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Jean Chance research file on Henrietta Poynter, bulk 1930s-1990s

 

Summary

Creator:
Poynter, Henrietta
Chance, Jean
Abstract:
Collection is compiled by Dr. Jean Chance's research on Henrietta Poynter's influence and leadership at the St. Petersburg Times and Congressional Quarterly.
Extent:
2 boxes
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Jean Chance research file on Henrietta Poynter, Nelson Poynter Memorial Library Special Collections and University Archives, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL.

Background

Scope and content:

Materials include correspondence, public documents, clippings, and notes from the mid-1930s through early 1990s. There are photocopies of Poynter's newspaper articles.

Biographical / historical:

A native of New York, Henrietta Malkiel was born on 25 April 1901 to Russian Jewish immigrants. She attended public and private schools, including Hunter College High School. During the early 1920s, she earned an A.B. degree from Columbia University. Shortly thereafter, she became a dramatic and feature editor for popular magazines, including Vogue and Vanity Fair. Between 1929 and 1931, Henrietta became the foreign editor at Vogue. She became a freelance writer and took part in theatrical production activities in New York and Paris during the early 1930s, later serving as a talent scout, artist, and writers' manager. By the beginning of World War II, she worked as assistant chief in the program division of the agency that later became the Voice of America. She served as assistant to Director John Houseman, an actor and producer best known for his dramatic performance as Professor Charles W. Kingsfield, Jr., in the acclaimed movie and television series, The Paper Chase.

Henrietta Makiel married Nelson Paul Poynter on 8 August 1942. They exchanged vows in Williams, Arizona, while Poynter had taken leave from the St. Petersburg Times to serve as chief of the Office of War Information's Movie Bureau in Hollywood, California. Upon returning to St. Petersburg, the Poynters were frustrated by the difficulty they had in obtaining timely and accurate information about political activities in Washington, D.C. In an attempt to develop a clearinghouse for information that would assist them with their duties at the St. Petersburg Times, Nelson and Henrietta Poynter co-founded Congressional Quarterly Incorporated. They co-edited issues of Congressional Quarterly. In 1953, Henrietta assumed responsibilities as associate editor of the St. Petersburg Times. The following year, she became vice president and trustee of the Poynter Fund.

Henrietta Poynter passed away on 26 January 1968. She suffered from a stroke. In April of the following year, the Florida Legislature honored her in passing resolutions that commemorated her as "one of the nation's leading authorities on the United States Congress." He husband died on 15 June 1978, shortly after attending dedication ceremonies for the expansion of the University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus.

Dr. Jean Chance, a retired professor of journalism, joined the faculty of the University of Florida (UF) in 1969. During the late 1980s, while serving as an associate professor in the UF College of Journalism and Communications, Chance received a sabbatical to research Henrietta Poynter. In addition to her work in the classroom, Chance held appointments as chair of the University Senate and the UF Intercollegiate Athletic Committee. She retired from her fulltime assignment at the University of Florida in May 2003.

Acquisition information:
Materials were received from Professor Jean Chance through David Shedden, Library Director at the Poynter Institute. The Nelson Poynter Memorial Library took possession of these materials in May 2004.

Access and use

Terms of access:

None. The contents of the collection may be subject to copyright. Visit the United States Copyright Office's website at http://www.copyright.gov/ for more information.

Preferred citation:

Jean Chance research file on Henrietta Poynter, Nelson Poynter Memorial Library Special Collections and University Archives, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL.

Location of this collection:
140 7th Avenue South
St. Petersburg
FL
33701
USA