2.2.1.1: Wife and Children 1942-1998

Scope and content:

The subseries Correspondence is divided into the following categories: a) with Powell's wife and children b) about his children c) with his parents, his stepmother, and his wife's family d) with Powell's brother and sisters and their spouses e) with other close relatives

The correspondence "a) With Wife and Children" is further divided into separate chronologically arranged files for his wife and each of the children. There are also files devoted to letters addressed to more than one of the children.

The subseries of correspondence with Powell's wife, Jo, includes World War II letters along with a smattering from other periods. The correspondence with the children is extensive. Work forced Powell to be away from home frequently. Even when working in Richmond, his long hours sometimes limited his contact with his family. Thus the letters--and memoranda--to his children fill three cubic feet. He never stinted on giving advice, whether reviewing film of his son's baseball batting stance, considering a daughter's choice of dates, or setting down after school rules for study and exercise. These letters mixing expressions of his concern and advice with equal amounts of pride and affection continued with increased frequency as the children left home for college and established their own careers. When, in time, they married and had children of their own, a new generation was introduced to Powell's advice via correspondence. His interest in and concern for his children also accounts for the correspondence "re children."

In addition to writing to each of his children individually, Powell frequently wrote letters addressed to all of the children and their families during his tenure on the Supreme Court. These letters, of course, reported news about all of the children, their spouses, and the grandchildren, and included unsolicited advice to all. They served two other purposes, as well. Because of his position on the Court, Justice Powell no longer felt free to discuss politics and world affairs with friends and associates. He used these letters as safe and confidential vehicles to vent his opinions on social and political matters. The letters also form a kind of diary of Powell's time in Washington. He emphasized the social aspects of his and Mrs. Powell's life. A typical letter might include an account of a White House state dinner, a listing of Mrs. Powell's club activities and the names of neighbors and dignitaries who had recently dined in the Powells' apartment. Though he never divulged his or the court's thinking on pending cases, he distributed slip opinions to all of the children after decisions were announced. (He discussed his Supreme Court opinions at greater length in correspondence addressed individually to Molly and, especially, to Lewis during their respective times in law school.) He did occasionally discuss personalities on the court, and his basic approach to deciding cases.

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