The American History series contains films dealing with the history of the United States and date from 1959 to 1973. This includes eleven episodes of a thirteen part series by Alistair Cooke entitled, “America: A Personal History of the United States”, produced by the BBC. This series also contains films on American music, the Erie Canal, life during different time periods in the country, and four episodes from the series "The Presidency in the Postwar World: The Truman Years.” Films within an episodic series are arranged chronologically.

In the mid-1850's major cities in the United States began publishing pictorial envelopes with patriotic themes. This collection consists of envelopes with printed cover illustrations from the American Civil War.

Daniel Rochford (1900-1989) spent the bulk of his career as a publicist in the Employee Relations Department of the Standard Oil Company. Before joining Standard Oil in 1944, he worked a series of jobs trying to utilize his skills in publicity and public relations throughout the 1930s and early 1940s. Rochford's papers are a mix of business and personal items, assembled over the course of his varied career.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. Françoise Robin du Pont (1748-1841) was the second wife of du Pont de Nemours. The collection contains four letters from the du Ponts to Jonathan Russell (1771-1832), American Chargé d'Affaires in Paris.

Henry du Pont (1812-1889) was an American military officer and son of Eleuthère Irénée du Pont (1771-1834), founder of E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., and Sophie Madeleine Dalmas du Pont (1775-1828). In the letter to James C. Aiken (1806-1884), du Pont agrees to sign a letter of recommendation for a political appointment to president-elect Grant (1822-1885).

The papers cover Reed’s private and governmental activities which include work with the War Production Board and the Mission for Economic Affairs during the Second World War. Correspondence files detail his role as a director and a member of the board of directors for numerous corporations and government organizations. Reed’s friendship and political relationship with Dwight David Eisenhower is documented, as is his role in persuading Eisenhower to run for President in 1952.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. Anne Louise Germaine de Staël-Holstein (1766-1817), known as Madame de Staël, was a writer, philosopher, and politically engaged woman who survived the French Revolution and was exiled multiple times by Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821). This collection contains six photocopied letters of du Pont de Nemours to Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), and de Staël letters to unknown correspondents. The letters include references to the political situation in France, services of du Pont de Nemours printing establishment, and national affairs.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. Victor Marie du Pont (1767-1827), the son of Pierre Samuel, was a French diplomat who later immigrated to the United States and established various trading companies before moving to Delaware. This collection contains three photocopied documents in French: a memoir by du Pont de Nemours, letter of Eustache Briux to Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord, and a letter from Victor du Pont to Talleyrand.

Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was a French political economist, writer, publisher, and public administrator. In the letters to Marie Charles César de Fay, Comte de Latour-Maubourg (1756-1831), du Pont de Nemours explains plans for creating a French colony in America.

Samuel Francis du Pont (1803-1865) was a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy and fought in the Mexican-American War and the Civil War. The collection contains letters to Joel Turrill (1794-1859) and Joseph Henry (1797-1878). The letters to Turrill are personal in content, referring to their friendship which dated back to 1845 when they both served on the U.S.S. Congress. The letter to Henry references controvery in the Senate involving Henry, likely concerning the Light-House Board.

William P. Brobson (1786-1850) was an attorney, editor, and politician in Wilmington, Delaware. This is a copy of his diary on two reels of mirofilm. Brobson's diary contains details of his person life, but also reflects his political interests and includes his comments on current events, particularly during the John Quincy Adams (1767-1848) administration and the rise of Andrew Jackson (1767-1845).