Papers of May-ling Soong Chiang, 1916-2003 : a guide.
MSS.1

Summary Information

Repository
Wellesley College Archives
Creator
Chiang, May-ling Soong, 1897-2003
Title
Papers of May-ling Soong Chiang, 1916-2003
Date
1916-2003
ID
MSS.1
Extent
15.9 Linear feet (8 file boxes, 11 oversize boxes)

Preferred Citation

Papers of May-ling Soong Chiang, MSS.1, Wellesley College Archives.

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Biographical/Historical Note

Madame Chiang Kai-shek (1897-2003) was born in Shanghai in a prominent Chinese family of six children under the name of May-ling Soong. As a child, Mayling lived in the United States between 1908 and 1917. All her siblings graduated from US colleges and universities and some obtained high political and social status through marriage and/or career advancements. May-ling Soong herself graduated from Wellesley College in 1917. She majored in English Literature and minored in Philosophy, became a member of Tau Zeta Epsilon (T.Z.E.) student society, and was named a Durant Scholar, the highest academic distinction conferred by the College. Her marriage in 1927 to Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) placed her in the spotlight, and her subsequent active involvement in the decades-long struggle against communist forces and their political power in China contributed to her rise to prominence. Chiang Kai-shek, who became the leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party, the Kuomintang, after the death of Sun Yat-sen in 1925, distinguished himself as Generalissimo, served as Chairman of the National Military Council of the nationalist government of the Republic of China and participated in several military campaigns. After losing the battle for Mainland China, he remained as the President of the Republic of China in Taiwan until the end of his life. Madame Chiang Kai-shek's excellent education, rich life experience and dedication to the cause of preserving Chinese democracy, as well as her intellectual capabilities and charismatic personality, explain her influential role in Chinese politics and culture and her international fame.

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Scope and Content

Contains materials created and/or presented by Madame Chiang Kai-shek (1897-2003) and members of the Wellesley College community; dating from 1916 through 2004; consisting of articles, essays, clippings, and photographs providing general biographical information; materials (printed, manuscript, and artifacts) related to her academic years and subsequent relationship with Wellesley College, including correspondence, speeches, addresses, visits, publicity, class letters, photographs, scrapbooks, and gifts to the College; and materials representing her political career, including publications (books, articles, addresses, and speeches) by her and scrapbooks and clippings about her and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek.

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Arrangement

The collection is divided into four series: I. General/Biographical; II. Wellesley College; III. Correspondence; IV. Writings. Each series is further subdivided into subseries based on format or content.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Wellesley College Archives

Conditions on Access

Unrestricted.

Conditions on Use

Copyright in some papers in the collection may be held by their authors, or the authors' heirs or assigns. Researchers must obtain the written permission of the holder(s) of copyright publishing quotations from any material in the collection.

Acquisition Information

The papers were transferred to the archives from campus offices such as the President's Office, the Alumnae Office and the Publicity Office in the 1970s. Additional materials were donated by alumnae and Mme. Chiang herself. Some materials were originally part of the library's Historical Collection according to a list compiled in 1939.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Mariana Oller, under the guidance of Jane A. Callahan, Spring 2011.

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Related Materials

Related Materials

Additional archival material may be found in the Papers of Emma DeLong Mills, the Records of the President's Office, Records Of the Mayling Soong Foundation Program Committee, Records of the Class of 1917, and Records of the Publicity Office. The class of 1917 Legenda (yearbook) is available online: http://repository.wellesley.edu/legenda/43/. A list of published materials by or about Chiang housed at the archives may be found here: http://bit.ly/p5EqaT.

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Collection Inventory

I. General/Biographical 

Scope and Content

Contains articles, biographical abstracts and essays, newspaper and magazine clippings, obituaries, and photographs of Mme. Chiang Kai-shek and the Generalissimo. Also contains scrapbooks of clippings and illustrations from Chinese (Nationalist) newspapers chiefly from Formosa (Taiwan), dated January-May 1950. Contains framed and unframed individual portraits, family photographs, a wedding portrait, photographs from public events and appearances in China; unframed photographs from 1943 visit to the US. Photographs from Mme. Chiang Kai-shek's undergraduate years at Wellesley College and subsequent visits there are located in Series II: Wellesley College.

A. General 
Title Box Folder
General Biographical Information  1
Speeches about Mme. Chiang Kai-shek 1941, 1943  1
Obituaries, Memorials  1
B. Articles and Clippings 
Title Box Folder
Articles about Mme. Chiang Kai-Shek n.d.  1
Articles about Mme. Chiang Kai-Shek 1927-1936  1
Articles about Mme. Chiang Kai-Shek 1937  1
Articles about Mme. Chiang Kai-Shek 1937-1943  Oversize 1
Articles about Mme. Chiang Kai-Shek 1938  1 1
Articles about Mme. Chiang Kai-Shek 1938  1 2
Articles about Mme. Chiang Kai-Shek 1939-1940  1
Articles about Mme. Chiang Kai-Shek January-August, 1941  3
Articles about Mme. Chiang Kai-shek September 1942-February 1943  3
Articles about Mme. Chiang Kai-shek March 1-4, 1943  3
Articles about Mme. Chiang Kai-shek March 5-31, 1943  3
Articles about Mme. Chiang Kai-shek April-May, 1943  4
Articles about Mme. Chiang Kai-Shek June 1941-August 1943  Oversize 2
Articles about Mme. Chiang Kai-shek June-December, 1943  4
Articles about Mme. Chiang Kai-Shek September 1941-August 1942  4
Articles about Mme. Chiang Kai-Shek 1944-1947  4
Articles about Mme. Chiang Kai-Shek 1948-1960  4
Articles about Mme. Chiang Kai-Shek 1948-1960  Oversize 3
Articles about Mme. Chiang Kai-Shek 1961-1970  5
Articles about Mme. Chiang Kai-Shek 1971-1978  5
Articles about Mme. Chiang Kai-Shek 1979-2003  5
Articles about Mme. Chiang Kai-Shek 1997?  Oversize 2
Soong Family 1937-1982  Oversize 3
Chiang Kai-shek and Chinese Politics 1937-1945  5
Chiang Kai-shek and Chinese Politics 1946-2004  5
Scrapbook of Clippings from Chinese Newspapers January 9-28, 1950  Oversize 4
Scrapbook from Chinese Newspapers, No. 1 January 9-28, 1950  Oversize 4
Scrapbook from Chinese Newspapers, No. 2 January 29-31, 1950  Oversize 4
Scrapbook from Chinese Newspapers, No. 3 February 1-9, 1950  Oversize 4
Scrapbook from Chinese Newspapers, No. 4 February 10-13, 1950  Oversize 4
Scrapbook from Chinese Newspapers, No. 5 February 12-17, 1950  Oversize 4
Scrapbook from Chinese Newspapers, No. 6 February 19-23, 1950  Oversize 4
Scrapbook from Chinese Newspapers, No. 7 February 12-28, 1950  Oversize 5
Scrapbook from Chinese Newspapers, No. 8 March 1-16, 1950  Oversize 5
Scrapbook from Chinese Newspapers, No. 9 March 27-April 20, 1950  Oversize 5
Scrapbook from Chinese Newspapers, No. 10 April 17, 1950  Oversize 5
Scrapbook from Chinese Newspapers, No. 11 April 8-19, 1950  Oversize 5
Scrapbook from Chinese Newspapers, No. 12 April 23-May 2, 1950  Oversize 5
Scrapbook from Chinese Newspapers, No. 13 May 5-7, 1950  Oversize 5
Scrapbook from Chinese Newspapers, No. 14 May 3-10, 1950  Oversize 5
C. Photographs 
Title Box Folder
Mme. Chiang Kai-shek: Portrait Type Poses  2

Oversize materials moved to Oversize Box 2.

Wedding Photographs December 1, 1927  Oversize 2
Generalissimo and Mme. Chiang Kai-shek in China  2

Oversize materials moved to Oversize Box 2.

Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek  2
Mme. Chiang Kai-shek visit to US (not including Wellesley) 1943  2

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II. Wellesley College 

Scope and Content

Contains speeches and addresses of Mme. Chiang Kai-shek at Wellesley College in various formats (manuscripts, typescripts, printed, audio and video recordings); materials covering her visit to Wellesley College in March, 1943: newspaper/magazine clippings, Wellesley College Publicity Office correspondence, press releases, documents, and clippings, books documenting her visit to North America in 1943; various interactions of Mme. Chiang with Wellesley College such as class letters, Mayling Soong Foundation, Mayling Soong Chair in Chinese Studies, and T.Z.E. Student Society; scrapbooks made by classmates; photographs (Individual and class portraits: 1916-17; Wellesley visits: 1943, 1953, 1958, 1965); gifts to classmates; and Chinese flags presented to Wellesley College. Non-Wellesley photographs from the 1943 visit to the US are located in Series I, General/Biographical.

A. General 
Title Box Folder
Class Letters and Open Letters to Wellesley Community 1928-1947  6
Mayling Soong Foundation 1942-1947  6
TZE Student Society 1943  6
B. Visits 
Title Box Folder
Speech by Mme. Chiang Kai-shek at Wellesley College March 7, 1943  Oversize 3
Title Box
Audio Recording of Speech by Mme. Chiang Kai-shek at Wellesley College Oversize 6
Oversize 6
Oversize 6
Oversize 7
Mme. Chiang Kai-shek visit to Wellesley College, silent film 1943  Oversize 7
Address by Mme. Chiang Kai-shek at Wellesley College March 20, 1953  Oversize 3
Publicity Office: Correspondence and Press Releases about Mme. Chiang Kai-shek 1941-1943, 1965  6
Publicity Office Volume I, Part I: Publicity concerning the visit of Mme. Chiang Kai-shek to Wellesley College March 6-8, 1943  6
Publicity Office Volume I, Part II: Publicity concerning the visit of Mme. Chiang Kai-shek to Wellesley College March 6-8, 1943  6
Publicity Office Volume II: Publicity concerning the visit of Mme. Chiang Kai-shek to Wellesley College March 6-8, 1943  6
Publicity Office Volume III: Publicity concerning the visit of Mme. Chiang Kai-shek to the US 1943  6
Publicity Office Volume IV: Publicity concerning the visit of Mme. Chiang Kai-shek to the US 1942-1943  6
C. Scrapbooks 
Title Box Folder
Scrapbook about Mme. Chiang Kai-shek 1943-1962  7
Clippings about Mme. Chiang Kai-shek 1943-1944  7
Scrapbook of items by or about Mme. Chang Kai-shek 1935-1940  7
Scrapbook of items by or about Mme. Chiang Kai-shek 1941-1942  7
Scrapbook of items by or about Mme. Chiang Kai-shek January-March 7, 1943  7
Scrapbook of items by or about Mme. Chiang Kai-shek March 8-31, 1943  7
Scrapbook of items by or about Mme. Chiang Kai-shek 1944-1947  7
D. Photographs 
Title Box Folder
Mme. Chiang Kai-shek at Wellesley College 1916-1917  2
Mme. Chiang Kai-shek at Wellesley College 1943  2
Mme. Chiang Kai-shek at Wellesley College 1953  2
Mme. Chiang Kai-shek at Wellesley College 1958  2
Mme. Chiang Kai-shek at Wellesley College 1965  2
E. Realia 
Title Box Folder
Class Gift: Chinese National Anthem Broadside and Small Cloth Flag 1938  8
Class Gift: Three Piece Chinese Teacup and Silver Spoon Set 1938  Oversize 9
Class Gift: Chinese Teacup and Saucer 1942  Oversize 10
Class Gift: Two Teacups, Two Saucers, One Spoon, One Wooden Teacup Tray 1942  Oversize 11
Class Gift: Reproduction of Painting by Mme. Chiang Kai-shek 1967  Oversize 1
Chinese Flags 1937-1938  Oversize 8

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III. Correspondence 

Scope and Content

Includes correspondence from Chiang to classmates and professors such as Mary S. Case, Sophie Hart, and Elizabeth Manwaring, as well as president Mildred McAfee.

Title Box Folder
Correspondence 1916-1917  2
Correspondence 1934-1939  2
Correspondence 1940-1947  2
Correspondence 1950-1987  2
Open/Published Letters n.d., 1938  Oversize 3

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IV. Writings 

Scope and Content

Contains publications by Mme. Chiang Kai-shek (n.d.; 1930-1979); articles, addresses & speeches including audio and film recordings of speeches by Mme. Chiang Kai-shek during her visit to the US in 1943, and articles by Mme. and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek. A list of published materials by or about Chiang housed at the archives may be found here: http://bit.ly/p5EqaT.

A. Speeches 
Title Box Folder
Speeches by Mme. Chiang Kai-shek n.d.; 1938-1945  Oversize 3
Speeches by Mme. Chiang Kai-shek n.d.; 1950-1972  Oversize 3
Title Box
Audio Recording of Address by Mme. Chiang Kai-shek to the United States House of Representatives Oversize 6
Oversize 7
Film of Mme. Chiang Kai-shek in Washington 1943  Oversize 7  
Audio Recording of Speech by Mme. Chiang Kai-shek out of Madison Square Garden, New York City March 2, 1943  Oversize 6  
Audio Recording of Speech by Mme. Chiang Kai-shek at Chicago Stadium March 22, 1943  Oversize 6  
Audio Recording of Speech by Mme. Chiang Kai-shek at Civic Auditorium, San Francisco March 27, 1943  Oversize 6  
Film of Mme. Chiang Kai-shek in San Francisco 1943  Oversize 7  
Audio Recording of Speech by Mme. Chiang Kai-shek at Hollywood Bowl April 4, 1943  Oversize 6  
B. Articles 
Title Box Folder
Articles by Generalissimo and Mme. Chiang Kai-shek  Oversize 3
Articles by Generalissimo and Mme. Chiang Kai-shek 1930-1937  8
Articles by Generalissimo and Mme. Chiang Kai-shek 1938-1942  Oversize 3
Articles by Generalissimo and Mme. Chiang Kai-shek 1943-1945  8
Articles by Generalissimo and Mme. Chiang Kai-shek 1950-1979  8

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Finding Aid Last Updated: 01/06/2012

Wellesley College Archives