Part I

Part I, Session 1, October 16, 1962

Childhood and Family 1–14

University Education 14–21

European Travels, 1926 21–24

Early Career in New York City: Reinhart Galleries, New York Art Market and Marriage to Paul Reinhart 25–33

Divorce and Dress-Pattern Business 34–44

Father's Estate 38–40

Art Market and Industrial Design 40–43

Marriage to Albert Lasker, Financial Independence 45–50


Part I, Session 2, October 24, 1962

Wide–Ranging Interests, 1934–39 51–55

Meeting Albert Lasker 56–61

Social Life, New York, London, Paris, 1939 62–68

Growing Relationship with Albert Lasker 68–74


Part I, Session 3, October 26, 1962

Interest in Health Issues and Influence of Lasker 75–79

Marriage to Albert Lasker and 1940 Presidential Election 80–83

Birth Control Federation, Planned Parenthood and White House Conversations 83–93

World War II and Interest in Air Power 94–97


Part I, Session 4, November 5, 1962

Air Power (cont) 98–103, 123–125

Early Illnesses and Interest in Medical Research, Federal Legislation and Private and Governmental Funding 103–16

Medical Advances After 1943 117–23


Part I, Session 5, November 15, 1962

World War II and Government Medical Research 126–31

Federal Funding for Medical Research, Roosevelt and Truman Administrations 131–43

Truman Health Messages and National Health Program 143–51


Part I, Session 6, November 29, 1962

National Science Foundation Legislation152–56

Cancer Research Funding 157–65

National Mental Health Institute, Medical Basis of Mental illness, Therapies 165–81


Part I, Session 7, December 11, 1962

Funding for Medical Research, "Money as Frozen Energy" 182–88

National Heart Institute, Medical Research on Heart Diseases and Asides on National Health insurance 188–212


Part I, Session 8, December 27, 1962

National Dental Institute 213

Funding for Heart Institute and Other Medical research 213–27

Cortisone and ACTH 227–32

National Institutes for Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases and Neurological Diseases and Blindness 232–38

Funding for New Institutes and Other Legislation Related to Health 239–49

Continuing interest in Institutes 249–51


Part I, Session 9, December 28, 1962

National Science Foundation and Medical Research 252–57

Institute Appropriations 1950, Illness of Albert Lasker 258–62

Opposition of American Medical Association to Federal Funding of Medical Research 262–67


Part I, Session 10, January 11, 1962

Truman Administration 1945–48, Funding for Medical Research and National Institutes 269–86

Women and Politics 287–89

Eisenhower Administration, Funding for Medical Research and National Institutes 289–99

Public Health Service Clinical Facilities 300–301


Part I, Session 11, February 4, 1963

Fiscal 1954 Appropriations for NIH 302–18

Opposition of Nelson Rockefeller 318–25

Fiscal 1955 Appropriations 325–31, 335–40

Appointments to Institute Councils 331–34


Part I, Session 12, February 11, 1963

Fiscal 1956 Appropriations for Medical Research, Medical Education and Mental Illness Survey 341–47

Attempts to Educate Legislators on Needs for Funding of Medical Research 353–54

Progress in Medical Research 354–57

Fiscal 1956 Appropriations (cont) 357–74

Eisenhower Heart Attack 374–76

Fiscal 1957 Appropriations 376–88


Part I, Session 13, February 22, 1963

Research Facilities Construction Bill, 1956 388–92

Survey of Sickness 392–96

Medical School Construction Funding 393–96

Fiscal 1958, 1959, and 1960 Appropriations for Medical Research 396–402

Committee to Study Medical Research Needs 402–4

Successes of Federally Funded Programs in Medical Research 404–8


Part I, Session 14, April 24, 1963

Fiscal 1961 Appropriations and Success of Efforts to Fund Medical Research 409–15

Democratic National Committee Platform Advisory Committee on Health and Presidential Commission on Health 415–19

Kennedy Administration and Funding for Medical Research and Health 419–22

Fiscal 1961 and 1962 Appropriations (cont) 422–29

Fiscal 1963 Appropriations and Appointment to National Cancer Institute Council 429–33

Current Status of Various Programs in Medical Research and Health 434–38


Part I, Session 15, May 30, 1963

Planned Parenthood, Population Growth and Birth control 439–49

Planned Parenthood Federation 449–54

Family Planning in India 454–59

Roosevelt Administration and Birth Control, Role of Mrs. Roosevelt460–66

Planned Parenthood Federation Awards 466–68

Current Issues in Birth Control 469–70


Part I, Session 16, June 12, 1963

American Cancer Society and Support for Research on Cancer 471–506


Part I, Session 17, June 20,1963

American Heart Association 507–17

Arthritis and Rheumatism Foundation and National Institute for Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases 517–25


Part I, Session 18, June 24, 1963

Interest in Freud, Psychoanalysis, and Psychiatry 526–32

Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis 532–37

Menninger Institute 537–42

National Mental Health Institute 542–51


Part I, Session 19, June 24, 1963

National Mental Health Committee 552–54

National Mental Health Institute 554–58

Governors Conference on Mental Health 559–63, 576–81

Drugs and Mental Illness 563–66, 572–75

National Mental Health Committee State Programs 566–69

New York State Mental Mealth Programs 569–72, 587–94

Kennedy Administration and Mental Health and Retardation 582–84

Various Efforts in Field of Mental Health 584–87


Part I, Session 20, June 25, 1963

New York State Programs in Mental Health (cont) 595–99

Veterans Administration and Medical Research 599–610

Lasker Foundation Programs and Activities and Lasker Awards 610–19

Cancer Research 619–26


Part I, Session 21, July 3, 1963

Children's Bureau and Planned Parenthood, 1930s 627–29

New York State Mental–Health Programs 629–32

Democratic Party Platforms 1956 and 1960 632–35

Proposed White House Medical Research Conference 636–40

New York City Hospitals and Medical Research 640–45

Metropolitan Opera and Broadway theater 645–50


Part I, Session 22, October 3, 1963

National Health Insurance 651–55

Health Insurance Plan of Greater New York (HIP) 655–59

Voluntary Health Plans and National Plans 660–67

Truman Administration and health messages 660–67

United Kingdom Health Programs 677–80


Part I, Session 23, November 1, 1963

Proposed Presidential Commission on Health 682–93

1952 Presidential Election: Conversation with President Truman 694–96

Presidential Commission on the Health Needs of the Nation: Staff and Recommendations 697–702

National Health Insurance 703–8

Art Collection 708–17


Part I, Session 24, November 12, 1963

Political Activities and Political Personalities 1939–63 718–42

   1940 Republican presidential campaign 718–42
   1944 Democratic presidential campaign 726–28
   Franklin D. Roosevelt 728–29
   1948 presidential election 729–33
   Support of various senators 733–35
   1952 presidential election 735–40
   Financial support for supporters of Health legislation 741–42


Part I, Session 25, December 6, 1963

Politics 1952–55, Adlai Stevenson 743–59


Part I, Session 26, December 27, 1963

1956 Presidential Campaign and Aftermath of Election 760–74

1958 Senatorial Campaigns 774–75

1960 Democratic Party Primaries 776–79


Part I, Session 27, December 30, 1963

1960 Democratic Primary and Convention, Election and Post–election 780–801


Part I, Session 28, January 3, 1964

1960 Presidential Election Campaign 802–13

Kennedy Inauguration and Appointments 813–20

Kennedy Administration and Funding for Medical Research 820–24

Medical Research Support in France and United Kingdom 825–27

National Cultural Center (Kennedy Center) 827–29

Commission for Equal Employment Opportunities 830–31, 833

Contributions to Kennedy Campaign 831–32

White House Fine Arts Committee 833–36

Various Receptions 836–38

Political Donations 838–40

Presidential Commission Health of the Nation 841–45

John F. Kennedy Funeral and Naming of Center 846–49

Contacts with Lyndon B. Johnson 851–61


Part I, Session 29, January 4, 1964

Lasker Foundation and Establishment of Committee on Research and Education 862–93

   Nonmedical issues 863–90
   Medical issues 891–93

Personal Relations with Lyndon B. Johnson 894–905


Part I, Session 30, June 9, l964

Presidential Commission on Heart Disease, Cancer and Stroke 906–14


Part I, Session 31, June 18, 1964

Programs to Beautify New York City 915–29


Part I, Session 32, January 13, 1965

Proposed Reorganization of Department of Health Education and Welfare 930–33

Desalinization 933–34

Design Improvements in Government Purchases 935–36

White House Concerts 936–38

1964 Presidential Election and Inauguration 938–48

Beautification Projects and Conversations with Lady Bird Johnson 948–52


Part I, Session 33, February 9, 1965

Presidential Inauguration 1965 935–65

Beautification 965–70


Part I, Session 34, February 16, 1965

Committee on Beautification of Washington D.C. 971–74

Surgeon General Appointment 974–75

Memorandum on Industrial Design in the Federal Government 975–78

Gift of Thomas Jefferson Letter to First Family 978–80

Committee for a More Beautiful Capitol and Committee on Beautification of Washington D.C. 980–84

Reminiscences of Various Artists and Purchases of Paintings 984–98


Part I, Session 35, April 12, 1965

Reminiscences of American Artists and Purchases of Paintings 999–1013

Young Artists 1014–16

Agenda for Next Interview 1017–19


Part I, Session 36, July 6, 1965

Committee for a More Beautiful Capitol 1020–23

President's Club Dinner 1023–28

Dominican Crisis 1029–33

Conference on Beautification and Activities of Lady Bird Johnson 1033–46

Decoration of White House 1047–49

Eleanor Roosevelt Foundation and Hyde Park 1050–57

Lyndon B. Johnson Library 1057–58

Beautification of Washington D.C. 1058–61

Kennedy Center 1062–88

1964 New York Senatorial Election 1088–98

Kennedy Family and Kennedy Center 1098–99

Relations with Robert F. Kennedy 1100–1101

Princesses Lilianne of Belgium and International Conference on Funding for Research in Diseases of the Heart 1101–15

Legislation to Establish Clinical Centers 1115–17

Reflections on Twenty–Year Effort to Secure Funding for Medical Research 1118–36

1964 Elections and Support of Democratic Candidates 1136–37

Reflections 1141–43

Attached Memoranda

   Fifty centers from advanced studies
   Industrial design and the federal government
   Task force on desalinization
   Reorganization of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare
   Inauguration of Lyndon B. Johnson
   Ways to enrich the Great Society


Part II

Interviews in this series consist for the most part on a running commentary of recent activities of Mrs. Lasker since the last interview. The major topics covered are funding for medical research and the National Institutes of Health, health legislation, both proposed and passed, her activities in Congress in securing both, beautification projects, and social events. Wherever possible we have tried to include all aspects of these activities under one heading, such as appropriations, beautification, social events, medical research, etc.


Part II, Session 1, July 14, 1966

Cancer Heart and Stroke Commission and Centers 1–7

Accomplishments of the Past Year, Preventing Budget Cuts of Institutes and Memo to the President on Reducing Deaths and Disabilities Through Research 7–21

Current Research into Diseases and Eye Institute 21–25

Beautification 1965–66 25–32


Part II, Sessions 2 and 3

Pages 33–94 missing


Part II, Session 4, April 5, 1967

Social Events 95–101

Health Legislation 101–4

Population Control 110–16

Beautification of New York City 116–17


Part II, Session 5, February 14, 1968

Changes in Congress and Limits on Funding for Medical Research 118–26

National Institutes of Health and Public Health Service Administrators' Resistance to Medical Research Funding 126–30

Vietnam War and Effect on Funding for Medical Research 131–32

NIH Budget 1967 133–36

Drug Testing 136–37

Ralph Nader 137–39

Publicizing Research Results 139–41

Population Control 141–45

Advisory Council National Institute for General Medical Science 145–46

Lyndon B. Johnson Library 147–52

"The Health Syndicate" article in Atlantic Monthly155–59


Part II, Session 6, June 10, 1968

Beautification, Washington, D.C. and New York City 160–73 Pages 173–88 missing

Visits with the Johnsons 188–94 Pages 195–97, 202–6 missing

NIH and Drug Research, Retirement of Senator Hill 198–201

Advances in Geriatrics 207–8

Birth Control 208 Pages 209–11 missing


Part II, Session 7, February 24, 1969

NIH Management 212–20

Appropriations 1968, Fiscal 1969 220–22

Parkinson's Disease 222–24

Pharmaceutical Industry Opposition to Federal Funding for Medical Research 225–26

German Measles 226–27

Further Prospects for Funding of Medical Research 227–30

Blindness and Eye Institute 230–33

Beautification of Washington D.C. and Last Social Events for the Johnsons 233–40

Presidential Medal of Honor 241–43

Beautification of New York City 243–44

1968 Presidential Election Campaign 245–47


Part II, Session 8, January 9, 1970

1970 Appropriations 248–56 Page 255 missing

Nixon Administration Contacts 257–62

Proposed Presidential Commission on Cancer 262–70

Senate Support for Funding of Medical Research 271–73

National Health Insurance 273–74

Methadone 275–77

New York Politics 1970 278

Beautification 279–82


Part II, Session 9, December 29, 1970

Nixon Administration and Health Legislation 284–91

Problems Remaining for Medical Research 291–92

National Health Insurance 293–97

Family–Planning Legislation 297–301

Senate Advisory Committee on Cancer 301–5

Alcoholism and Cerebral Palsy as Areas of Interest 306–7

Women's City Club 307–8

Various Topics: mercury in fish, rare hereditary diseases, drug addiction, alcoholism 309–17


Part II, Session 10, January 7, 1972

Cancer Advisory Board and Legislation (Conquest of Cancer Bill) 318–51

Cancer Research 352–56

Awards 357–58

Lasker Awards 1971 359–61

Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts 361–63

National Health Education Committee Fact Book 363–65

Chateau Versailles 366–68


Part II, Session 11, July 18, 1972

Appropriations 1972 369–75

National Cancer Institute 375–79

Hypertension 379–80

NIH Leadership 381–82

U.S.–Soviet cooperation on Health Issues 382–83

Travels 384–87

Lasker Awards 1972 386–87


Part II, Session 12, January 26, 1973

Illness and Death of Al Fordyce 388–92

Cancer and Immunology Task Forces 393–99

Hypertension 400–403

New York City Health–Care Facilities 403–4

Chateau Versailles 404–5

1972 Political Campaigns 405–7

Beautification, Washington, D.C. and New York City 408–11

U.S.–U.K. Cooperation on Medical Research 412–13

Funeral of Lyndon B. Johnson 414–16


Part II, Session 13, January 7, 1974

1973 Activities: Cancer, Immunology, Lasker Awards 417–31

1973 Appropriations 431–35

Nixon Administration Impoundment of Funds 435–39

Space Flights and Public Health 440–42

Advisory Board National Cancer Institute 442–44

Lasker Awards 444–46

High Blood Pressure, Depression 446–52

U.S.–Soviet–U.K. Cooperation in Medical Research 452–55

Dinners and Awards 456–60

Chateau Versailles 461–62

Beautification, New York City 463–65


Part II, Session 14, July 22, 1974

Treatments for Breast Cancer, and Efforts to Increase Funding for Cancer Research 466–73

High Blood Pressure, Legislation, Citizens for the Treatment of High Blood Pressure 473–79

Population Control 479–80

Cancer Research, Conferences, Appointments 480–84

Lasker Awards 484–87

NIH Salaries 487–88

Awards and Political Activities 488–90

Social Events 491–92

Beautification of New York City 493

Health Security Bill 495–97

Depression, Medical Advances 497–99


Part II, Session 15, July 19, 1975

Cancer Research, Treatments, Appropriations and Cases 500–509

High Blood Pressure 510–16

Lasker Awards 521–24

Social Events 524–29, 540–44

New York State Medical Task Force 529–31

National Institutes Meetings and Funding 532–37

1976 Appropriations 537–39

Health Security Bill 544–45


Part II, Session 16, July 26, 1976

Cancer, Heart Disease and High Blood Pressure Research and Research Centers 546–62

Personal Medical Problems of Senators and Congressmen and Interest in Funding of Medical Research 563–64

Basic Versus Clinical Research 567–69

Eye Research 569–570

Lasker Awards 1976 570–76

Family Planning 577–80

New York University Cancer Center 581–82

International Cooperation on Cancer Research 582–89

Social Events 589–98


Part II, Session 17, July 24, 1977

Personal Illness, Illness of Hubert H. Humphrey and Rosalind Russell, and Cancer Treatments 599–609

Current Research on Cancer Treatments 609–11

Congressional Hearings on Cancer Programs 611–15

Appropriations 1977, Congressional Politics 615–22

National Cancer Institute Advisory Board, Cancer Treatments, Laetrile 622–25

High Blood Pressure 625–32

Lasker Awards 1977 636–38

1976 Elections, Support 640–41

Jimmy Carter Inauguration 642–46

Social and Political Events 646–53

Sale of Art Works 653–56

Leeds Castle Programs 657–61


Part II, Session 18, July 23, 1978

Social Events 680–86, 692–705

U.S.–U.K. Cooperation on Cancer Research 687–92

Cancer Drugs and Interferon 706–15

Antismoking Campaigns 715–16

High Blood Pressure Educational Programs and State Efforts 717–24

Cancer and Heart Research Appropriations 724–30

Lasker Awards 1978 731–13a


Part II, Session 19, July 8, 1979

Social events in Los Angeles 732–34

Interferon Production 734–41

Appropriations and Congressional Politics 741–56

High Blood Pressure State and National Programs 756–67

Eye and Arthritis Institutes 768–70

Carter Administration Health Programs 770–72

Lasker Awards 1979 773–75

Braniff Airlines Board Member 775–76

Leeds Castle Programs and U.S.–U.K. Cooperation 777–79

Limb Replacement 779–80

Beautification in New York City 786–92


Part II, Session 20, June 30, 1980

Reflections on Methods of Persuasion 793–95

Interferon and Human Growth Hormone 795–820

High Blood Pressure 820–32

Appropriations 833–36

1980 Presidential Primaries and Election 836–40

Beautification in New York City 841–44

Social Events 844–48

Death of Jane McDonbough 848–51

Fuel Conservation 851–53

Aging 853–55

Leeds Castle Programs 856–60


Part II, Session 21, August 10, 1981

Cancer Research, Interferon and Recombinant DNA 861–85

High Blood Pressure National and State Programs 886–92

Antismoking Campaigns 893–94

Appropriations 895–99

Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee Hearings 899–900

Arthritis 901

Republican Washington 902–5

Aging 905–11

Beautification in New York City 911–16

Terrace Restaurant 917–19

NIH Advisory Committee 919–20

Lasker Awards 1981 921–24

Social Events 926–30


Part II, Session 22, August 11, 1982

Interferon and Cancer Research 931–49

Presidential Commission on Cancer 949–56

National Committee for Medical Research and Health Education 956–59

Possible Vaccines for Cancer 960–965, 972–73

High Blood Pressure Programs in New York State 965

Possible New York State Health Plan 967–69

High Blood Pressure National Programs 970–72

Media Role in Education About High Blood Pressure 973–77

Arthritis 978–81

Endocrinology 981–83

Reagan Administration 984–85

Personal health 986–92

Rose Award 993–94

Social Events and Gardens 995–99