| Biographical Sketch
Joseph Polakoff (1908-1996)
was born in Russia on October 20, 1908. Polakoff moved to Scranton
Pennsylvania. In 1925 as a high school senior, he began work as a messenger
and copy-boy at the Scranton Republican, later the Scranton Tribune.
Polakoff attended St. Thomas College, now the University of Scranton, and
graduated in 1932. While in college, Polakoff wrote sports articles
for the college newspaper, The Aquinas. At the Tribune he started
as a reporter, became sports editor for four years and contributed a weekly
column called Polly’s Chatter. Finally, he served as city editor
and taught economics at St. Thomas. Polakoff noted that he was “the
first Jew to hold those jobs” at the Tribune.
During 1939 and 1940, Polakoff
worked briefly at a number of New York papers serving as an “observer.”
In 1942, he was invited to
join the staff of the newly formed Office of War Information. Polakoff
was sent to London and remained there until 1949, writing the Potomac Cable
for the State Department. He met his wife Dorothy in London in 1948.
He was transferred to Washington to work for the State Department’s Information
Service late in 1949. In 1953, Polakoff was transferred to the newly
created United States Information Agency and in 1954 he was transferred
to Yugoslavia for a more than a year before returning to Washington.
In 1960 President Eisenhower
appointed Polakoff as information specialist for a State Department
South and Central American assistance program. Polakoff was based
in Lima Peru until President Kennedy terminated the program in 1961.
Polakoff transferred to the United Nations where he served as policy guidance
officer.
The Kennedy administration
selected Polakoff in 1962 to serve as special information officer for the
Central American Common Market. Polakoff was based in Guatemala for
seven years and wrote a report on the Common Market which was published
as a Congressional document.
In 1969 he returned to Washington
to work with USIA but retired from the State Department in 1970 after 28
years of service.
After a four month break, Polakoff
started a new career as Washington bureau chief for the Jewish Telegraphic
Agency.
He accompanied President
Nixon to the USSR, Poland and Iran. In 1979 Polakoff accompanied
President Carter to Cairo and Jerusalem to witness the signing of the Begin-Sadat
peace accord. Polakoff traveled widely and wrote regularly for the JTA.
In 1981 he retired from the
JTA and became the Washington bureau chief for the Intermountain Jewish
News. Polakoff continued to write nearly until his death on April 12, 1996
at age 87.
Polakoff was known for his
tough and persistent style of questioning. Jim Deaken wrote in Straight
Stuff—The Reporters, the White House and the Truth, “No press secretary
has ever matched Polakoff’s knowledge of the Middle East.” In 1984
the American Jewish Press Association established an annual Joseph
Polakoff Award for integrity and outstanding journalism.
Scope and Content Note
The Joseph Polakoff Collection
documents Polakoff’s career as a State Department employee and journalist.
Documents from Polakoff’s early journalistic career are limited to four
scrapbooks of Scranton Tribune clippings of his articles titled “Polly’s
Chatter.” There is material from his USIA career, notably a scrapbook
from a traveling “Atoms for Peace” exhibit and correspondence from London
and correspondence and publications Central and South America.
A substantial portion of the collection
is from Polakoff’s journalistic career. He retained a considerable
amount of material that may have been used for research. A wide variety
of newsletters, magazines, interview and speech transcripts, press kits,
newspaper clippings, and “junk” mail was present in the collection.
most of the newspaper clippings and common magazines have been appraised
out of the collection. The interview and speech transcripts, press
kits, and extended runs of newsletters are being retained.
The bulk of the collection contains
material relevant to Jewish culture and Middle Eastern politics primarily
during the period 1970-1996.
Polakoff served as Washington bureau
chief for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) from 1970-1981. Consequently,
the collection contains a substantial—but not complete—run of the JTA Daily
Bulletin from 1970 To 1996 There is also a collection of the JTA
Weekly Report with substantial gaps. There are copies from 1972-1980,
1982, and 1994-1997. The JTA Community Reporter is present from 1970-1997
with substantial gaps including the period from 1984-1989.
There is one processed set of Polakoff’s
articles. The set contains typescript articles from 1970 to
1996 The typescript articles are arranged by month and year. His
articles also exist in currently unprocessed collections in the form of
acidic teletype print-outs and acidic newspaper clippings.
Polakoff collected transcripts
from television news interview and debate shows like Meet the Press.
There is a substantial amount of these transcripts from the 1970s to the
1990s. Another series contains speech and interview transcripts of
government and political figures. Television news shows are arranged by
show. Government speech and interview transcripts are arranged by office
or department.
Polakoff was on the mailing list
of Jonathan Pollard, the convicted Israeli spy. Pollard sent photocopies
of articles about his case, with annotations, to Polakoff and other journalists.
Along with these mailings, Polakoff retained articles about the Pollard
case as well as related court documents. This series is also in a
preliminary stage of arrangement.
Polakoff’s correspondence, mostly incoming,
is arranged chronologically.
A number of individuals have contributed
to the processing of the collection and the creation of this finding aid.
Carolyn Barry, Jennifer Page, and Kristina Brown contributed initial processing
and list creation. Debbie Zenzal has contributed substantially to refine
and reorganize the arrangement of the material and improve the inventory.
Series Descriptions
Series 1 Articles
This series contains a substantial, but not
complete run of Polakoff's articles in typescript form. many articles
show corrections and some are taped together. No attempt has been
made to determine how many of these articles have been published nor how
any published version may have been edited for length or content in comparison
with the typescript version. For each box a date range is provided and
a date range is listed for each folder. In most cases the folder
description lists the gaps for the covered time period. Hence, folder
11 in Box 1 contains articles from the first half of 1973 but notes
that the second half of the year is missing.
Box 1 October 1970-1983
1-2: Oct.-Dec. 1970
3-6: Jan.-Dec. 1971(missing June 1971)
7-10: Jan-Nov. 1972 (missing April and Dec. 1972)
11: Jan.-Aug. 1973 (missing Sept.-Dec. 1973)
12: Articles from 1974 (most of these articles are missing)
13: Articles from 1975 (most of these articles are missing.
14-16: Jan.-Dec. 1976 (missing June and Nov)
17: Articles from 1977 (most of these articles are missing)
18: Articles from 1978 (most of these articles are missing)
19-20: Jan-Dec. 1979 (many of these articles are missing)
21-25: Jan-Dec 1980 (missing Sept and Dec 1980)
26-28: Jan-Dec 1981
19-34: Jan-Dec 1982
35-40: Jan-Dec 1982
Box 2 1984-1985
1-6: Jan.-Dec. 1984
7: Undated Articles 1981-1984
8-13: Jan-Dec 1985
14: Undated Articles 1983-1985
Box 3 1986-1988
1-6: Jan-Dec 1986 (all articles with the exception of 10/1/86 missing)
7: Undated Articles 1986
8-13: Jan.-Dec.1987 (articles missing from Nov 1987 with the exception
of 11/2-11/6)
14: Undated Articles 1987
15-20: Jan.-Dec. 1988 (many articles missing from June, Sept.-Nov)
21: Undated Articles 1988
Box 4 1989-1992
1-6: Jan-Dec 1989 (June 1-11 articles missing)
7: Undated Articles 1989
8-13: Jan-Dec 1990 (many articles missing Jan-Dec: many of these articles
are taped and pieced together)
14: Undated Articles 1990
15-20: Jan-Dec 1991
21: Undated Articles 1991
22-27: Jan-Dec 1992
28: Undated Articles Late '80's Early '90's
Box 5 1993-1996
1-6: Jan-Dec 1993
7: Undated Articles 1993
8-13: Jan-Feb 1994
14: Undated Articles 1994
15-20: Jan-Dec 1995
21: Undated Articles 1995
22: Jan-Feb 1996
23: Undated Articles Dated 1991-1996
Series 2 Jewish Telegraphic Agency Publications
The Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) has been
a primary source for Jewish journalism since the 1920s. Polakoff
became Washington Bureau Chief in 1970 and retained a substantial, but
incomplete, collection of JTA publications since that time. The Daily
JTA Bulletin averages four pages. The Weekly and Community also run about
four pages. Articles by Polakoff appear from time to time.
The collection is arranged chronologically.
JTA Daily Bulletin Boxes 6-13
Box 6
1-9: April 1970-Dec.1970 (missing--many from April and October 1970)
10-21: Jan 1971-Dec 1971
22-33: Jan 1972-Dec 1972
34-45: Jan 1973-Dec 1973
Box 7
1-12: Jan 1974-Dec. 1974
13-24: Jan 1975-Dec.1975 (missing--many from July and August 1975)
25-36: Jan 1976-Dec 1976
Box 8
1-12: Jan 1977-Dec1977
13-24: Jan 1978-Dec 1978
25-36: Jan 1979-Dec 1979
Box 9
1-12: Jan 1980-Dec 1980
13-24: Jan 1981-Dec 1981 (missing—most from Jan, Feb, and March 1981)
25-36: Jan 1982-Dec 1982 (missing--many Dec 1982)
37-48: Jan 1983-Dec 1983
Box 10
1-12: Jan1984-Dec1984
13-24: Jan1985-Dec 1985 (many missing from Sept and Oct 1985)
25-36: Jan1986-Dec1986
37-48: Jan 1987-Dec 1987 (missing--many from May and Apr 1987)
Box 11
1-12: Jan 1988-Dec1988 (missing--most from 1988)
13-24: Jan 1989-Dec1989 (missing--most from 1989)
25-36: Jan 1990-Dec1990 (missing--most from May through Aug 1990)
37-48: Jan 1991-Dec1991 (missing--most from May through Aug 1991)
Box 12
1-12: Jan 1992-Dec1992
13-21: Jan 1993-Dec1993 (many missing from Sept-Nov1993)
22-33: Jan 1994-Dec1994 (many missing from Sept 1994)
34-45: Jan 1995-Dec1995
Box 13
1-8: Jan 1996-Dec1996 (missing--most of Feb, March, Apr, and July 1996)
9: Jan 1997-May1997
10: June1997-Dec1997
11: Jan 1998-July 9,1998
Box 14
JTA Community Reporter
1: 1970 (missing--Jan-Mar some from April and Oct.)
2: 1971
3: 1972 (missing--all of Sept.)
4: 1973
5: 1974 (missing Feb through June, all of Sept, Oct, and Dec.)
6: 1975 (missing--all of Nov and Dec.)
7: 1976 (missing--all of Feb)
8: 1977
9: 1978 (missing--all of April. and some Oct)
10: 1979 (missing--all of June-Aug, some Sept-Nov and all of Dec)
11: 1980 (missing--Some of Jan-July)
12: 1981 (missing--Some March-April, Aug-Oct.)
13: 1982
14: 1983 (missing—all of Feb and March, some April, June-Sept, Nov-Dec)
(no folder, all of 1984 missing)
15: 1985 (missing--all except For 11\15)
16: 1986 (missing--all except Oct 17)
(no folder, all of 1987 missing)
17: 1988 (missing--Some from Jan-Dec)
18: 1989 (some missing May-June and Nov-Dec)
19: 1990 (some missing June, Aug & Dec)
20: 1991 (missing--some July, Nov & Dec)
21: 1992 (missing--some Jan-Dec)
22: 1993
23: 1994 (missing--Some Jan-Dec)
24: 1995
25: 1996 (Jan & Feb missing—some of March, April, May and
July missing, all Aug & Sept missing, some Oct-Dec missing)
26: 1997 (missing--some of all 12 Months) , 1998 (most missing)
Box # 15
JTA Weekly News Digest 1972-2000
many missing in this series. all folders within the box labeled with
the missing series.
1: 1972 ( most missing)
2: 1973 (missing--March 2, May 4, Dec.7&14)
3: 1974 (most missing)
4: 1975 (most missing)
5: 1976 (missing--all March, some from June, all Aug, and all Nov)
6: 1977 (missing--all of July)
7: 1978 (missing Jan 20, some March., April, and June 2)
8: 1979 (missing Jan 19, Aug. 3,10,17)
9: 1980 (missing Jan 18 & 25, Feb 15 & 22, March 8 & 21,
April 4 & 25, May 4, 11, 23, all of July, Aug 1, 15, 29, Sept 12, Oct
10, Dec 12, 26)
10: 1981 (missing Jan. 30, March 13, 27, all of April &Dec)
11: 1982 (all missing, except July 6)
(1983-1992 all missing No Folder )
12: 1993-1994 (all missing except Feb 12,1993, 1994 all missing except
March 11 and April 1, 1994)
(1995 missing--all No Folder)
13: 1996 (missing Jan-June, all of July Except 5 & 19, Oct 18 &
25,Nov 1, 8, 22, & 29 Dec 6 & 23)
14: 1997-1999 (missing--some Jan-Feb, April, Sept, Oct, Nov & Dec
1997, some missing from 1998 Jan, March, April, &May)
15: 2000 (all missing except some from Jan-April)
Series #3
This series contains various transcripts from
U.S. and foreign government news conferences, and Letters from Attorney
Leonard Horwin (a series of open letters to the president on foreign policy
issues).
Box 16
Transcripts contained in this box are as follows:
1: Department of Justice 12/5.76, 3/14/82, 8/26/87, and 4/7/87
2: Transcripts Domestic Affairs with two of the enclosed articles having
no dates, and
6\9\76, 2\28\78, 10\15\79, 1/30/80, 2/7/80, 10/22/80, 9/24/84, 1/15/86,
8/18/88, 6/7/91, 2/24/93, 3/29/94, 1/10/95,and 2/22/95.
3: Transcripts from foreign affairs dated as follows: 1972-1985,
4: Various Foreign Relations Transcripts
1986-1996
5: Jewish/Mideast Issues Transcripts 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1979
6: Jewish/Mideast Issues Transcripts 1980-1984
7: Various Jewish/Mideast Issues Transcripts 1990-1996
8: Jewish/Mideast Issues Transcripts 1985-1989
9: Folder Marked Miscellaneous Transcripts Foreign, Congressional,
Senatorial, Dated 1959-1995, many
documents from Previous Years missing
Box 17
1-13: Press Dept. of State Transcripts 1973-1995
Box 18
1-4: Foreign Relations Committee Transcripts 1971-1991
5-7: Foreign Press Center Transcripts 1983-1995
8: United Nations Transcripts 1950, 1979, 1980, 1993
9: US Information Agency Nov.-Dec. 1984
10: Republican and Democrat Transcript 1972, 1976, 1980, 1990, and
1992.
Box 19
1-5: Office of Press Secretary Transcripts 1970-1995
6-7: Department of State William Rogers Interview 1969-1972
8: Department of State Office of media services 1974-1975
9: U.S. State Department various briefings
10: Dept. of State-Daily Briefing Transcripts
Box 20
1-5: Letters from Attorney Leonard Horwin 1989-1991 and 1996
6: Secretary of State 1973-1976 and 1988-1989
7: US Dept. of State Special Briefings 1979, 1992, and 1993
8: US Dept. of State 1991-1995, missing1996 and 1997
Box 21
Various Miscellaneous Governmental Transcripts
1: American Israel Public Affairs Committee 1978, 1987, 1989, 1991,
1994-95.
2: Conference and reports transcript 1988
3: House/Senate Foreign Relations 1982, 1987-88, 1993.
4: Joint Press Conference 1986, 1991, 1993-1995.
5 :Pool Reports
6: Presidential Address United Nations 1993
7: Presidential remarks at White House 1976, 1991, 1993, 1995.
8: Various White House Transcripts
9: Miscellaneous Transcripts Undetermined Dates.
Series 4 Television Transcripts
This Series contains transcripts from major
television network news programs.
Box 22
1-8: ABC "This Week With David Brinkley," dates ranging from 1982-1996.
Box 23
1-8: CBS "Face the Nation," dates ranging from 1978-1996
Box 24
1-10: NBC "Meet the Press," dates ranging from 1975-1996
Box 25
Miscellaneous Television News Transcripts
1: Agronsky at Large 1976-1977.
2: CNN Transcript 1989, 1993, 1995
3: Fox News Sunday 1996
4-5: Issues and Answers 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979-81
6: Net work News Transcripts
7: ABC Nightline 1988
8: World Net, USIA TV and film service 1988.
Series #5
This series contain transcripts from speeches, conferences, hearings,
US government and foreign affairs.
Box 26
1: B'Nai Brith/ADL Transcripts 1980, 1985, 1987, 1992.
2: Embassy of Israel transcripts 1984 and 1986
3-4:National Press Club Transcripts
5: Occupied Arab Territories Conference Transcripts
6: USIA Foreign Press Center 1980, 1984-86, 1988, 1993-94.
Series #6
This series contains personal and government correspondence, mostly
to Polakoff. Series also contains personal papers, photos, notes from a
book Polakoff planned to write, and assorted notes.
Box 27
1: 1943 to October 1995 Personal and Government correspondence
2-5: Letters to Polakoff personal and business related 1931 to
1995
6: Undated letters to Polakoff
7: Personal Paperwork
8: Personal papers and pictures
9: Items containing Polakoff's notes
10: Biography and Photos
11: Correspondence containing research for book 1964-1970
12: Information compiled by Polakoff for Book
13-14: U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council News
15-16: Faxes received by Polakoff personal and business related
Box 28
1-25: Personal Correspondence 1943-1996
26: Letters from B'Nai Brith congratulating Polakoff March, May, and
June 1981
27: Resume 1977
28: Undated personal correspondence
29: Correspondence business related
30: Notes written by Polakoff
31: Press release from University of Scranton concerning obtaining
Polakoff papers
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