FM MSS 114
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Overview of the Collection | |
| Creator: | Rosenzweig, Harry, 1907- |
| Title: | Harry Rosenzweig Sr. Papers |
| Inclusive Dates: | 1920-1993 |
| Quantity: | 10 Boxes (11.0 Linear Feet) |
| Abstract: | This collection houses a variety of materials documenting Harry Rosenzweig's personal life and work with the Republican Party. |
| Identification: | FM MSS 114 |
| Language: | Material in English |
| Repository: | Arizona State University Library. Greater Arizona Collection P.O. Box 871006 Tempe, AZ 85287-1006 Phone: (480) 965-4932 E-Mail: archives@asu.edu Questions? Ask An Archivist! |
Harry Rosenzweig was born in Phoenix, Arizona on July 8, 1907. His father, Isaac, an immigrant from Austria, opened a small jewelry store in Phoenix in 1897 and married Rosa Gross, another Austrian immigrant, in 1903. Harry Rosenzweig attended Phoenix Union High School where he was a boyhood friend of Senator Barry Goldwater, Senator Paul Fannin, Governor Jack Williams, and the Basha family. He attended the University of Arizona and the University of Michigan before returning to join the family jewelry business. Upon his father's death in 1942, he and his brother Newton became partners in the ownership of Rosenzweig Jewelers, by this time the largest jewelry firm in Arizona with several stores.
Rosenzweig did not become involved in politics until 1949 when he persuaded his close friend Barry Goldwater to run with him for the Phoenix City Council on the Charter ticket in 1949 to combat corruption. "I said I would run if he would run," Rosenzweig said later, "He had no more experience than I had, but had a bigger mouth." Both were elected in 1950 and Rosenzweig was an active reformer. Rosenzweig resigned in February 1953, two months after reelection, because he had moved outside the city limits.
Rosenzweig was a registered Democrat until 1951 when he switched political parties. He was at the center of the rise of the Arizona Republican Party in the 1950's. He became finance chairman of the Maricopa County Republican Committee in 1952, and in 1960 the financial chairman of the Arizona Republican State Central Committee. In 1965 he became Chairman of the Arizona Republican Party, an influential political post he held until 1975. He was a Republican National Committeeman in 1965 and was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1960, 1964, 1968, and 1972.
During this time, Rosenzweig was a close friend and political confidant of Barry Goldwater. In 1964 he served as fund raiser and finance chairman of the Goldwater for President Committee and also as the Arizona campaign chairman. He later handled Goldwater's finances for his senatorial campaigns. As a prominent political boss, Rosenzweig became involved in controversy several times. The Investigative Reporters and Editors in 1977 linked his name to the investigation of the murder of Phoenix journalist Don Bowles as well as to gambling and corruption.
For decades Rosenzweig was a noted local philanthropist. In 1975 he was named "Phoenix Man of the Year" and his nomination stated that "he has contributed time and money to almost everything." He served as president of the Maricopa County Heart Drive, the Urban League, the Boys Club of Phoenix, the MS Society, Arizona Blue Cross/BlueShield, the Maricopa County Unit of the American Cancer Society, the statewide cancer crusade, and the muscular dystrophy drive. He served as director of the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, the Phoenix Fine Arts Association, the Roosevelt Council Boy Scouts, the Barrow Neurological Institute, Valley Forward, the Phoenix Development Association, and as treasurer of the 
Arizona Historical Foundation 
. He was a charter member of the Phoenix Thunderbirds and a charter member and president of the Sun Angels Foundation at Arizona State University. In 1984 the Harry and Sandy Rosenzweig Boys and Girls Club was dedicated in their honor after he lead the capital campaign to construct three new clubs. He was also selected as Man of the Year for the City of Hope in 1964.
Rosenzweig was a leader in the Jewish community. He was president of congregation Beth Israel, the Phoenix Jewish Federation, and the Jewish Community Council. He was chairman of Bonds for Israel, the United Jewish Appeal, and the United Welfare Fund. He received the Torch of Liberty Award from the Anti-Defamation League in 1974.
Rosenzweig was also Director of the Better Business Bureau from 1938 to 1989, President of the Arizona Retail Jewelers Association and the Arizona Retailers Association, and Past Director and Vice President of the Retail Jewelers of America. He was a 32nd Degree Mason.
In 1959 Rosenzweig and his brother Newton associated with the Del E. Webb Corporation to construct the Rosenzweig Business Center complex on North Central Avenue in Phoenix that included the Townehouse Hotel.
Harry Rosenzweig married Margaret Christine Burke in 1938 and they had three children, Burke, Diana, and Harry Jr. His second marriage was to Arline "Sandy" Petersen Pollack (d. 1986) in 1958.
This collection is arranged in five series: Series I: Personal; Series II: Politics; Series III: Photographs; Series IV: Award Plaques; and Series V: Oversize.
Responding to an inquiry about preserving his papers, Rosenzweig's son, Burke Rosenzeig, wrote Barry Goldwater in 1994, "As you know, for most of his life Dad did his own typing and filing and otherwise conducted his affairs without benefit of a secretary. He wasn't real organized to say the least. In his latter years he occupied much of his time by going through his files and throwing out what he didn't think was important. Unfortunately, he wasn't very discriminating in this selection process."
As a result, after sixty years active in business, politics and philanthropy, he left only two boxes of manuscript material. The collection is sparse, scattered and incomplete. For example, his extant political correspondence does not include letters of correspondents from I-Z of the alphabet, and it covers only the first two years of his ten year chairmanship of the Arizona Republican Party. However, the collection contains valuable research files, such as his correspondence with Barry Goldwater, and the national list of donors to the 1964 Barry Goldwater presidential campaign. Correspondents include Senator Paul Fannin, Dean Burch, and Ray Bliss, Chairman of the Republican National Committee. The original order was retained.
Series V: Oversize Materials contains awards and certificates presented to Rosenzweig, oversize photographs, and original cartoons by syndicated cartoonists, many of which include Rosenzweig by name.
To view this collection, make an appointment at least five business days prior to your visit by contacting Ask an Archivist or calling (480) 965-4932. Appointments in the Wurzburger Reading Room at Hayden Library (rm. 138) on the Tempe campus are available Monday through Friday. Check the ASU Library Hours page for current availability.
The Arizona Board of Regents retains copyright to this collection for and on behalf of the Arizona State University Library. Requests to publish, display, or redistribute information from this collection must be submitted via our online application.
Other collections documenting Arizona politics in the second half of the twentieth century include:
FM MSS 1: Personal and Political Papers of Barry M. Goldwater (Harry Rosenzweig file, Box 19 and Sandy Rosenzweig file, Box 20)
FM MSS 90: Arizona Republican Party Records
FM MSS 142: Dean Burch Papers
FM MSS 53: Stephen Shadegg Papers
Researchers interested in the role of the Rosenzweig family in Arizona philanthropy may also wish to consult FM MSS 119: Newton Rosenzweig Papers.
Burke Rosenzweig and Harry Rosenzweig Jr. donated these papers to the Arizona Historical Foundation in 1994.
[Identification of item], Harry Rosenzweig Sr. Papers, FM MSS 114, Arizona State University Library.
The Arizona Historical Foundation transferred these materials to the Arizona Collection in 2012.
| Series I: Personal | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | Arizona Historical Foundation,
1984 | |||||||||
| 1 | 2 | Biographical and Obituaries, 1964-1993 | |||||||||
| 1 | 3 | Birth Certificates and Social Security Documents, 1941-1972 | |||||||||
| 1 | 4 | City of Hope, "Civic Leader and Humanitarian of the Year Award", 1964 | |||||||||
| 1 | 5 | City of Phoenix, Proposed Amendments to the Charter, 1971 | |||||||||
| 1 | 6 | Goldwater Chair, Arizona State University, 1984 | |||||||||
| 1 | 7 | Home Construction, 1968 | |||||||||
| 1 | 8 | Investigative Reporters and Editors News Series, Letters of Support for Negative Publicity, 1977 | |||||||||
| 1 | 9 | Isaac and Rosa Rosenzweig: Legal, Property and Financial Records, 1920-1942 | |||||||||
| 1 | 10 | K-R-K Investment Company, 1921-1947 | |||||||||
| 1 | 11 | Diane (Rosenzweig) Kotow (Daughter), 1964, 1992 | |||||||||
| 1 | 12 | Harry Rosenzweig: Legal, Property and Financial Records, 1945-1955 | |||||||||
| 1 | 13 | Harry Rosenzweig: Legal, Property and Financial Records, 1956-1984 | |||||||||
| 1 | 14 | Marriage to Margaret Burke, 1938 | |||||||||
| 1 | 15 | Marriage to Arlene "Sandy" Peterson Pollack, 1958 | |||||||||
| 1 | 16 | National Conference of Christians and Jews Brotherhood Award, 1977 | |||||||||
| 1 | 17 | Partnership Agreements (Newton and Rosa Rosenzweig), 1949-1966 | |||||||||
| 1 | 18 | Phoenix Man of the Year Nomination, 1969 | |||||||||
| 1 | 19 | Phoenix Man of the Year Award, 1975 (1 of 2) | |||||||||
| 1 | 20 | Phoenix Man of the Year Award, 1975 (2 of 2) | |||||||||
| 1 | 21 | Rosa Rosenzweig: Legal, Property and Financial Records, 1942-1963 | |||||||||
| 1 | 22 | Rosenzweig Investment Company: Articles of Incorporation, 1934 | |||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 2 | 1 | Rosenzweig Business and Hotel Center, Phoenix (Del E. Webb), 1959-1964 | |||||||||
| 2 | 2 | Personal Correspondence with Sandy Rosenzweig, 1960 | |||||||||
| 2 | 3 | 60th Birthday Congratulatory Telegrams and Letters, 1967 (1 of 2) | |||||||||
| 2 | 4 | 60th Birthday Congratulatory Telegrams and Letters, 1967 (2 of 2) | |||||||||
| 2 | 5 | Speeches, 1976-1982 | |||||||||
| 2 | 6 | Sun Angel Foundation, 1981-1984 | |||||||||
| Series II: Politics | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 2 | 7 | Arizona Republican Central Committee, 1965-1969 | |||||||||
| 2 | 8 | Arizona Republican Party Chairmanship Controversy, 1974-1975 | |||||||||
| 2 | 9 | Arizona State Republican Finance Campaign, 1966-1967 | |||||||||
| 2 | 10 | Correspondence: A, 1961-1967 | |||||||||
| 2 | 11 | Correspondence: B, 1958-1965 | |||||||||
| 2 | 12 | Correspondence: B, 1966-1967 | |||||||||
| 2 | 13 | Correspondence: C, 1958-1967 | |||||||||
| 2 | 14 | Correspondence: D, 1958-1967 | |||||||||
| 2 | 15 | Correspondence: E, 1956-1967 | |||||||||
| 2 | 16 | Correspondence: F, 1962-1967 | |||||||||
| 2 | 17 | Correspondence: G, 1962-1967 | |||||||||
| 2 | 18 | Correspondence: H, 1961-1967 | |||||||||
| 2 | 19 | Goldwater, Barry Correspondence, 1957-1965 | |||||||||
| 2 | 20 | Goldwater, Barry Correspondence, 1966-1967 | |||||||||
| 2 | 21 | Goldwater, Barry Correspondence, 1968-1990 | |||||||||
| 2 | 22 | Goldwater Presidential Campaign: Campaign Finance Donor List, 1964 | |||||||||
| 2 | 23 | Richard Kleindiest Legal Defense Fund, 1981-1986 | |||||||||
| 2 | 24 | Letters of Recommendation, Resumes, Requests for Employment, 1966-1968 | |||||||||
| 2 | 25 | Political Appointments, 1968-1970 | |||||||||
| Includes Latin American Advisory Commission, Arizona Republican Party. | |||||||||||
| 2 | 26 | "Trial Heat Tests Among Arizona Voters: A Confidential Survey", 1965 | |||||||||
| Series III: Photographs | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 3 | 1 | Ronnie Brown, Undated | |||||||||
| 3 | 2 | George H. W. Bush, Undated | |||||||||
| 3 | 3 | Family and Event Photographs, Undated | |||||||||
| 3 | 4 | Family and Event Photographs, Undated | |||||||||
| 3 | 5 | Gerald R. Ford, Undated | |||||||||
| 3 | 6 | Barry Goldwater, Undated | |||||||||
| 3 | 7 | Group Photographs, Undated | |||||||||
| 3 | 8 | Historic Arizona Photographs, 1940 | |||||||||
| Downtown Bisbee Parade, undated; Wendel Wilkie Presidential Headquarters, Phoenix. | |||||||||||
| 3 | 9 | John Rhodes, Undated | |||||||||
| 3 | 10 | Dan Quayle, Undated | |||||||||
| 3 | 11 | Harry Rosenzweig Portraits, Undated | |||||||||
| 3 | 12 | Rosenzweig Business Center, circa 1964 | |||||||||
| 3 | 13 | Sandy Rosenzweig, Undated | |||||||||
| 3 | 14 | Eldon Rudd, Undated | |||||||||
| 3 | 15 | Jack Williams, Undated | |||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| 4 | "Harry Rosenzweig, Man Of The Year" Dinner (Boys' Clubs of Phoenix), 1975 (Album) | ||||||||||
| 4 | Martin Marietta Corporation Dinner at the Law Society, 1986 (Album) | ||||||||||
| 4 | "This Is Your Life" (Boys' Club Of Phoenix), Undated (Scrapbook) | ||||||||||
| 4 | Sandy and Harry Rosenzweig Western Party, Undated (Album) | ||||||||||
| Attendees are identified. | |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| 5 | Harry Rosenzweig 70th Birthday, 1977 (Album) | ||||||||||
| Identified attendees, including Sandra Day O'Connor and numerous Arizona political figures. | |||||||||||
| 5 | Household Insurance Inventory, Undated (Album) | ||||||||||
| Series IV: Award Plaques | |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| 5 | Small Plaques, Medals, Medallions, 1960s-1980s | ||||||||||
| Includes medallion of appreciation from Richard Nixon, 1968. | |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| 6 | Spring Formal Mug, 1952 | ||||||||||
| 6 | Maricopa County Medical Society, 1958 | ||||||||||
| 6 | City of Hope Man of the Year, 1964 | ||||||||||
| 6 | Republican State Committee, 1967 | ||||||||||
| 6 | Alumni Association, Arizona State University, 1968 | ||||||||||
| 6 | Arizona Young Republican League, 1968 | ||||||||||
| 6 | Retail Jewelers of America, 1968 | ||||||||||
| 6 | United Jewish Appeal, 1970 | ||||||||||
| 6 | American Cancer Society, Arizona Division, 1971 | ||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| 7 | Valley National Bank of Arizona, 1971 | ||||||||||
| 7 | Kourt Keeper Mug, 1973 | ||||||||||
| 7 | Society of Fellows, Anti Defamation League of B'nai Brith, 1973 | ||||||||||
| 7 | Jewish Chautauqua Society, 1974 (2 Items) | ||||||||||
| 7 | Society of Fellows, Anti Defamation League of B'nai Brith, 1974 | ||||||||||
| 7 | Man of The Year, Phoenix Boys Club, 1975 | ||||||||||
| 7 | Republican National Convention Site Committee, 1975 (2 Pieces; Dwight Eisenhower Bust) | ||||||||||
| 7 | Phoenix Jewish Federation, 1976 | ||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| 8 | The Thunderbirds, Phoenix Open, 1977 | ||||||||||
| 8 | Arizona Sports Personality of the Year, Arizona Press Box, 1978 | ||||||||||
| 8 | Society of Fellows, Anti Defamation League of B'nai Brith, 1979 | ||||||||||
| 8 | Jewish Community Centers, 1982 | ||||||||||
| 8 | Jewish Community Centers, 1985 | ||||||||||
| 8 | Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix, 1986 | ||||||||||
| 8 | Barrow Neurological Foundation, 1987 | ||||||||||
| 8 | Better Business Bureau, 1989 | ||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| 9 | Rosenzweig Center Model, 1971 | ||||||||||
| 9 | Arizona Young Republican League, 1989 | ||||||||||
| 9 | Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix, 1991 | ||||||||||
| 9 | Key Community Servant, D.O.A.R., 1993 | ||||||||||
| 9 | Kivel Geriatric Center, Undated | ||||||||||
| 9 | Phoenix Advertising Club, Undated | ||||||||||
| 9 | Phoenix Thunderbird, Undated | ||||||||||
| Series V: Oversize | |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| 10 | Air News – Aviation Illustrated Magazine, 1941 May | ||||||||||
| 10 | Cartoons: Reg Manning, 1941-1972 | ||||||||||
| 10 | Awards and Certificates, 1945-1993 | ||||||||||
| 10 | Cartoons: Kearney Edgerton, 1965 | ||||||||||
| 10 | Cartoons: Walt Ditzen, 1971 | ||||||||||
| 10 | Photograph of Harry and Sandy Rosenzweig, Undated | ||||||||||
| 10 | Photograph of Harry Rosenzweig Jr., Scottsdale Fashion Square Store, Undated | ||||||||||