Duggin, Thelma P.: Files, 1981-1983

Office of Public Liaison

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Scope and Content Note

Duggin’s files consist of four series: SERIES I: African-Americans; SERIES II: Youth; SERIES III: Chronological files; and SERIES IV: Appointment Books and Telephone Logs.

Series List

SERIES I: AFRICAN-AMERICANS

This series of alphabetically arranged files pertain to issues in which Duggin was involved. Topics include affirmative action cases and policy; Executive Order 12320; historically black colleges and universities; domestic policy issues of interest to blacks; Reagan/Bush 1980 news releases; information on various black organizations; transcripts from the “Tony Brown Journal” television program; articles on the role of blacks within the White House; minority business proposals/statements; invitations to attend and give speeches at meetings and conferences; and routine administrative matters.

SERIES II: YOUTH

Alphabetically arranged files that include informational packets, conference programs, and requests for meetings.

SERIES III: CHRONOLOGICAL FILES

This series contains chronologically arranged correspondence from Ms. Duggin to various organizations and White House staff members regarding topics such as thank you letters, voting rights, messages and addresses by staff members and the President, meeting recommendations, and various black concerns.

SERIES IV: APPOINTMENT BOOKS AND TELEPHONE LOGS

This series contains appointment books, and logs of telephone messages for Ms. Duggin.

Biography

Biography

Born in Mobile, Alabama, in 1949, Thelma P. Duggin received a bachelor’s degree in education from Edgewood College in 1971. From 1971-1973 she worked with the Catholic school system in Mobile, Alabama, as a teacher at Holy Family Elementary School. She also served as a member of the mayor’s Community Relations Commission in Columbus, Georgia, and served on the board of governors for the Georgia Health System Agency. During 1973-1977 Ms. Duggin served as a senior merchandise manager for the J.C. Penney Company in Columbus, Georgia. From 1978-1981 she worked as a field coordinator for Wright/McNeill & Associates in Columbus, Georgia, where she was a consultant to the Republican National Committee and helped design strategy and campaign plans, and formed community coalitions for republican candidates across the country. During the 1980 presidential general election she was a volunteer in the national black voters program as a liaison for the Republican National Committee.

Thelma Duggin joined the Office of Public Liaison in February 1981 as a deputy special assistant where she was responsible for liaison between the White House and black, vocational student, and volunteer organizations. Her general responsibilities included keeping in contact and setting up briefings for these groups, as well as finding organizations that would be supportive of the President’s programs. In June 1982 Ms. Duggin became a special assistant to the President for Public Liaison and Director of the 50 States Project, where she worked on correcting state laws that discriminated against women, research the legal processes of states, while also focusing on child support and daycare practices. However, she continued to spend a large amount of time working with the black community. Within the Office of Public Liaison staff file collections, most of the material pertaining to the 50 States Project is currently located in the Eliza Paschall and Trudi Morrison collections.

Duggin was one of six Public Liaison Special Assistants who left when Faith Whittlesey succeeded Elizabeth Dole as Director of the Public Liaison office. Dole left to become Secretary of Transportation, and in March 1983 Ms. Duggin worked as Coordinator of Minority Affairs in the Department of Transportation. Trudi Morrison succeeded Duggin as head of the 50 States Project. Duggin left the Department of Transportation in early 1985 and became the Director of Government Relations for the Comprehensive Benefits Corporation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Ms. Duggin is a former fellow at the Harvard University Institute of Politics.

Record Type

Textual

Last Modified Date

2024-02-26

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Duggin, Thelma P.: Files, 1981-1983

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