Frederick C. Whitney Papers

Collection

Identifier: MS-0268

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Frederick C. Whitney Papers document an important San Diego political and environmental issue, as well as the inner workings of a political association. The collection is primarily concerned with the period in 1972 when Whitney was involved in the Coastal Initiative and Pollution Initiative Election Propositions. Materials include fact sheets, supportive arguments, and personal correspondence.

Dates

Creation: 1968-1972
Creation: Majority of material found in 1972

Creator

Whitney, Frederick C. (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

The copyright interests in some or all of these materials have not been transferred to San Diego State University. Copyright resides with the creator(s) of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. The nature of archival collections is such that multiple creators are often applicable and copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine. In any case, the user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, obtaining publication rights and copyright infringement. When requesting images from Special Collections & University Archives for publication, we require a signed agreement waiving San Diego State University of any liability in the event of a copyright violation.

Biographical Note

Frederick C. Whitney was born December 3, 1919, in Brooklyn, New York. He attended the Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, and later Yale University. During 1940, Whitney served as a reporter for the Havana Post and Havana P.M. newspapers in Cuba, and in 1943 served as a reporter for the Los Angeles Evening Herald & Express.

In 1943, Whitney entered the US Army and was commissioned in January of 1944. Upon discharge in 1946, he entered San Diego State College as an undergraduate, working on several news staffs in San Diego County. From 1950 to 1952, Whitney was involved with the San Diego Chamber of Commerce, acting as General Manager and later as Public Relations Director.

After a short term as the Executive Assistant to the Mayor of San Diego, he acted as President and Owner of Frederick C. Whitney Company, public relations consultants. During this time, Whitney was also a quarter-time lecturer in the Department of Public Administration at San Diego State College. From 1967-1970, Whitney was a half-time lecturer in the Department of Journalism at San Diego State College.

After being tenured and promoted to Associate Professor in the Journalism Department at San Diego State University, Whitney was elected Chairman of the Department in 1975.