Archive

Finding Aid

  • SECTION A: Correspondence

    • Scope and Content

      This Section contains Fred Rogers’ correspondence. The bulk years of the collection are between 1963 and his death in 2003 with some earlier correspondence or copies of correspondence. There are an estimated 10,000 pieces of correspondence. Included are both letters to and from Fred Rogers. In addition, there are letters that are related to Fred Rogers or to his television show(s), but not directly to or from Fred Rogers. Subjects of this collection vary and include personal correspondence, correspondence related to issues of special importance to Fred Rogers, correspondence with professional organizations, and correspondence related to public appearances and speaking engagements. Most materials are unpublished at present. See "Cataloged Holdings" link below for a list of correspondence to Fred Rogers.

    • Arrangement

      This Section is arranged primarily by the name (last, first) of the person corresponding with Fred Rogers. Within each correspondent's folder, arrangement is chronological. For example, letters to and from James Rogers are filed under "Rogers, James (Father)" in the order sent and received.

    • Usage Guidelines and Restrictions

      Letters to Fred Rogers from others may be made available for reading and note taking unless the correspondent has expressly restricted such access in writing. They must not, however, be copied, quoted, published, or reprinted without the written permission of the correspondent or the correspondent's heir. Letters written by Fred Rogers to others may be made available for reading and note taking unless the Fred Rogers Center (or other interested parties) has restricted access to particular letters. Unpublished letters by Fred Rogers must not, however, be copied, quoted, published or reprinted without the written permission of the Fred Rogers Center.

    • Cataloged Holdings

  • SECTION B: Television Programs by Fred Rogers

    • B.1: The Children's Corner

      • Scope and Content

        This Subsection includes materials related to the television program The Children's Corner produced by Fred Rogers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for WQED public television between 1954 and 1963. The material includes drawings of puppets, photographs, sheet music, written preparatory notes, and miscellany. Fourteen episodes have been digitized and are available through the Saint Vincent intranet; access is available through the Archivist and is limited to use in the Rogers Center Library.

      • Arrangement

        Arrangement of print materials is by year. Arrangement of the digitized episodes is by year since titles were not always provided at the time of production; where titles are available, the titles are combined with year of production.

      • Cataloged Holdings

    • B.2: Misterogers

      • Scope and Content

        This Subsection includes materials related to the television show Misterogers produced by Fred Rogers between 1963 and 1966 in Toronto, Canada for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The material includes drawings of puppets, photographs, sheet music, written preparatory notes, and miscellany. A limited number of episodes have been digitized and are available with permission through the Saint Vincent intranet; access is available through the Archivist and is limited to use in the Rogers Center Library.

      • Arrangement

        Arrangement of print materials is by year. Arrangement of the digitized episodes is by year since titles were not always provided at the time of production; where titles are available, the titles are combined with year of production.

      • Cataloged Holdings

    • B.3: Mister Rogers' Neighborhood

      • Scope and Content

        This Subsection includes materials related to the television show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood produced by Fred Rogers between 1968 and 2000 in Pittsburgh. The material includes scripts, drawings of stage sets, puppets, photographs, sheet music, written preparatory notes, production materials and miscellany. These programs have been digitized and are available with permission through the Saint Vincent intranet; access is available through the Archivist and is limited to use in the Rogers Center Library.

      • Arrangement

        Arrangement of printed materials is by date, episode number, program title, or theme, depending on the naming convention used at the time of production. Arrangement of digitized materials is by episode number.

      • Cataloged Holdings

    • B.4: Other Television Programs by Fred Rogers

      • Scope and Content

        This Subsection includes materials related to the television programs produced by Fred Rogers, including Old Friends/New Friends and Mister Rogers Talks With Parents. The material includes handwritten scripts, drawings of stage sets, puppets, photographs, sheet music, written preparatory notes, production materials, and miscellany. These programs have been digitized and are available with permission through the Saint Vincent intranet; access is available through the Archivist and is limited to use in the Rogers Center Library.

      • Arrangement

        Arrangement of printed materials is by date, episode number, program title, or theme, depending on the naming convention used at the time of production. Arrangement of digitized materials is by title and date.

      • Cataloged Holdings

  • SECTION C: Speeches by Fred Rogers

    • C.1: Commencement Speeches by Fred Rogers

      • Scope and Content

        This Subsection includes commencement speeches delivered and written by Fred Rogers. These works range in date from 1969 [Thiel College, Pennsylvania] through 2003, including the final speech delivered, after his death, by his wife Joanne Rogers at Union College. The delivered version of each speech is cataloged with preliminary hand-written or hand-edited drafts, where available, and with related correspondence including invitations, travel arrangements, programs, and photographs. The texts of many of the speeches have been digitized and are available for reading with permission through the Saint Vincent intranet; access to the original materials is available through the Archivist and is limited to use in the Rogers Center Library. Print materials are available through the Archivist. Some of these speeches were recorded at the time of delivery; video recordings that have been digitized are available with permission through the Saint Vincent intranet; access is available through the Archivist and is limited to use in the Rogers Center Library.

      • Arrangement

        Arrangement of speeches and related materials is by date.

    • C.2: Speeches to Professional and Charitable Organizations by Fred Rogers

      • Scope and Content

        This Subsection includes speeches delivered and written by Fred Rogers. The delivered version of each speech is cataloged with preliminary handwritten or hand-edited drafts, where available, and with related correspondence including invitations, travel arrangements, programs, and photographs. The texts of many of the speeches have been digitized and are available for reading with permission through the Saint Vincent intranet; access to the original materials is available through the Archivist and is limited to use in the Rogers Center Library. Print materials are available through the Archivist. Some of these speeches were recorded at the time of delivery; video recordings that have been digitized are available with permission through the Saint Vincent intranet; access is available through the Archivist and is limited to use in the Rogers Center Library.

      • Arrangement

        Arrangement of speeches and related materials is by date.

  • SECTION D: Books and Pamphlets - Published Materials

    • D.1: Books and Pamphlets by Fred Rogers

      • Scope and Content

        This Subsection includes books and pamphlets for which Fred Rogers is the exclusive author or is a co-author. Works with his contributions, but not with him as primary author or co-author, can be found in Section D.2 below. All of his published works are cataloged, and bibliographic records can be searched online through the "Cataloged Holdings" link below.

      • Arrangement

        Arrangement of books by Fred Rogers is by title.

    • D.2: Books with Contributions by Fred Rogers

      • Scope and Content

        This Subsection includes books with contributions by Rogers, including introductions, forewords, prefaces, etc.; however, works for which he is not the primary author or a co-author. All published works in this section are cataloged, and records can be searched online through the "Cataloged Holdings" link below.

      • Arrangement

        Arrangement of books with contributions by Fred Rogers is by author.

      • Cataloged Holdings

    • D.3: Books with Material about Fred Rogers

      • D3a. Books about Fred Rogers

        • Scope and Content

          This Subsection includes books about Fred Rogers by other authors; it includes biographical works and literary or theological commentary on his writings. All published works in this section are cataloged, and records can be searched online through the "Cataloged Holdings" link below.

        • Arrangement

          Arrangement of books about Fred Rogers is by author.

        • Cataloged Holdings

      • D3b. Books with Chapters or Sections about Fred Rogers

        • Scope and Content

          This Subsection includes books with chapters or sections about Fred Rogers by other authors, but not works in which Fred Rogers is the primary or only subject of the text. All published works in this section are cataloged, and records can be searched online through the "Cataloged Holdings" link below.

        • Arrangement

          Arrangement of books with chapters or sections about Fred Rogers is by author.

        • Cataloged Holdings

    • D.4: Ancillary Books

      • Scope and Content

        This Subsection includes books read by Fred Rogers and other works related to his areas of study. It should be noted that the editions in our collection may differ from the editions he read. Some are books that were in his collection (books he owned with his marginalia are in Section B.5), and some are books collected by the Fred Rogers Center because they were books Fred Rogers had read or are other works related to his writing that may be of useful reference to a researcher. All published works in this section are cataloged, and records can be searched online through the "Cataloged Holdings" link below.

      • Arrangement

        Arrangement of ancillary books is by author.

      • Cataloged Holdings

  • SECTION E: Music by Fred Rogers

    • Scope and Content

      This Section includes music composed by Fred Rogers beginning with his earliest sketch books and notebooks from 1948. The collection includes a range of items from full-scale arrangements done by Johnny Costa, long-time Musical Director for Mister Rogers Neighborhood, to simple sketches of melodies; there are also several drafts of different sets of lyrics for melodies composed by Fred Rogers and lyrics for which no music was explicitly composed. Music that was composed for or used in the production of his television program(s) is cataloged with the materials for the specific program.

    • Arrangement

      Arrangement of musical compositions (and lyrics) is chronological.

  • SECTION F: Awards to Fred Rogers

    • Scope and Content

      This Section includes awards received by Fred Rogers. Included here are honorary degrees from colleges and universities throughout the United States, as well as citations and awards from national and local charitable organizations, children’s advocacy groups, and broadcast organizations. Those awards which occasioned a speech from Fred Rogers are cross-referenced to the corresponding speeches.

    • Arrangement

      Arrangement of awards is both chronological and by institution or organization presenting the award.