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House. House of Representatives Archives

 Organization

Dates

  • Existence: 1979 - Present

biographical statement

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archives and Records is the agency responsible for maintaining the records of the House and its Members. Examples of the records this agency holds include Committee Records, Personal Papers of former Members, Institutional Records, Public Hearing Transcripts and the records of the Comptroller.

The creation of the Bi-partisan Management Committee by Act 104 of 1979, directed the House of Representatives to establish a more systematic method of record keeping. The House Archives was initially established as a Records Center to collect committee records, fiscal records and personnel records. The Bi-partisan Management Committee was directed to: maintain and preserve the books, memoranda, reports and records of each standing and special committee having permanent research value; to establish and maintain a library; and develop uniform policies and procedures for the preservation and/or destruction of papers, documents and other writings of records.

Found in 8 Collections and/or Records:

General Manuscript Collection

 Collection
Identifier: 08/GM
Scope and Contents

Items in this collection were purchased, transferred, or donated to the House Archives outside of the normal means of business. This is an ongoing collection.

Dates: 1837 - 2030

Memorials

 Collection
Identifier: 07-SE01
Scope and Contents

Ongoing collection of memorials to former Members, Governors, Presidents, and other dignitaries.� Media include videotapes, photographs, programs, memory cards, and remarks.

Dates: 2000-2004

Memorials - Matthew J. Ryan, Speaker

 Collection
Identifier: 07-SE02
Scope and Contents

Matthew J. Ryan, Speaker of the House (1993-2003), was born April 27, 1932 and died March 29, 2003. The collection contains photographs, artifacts, videotapes and programs from the Funeral and Tributes held in April 2003. Also contained is a resolution from the Delaware County Bar Association, October 2003.

Dates: 2003

MOVE Crisis

 Collection
Identifier: 07-SE08
Scope and Contents On May 13, 1985, an ongoing conflict between the MOVE organization and the Philadelphia city government and police climaxed in an incident that claimed the lives of eleven MOVE members, destroyed sixty one homes and left 250 people homeless.� The photographs in the file chronicle the extent of the destruction resulting from the tactics employed against the MOVE organization by the city of Philadelphia.MOVE is a loose-knit, mostly black group whose members all adopted the surname...
Dates: 1985

Office of the Governor

 Collection
Identifier: 07-SE04
Scope and Contents

Ongoing collection of items related to various Governor administrations.� Included in this collection are farewell addresses, videos, inauguration materials, photographs, remarks, etc.

Dates: Other: Dummy Date

September 11

 Collection
Identifier: 07-SE03
Scope and Contents

Items related to the events remembering September 11, 2001.� These include a remembrance ceremony on the House Floor, a tree-planting ceremony and plaque dedication ceremony for United Flight 93 in Schenksville, Somerset County.

Items include programs, photographs, remarks, press, videos and news clippings.

Dates: 2001-2002

Speaker's Millennium Lecture

 Collection
Identifier: 07-SE11
Scope and Contents The Speaker's Millennium Lecture program was established in 2000 by then Speaker of the House, Matthew J. Ryan. The House partners with the Pennsylvania Humanities Council to host the event. It is a "gift to Pennsylvanian's who enjoy history, music and the humanities." Speakers include James McPherson (2000), who reflected on Abraham Lincoln's message for the new millennium, Studs Terkel (2001), who explored national life from the Great Depression to the present and discussed the need...
Dates: 2000-2004

Veterans Day

 Collection
Identifier: 07-SE07
Scope and Contents

Ongoing collection of materials related to Veterans Day ceremonies in the House of Representatives.� Items include press releases, videotapes, copies of remarks/speeches, photographs, etc.

Dates: 2001