Elsa Knight Thompson papers, 1935-1987

Summary

Creators:

Thompson, Elsa Knight

Abstract:

Consists of personal papers documenting the broadcasting career of Elsa Knight Thompson from World War II through the 1970s. Contains family and personal correspondence, business files, legal files related to litigation with KPFA including transcripts, a draft autobiography, calendars, photographs, and ephemera.

Extent:

Number of containers: 1 box, 8 cartons, 1 oversize box Linear feet: 13.3

Language:

English

Background

Scope and content:

The Elsa Knight Thompson Papers, 1935-1987, consist of Thompson's personal papers spanning her career at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in the 1940s until her death in California in 1983. The collection contains family and personal correspondence, business files, legal files related to her litigation against KPFA, including trial transcripts, a draft autobiography with a series of interviews with Thompson during the 1970s and 80s, calendars, and ephemera.

Thompson, who grew up in Seattle, Washington, was a progressive journalist and one of the first women to break into international broadcasting as a news anchor and commentator during World War II. She spent a large part of her career as Public Affairs Director at KPFA in Berkeley, California. Career highlights at KPFA include the first-ever radio broadcast on what is now called gay liberation and interviews with Paul Robeson, James Baldwin, Malvina Reynolds, and Black Panther members.

Acquisition information:

The Elsa Knight Thompson Papers were given to The Bancroft Library by Lincoln Bergman on December 19, 2003.

Physical location:

For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.

Location of this collection:

UC Berkeley, Bancroft Library

University of California, Berkeley, The Bancroft Library

Berkeley, CA 94720-6000, US

Contact:

510-642-6481

bancref-library@berkeley.edu

Website