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Finding Aid for the Joseph L. Wyatt Collection of California Democratic Council Records, 1953-1967
1082
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Title: Joseph L. Wyatt Collection of California Democratic Council Records,
Date (inclusive): 1953-1967
Collection number: 1082
Creator: Wyatt, Joseph L., 1924-
Extent: 14 boxes (7 linear ft.)
Abstract: The California Democratic Council (CDC), a federation of local volunteer clubs, was established in 1953. CDC endorsements
and campaign support led to the first full statewide slate of Democrats in 40 years (1954) and also figured prominently in
the election of Edmund G. “Pat” Brown as California governor in 1958. Joseph Lucian Wyatt, Jr. (b.1924) was the secretary
of the California Democratic Council (1953-57), and president (1957-61). He was also the California delegate at the Democratic
National Conventions in 1956, 1960, 1964, and 1968. The collection consists of correspondence, clippings, and printed material
related to the formation, development, and activities of the California Democratic Council (CDC) between 1953 and 1967, and
materials related to another organization, the Dime-A-Day Democracy Group.
Repository:
University of California, Los Angeles. Library.
Department of Special Collections.
Los Angeles, California 90095-1575
Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library, Department
of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Joseph Lucian Wyatt, Jr. was born in Chicago, Illinois, February 21, 1924; attended Northwestern University (AB, 1947) and
Harvard Law School (LL.B., 1949); became a lawyer and sole practitioner, Los Angeles, California, in 1949; member California
State Personnel Board, 1961-71; Director, Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce, 1956-59; secretary, California Democratic
Council (CDC), 1953-57; president, CDC, 1957-61; California delegate, Democratic National Convention, 1956, 1960, 1964, and
1968.
The California Democratic Council (CDC), a federation of local volunteer clubs, was established in 1953; under the direction
of founding president Alan Cranston, the CDC was able to balance its electoral and legislative goals; CDC endorsements and
campaign support led to the first full statewide slate of Democrats in 40 years (1954) and also figured prominently in the
election of Edmund G. “Pat” Brown as California governor in 1958; as the CDC's focus became increasingly ideological, tensions
led to a steady decline in its membership and presence in California politics; membership peaked at 75,000 in 1964.
Collection consists of correspondence, clippings, and printed material related to the formation, development, and activities
of the California Democratic Council (CDC) between 1953 and 1967. Materials relate to Wyatt's involvement in the CDC as its
secretary and president. Also contains materials related to another organization, the Dime-A-Day Democracy Group.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Wyatt, Joseph L., 1924- --Archives.
California Democratic Council--Archives.
Democratic Party (Calif.).
California--Politics and government, 1951- .
Partial List of Correspondents in Collection
Anderson, Glenn M. lieutenant-governor of California
Bowlest Chester
Brown, Edmund G. (Pat) governor of California
Burns, Hugh California State Senate
Cranston Alan
Doyle, Clyde California congressman
Eagle, Clair California senator
Galbraith, John Kenneth
Gore Albert Tennessee senator
Hanna, Richard T. California state legislator
Johnson, Lyndon Baines Senate majority leader
Kefauver, Estes Senator
Miller, George California congressman
Mosk, Stanley judge and California state attorney-general
Pitchess, Peter J. Los Angeles County sherrif
Rees, Thomas California state legislator
Richards, Richard California state legislator
Roosevelt, James California congressman
Schleisenger, Arthur M. Jr.
Unruh, Jesse California state legislator
Wagner, Robert F. Jr. New York City mayor
Wyman, Rosalind Los Angeles City councilwoman
Yarborough, Ralph Texas senator
Yorty, Samuel Los Angeles Mayor
Ziffren, Paul Democratic national committeeman
- CDC Officer: 1953-1965 [oral history transcript] / Wyatt, Joseph L., interviewee. UCLA Oral History Department interview, 1971. Available at Department of Special Collections, UCLA.
- California Democratic Council Records (Collection 1389). Available at Department of Special Collections, UCLA.