When they were deposited at Marquette in 1961, the Joseph R. McCarthy Papers were
closed to research use at the request of the donor, Jean Kerr Minetti (McCarthy’s
widow). Although the holdings comprised nearly 100 cubic feet, the collection
contained no more than four feet of correspondence, memoranda, speeches, or other writings
that would ordinarily be considered “personal papers.”. The overwhelming
bulk of the material consisted of congressional publications, newspaper clippings, and
sound and film recordings of McCarthy’s speeches and broadcasts; none of it appeared
to be “sensitive” or “confidential” as those terms are commonly
understood.
Following the death of Jean Minetti in 1979, the legal status of the collection and the
question of public access came under renewed scrutiny. Despite the urging of the
Archives staff, Ms. Minetti had not executed a formal deed of gift. The
University’s General Counsel concluded (1981) that Marquette was no longer legally
bound by her request. However, her husband, G. Joseph Minetti, refused to release
any of the McCarthy papers still in his possession unless the University maintained the
“seal” until the year 2050. For this reason, the papers at Marquette
remained closed.
Joseph Minetti finally relinquished the remaining papers, including McCarthy’s
investigative files (9 cubic feet), in 1988. At that time he consented to the
opening of all of the clearly “public” material, such as press clippings and
recordings of speeches. The “private files” would “remain closed to
all use for the life of Tierney Minetti [his daughter, whose adoption by Joseph and Jean
McCarthy was in process at the time of the senator’s death].”. These would
appear to be of limited value to researchers, however, notable more for what is missing
than what is present (there is virtually no constituent correspondence, for example).
The bulk of McCarthy’s pre-senatorial correspondence (3 cubic ft.) is open
and available for use. He deposited these papers with his sister before leaving for
Washington in 1947; her son donated them to Marquette in 1990. Apparently saved in
their entirety, they should add significantly to our knowledge of McCarthy as judge and
aspiring politician.
Consult an archivist for further information.
