiographies 2
Civic Activism 2
Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.) 2
France -- Photographs 2
Greece -- Photographs 2
India -- Photographs 2
Interviews 2
Maps 2
Negatives 2
Pamphlets 2
Papers (Documents) 2
Personal papers 2
Publications 2
Research (Documents) 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
Caricatures and cartoons 1
China -- History -- 20th century 1
Chinese language 1
Clothing 1
Communism 1
Conference papers and proceedings 1
Contracts 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
Home and Family 1
Japan 1
Korea 1
Labor History 1
Lecture notes 1
Lists 1
Minutes (Records) 1
Music -- Manuscripts 1
Newspapers -- Sections, columns, etc. 1
Notebooks 1
Paintings 1
Periodicals 1
Philippines -- Photographs 1
Photocopies 1
Poetry -- Manuscripts 1
Proposals 1
Seneca Falls (N.Y.) 1
Slides (Photography) 1
Speeches, addresses, etc. 1
Telegrams 1
+ ∧ less