George F. Kennan (1904-2005) was a diplomat and a historian, noted especially for his influence on United States policy towards the Soviet Union during the Cold War and for his scholarly expertise in the areas of Russian history and foreign policy. Kennan's papers document his career as a scholar at the Institute for Advanced Study and his time in the Foreign Service, and include his correspondence files, published and unpublished writings, and personal files.

James V. Forrestal (1892-1949) was a Wall Street businessman who played an important role in U.S. military operations during and immediately after World War II. From 1940 to 1949 Forrestal served as, in order, assistant to President Roosevelt, Under Secretary of the Navy, Secretary of the Navy, and the first Secretary of Defense. The Forrestal Papers document his service from Under Secretary of the Navy to Secretary of Defense and include correspondence, memoranda, reports, speeches, and press releases.

John Marshall Harlan (1899-1971), a distinguished lawyer and jurist, served on the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. Harlan's papers consist of legal materials, correspondence, writings, and personal papers that document his career as an attorney and a judge, especially the period when he was a Supreme Court Justice.

Bernard M. Baruch was a financier and public adviser. This collection consists primarily of public papers relating to Baruch's various involvements in government affairs.

The Roger Nash Baldwin Papers document the life and career of Roger Baldwin (1884-1981), a prominent and active American civil libertarian for almost all of his prodigiously long life. Baldwin is remembered first and foremost as a founder of the American Civil Liberties Union. Many of the papers in this collection document his involvement with the conscientious objection movement that served as the forerunner to the ACLU and with the Union itself. He served as both its executive director from its foundation in 1920 to his retirement in 1950 and as an advisor from that date until his death in 1981. However, Baldwin cast his net much wider than just the ACLU. During the 1920s and 1930s, he was involved with various left-wing political organizations, including the Industrial Workers of the World. Following the end of World War II, he served as an advisor to the U.S. Army and the United Nations in Germany, Austria, Japan, and Korea, guiding the establishment of democracy in those countries, and he was for many years chair of the International League for the Rights of Man. He spoke and wrote widely, most often on issues of civil liberties and human rights, and also taught periodically throughout his life. The papers, which include correspondence, memos, writings, notes, and photographs, document all aspects of his public life, as well as some portion of his personal life.

Common Cause is a non-profit advocacy organization committed to honest, open and accountable government and participation in the democratic process. The Common Cause Records consists of files of various staff members, general correspondence, reports of projects and studies, recordings of meetings and testimonies of staff, state files, and other corporate papers.

David Lawrence, Princeton Class of 1910, was an American magazine and news service founder, editor, columnist, and author. This collection contains papers of Lawrence, including correspondence with notable twentieth century figures, articles, speeches, correspondent dispatches, radio broadcast transcripts, and manuscripts for several books.

Sir W. Arthur Lewis (1915-1991) was a pioneer in the field of economic development and a leading authority on economic growth in developing countries and associated political and social changes. He was a professor at the University of Manchester and Princeton University and served as an advisor to several governments. Lewis, who was from the Caribbean, also broke through racial barriers in the academic world throughout his career. Lewis's papers document his career as a scholar and as an economic advisor and include his professional correspondence, meeting minutes, reports, and writings.

Harley L. Lutz (1882-1975) was an economist with expertise in taxation and public finance who spent his academic career at Oberlin College, Stanford University, and Princeton University. Lutz also served as an advisor on public finance, especially taxation, to the federal and state governments and was an outspoken opponent of increases in government spending. Lutz's papers document his career as an economist, as well as his work as a consultant on taxation and public finance, and include writings, reports, and correspondence.

George McAneny served in numerous positions in the government of New York City, including president of the Borough of Manhattan (1910-1913), president of the Board of Aldermen (1914-1916), and chairman of the State Transit Commission (1921). This collection consists of lectures, reports, correspondence, committee and association files, clippings, scrapbooks, and photographs, all of which reflect his special interests in regional and city planning, zoning, city and state transit, and city financing.