Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1930-1968, predominant 1935-1941 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
76 cm of textual records
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Fred Kennedy, 1900-1988, was a Calgary Herald employee for 30 years. He was born in Dundee, Scotland and came to Canada with his family in 1912. He attended journalism school in New York City, USA; worked for the Calgary News Telegram and the Albertan; and then toured with a rodeo company as publicity director. In 1927 he began his career with the Calgary Herald and held various positions: police reporter, city editor, sports editor, agriculture editor and Alberta legislative correspondent.
His stories on the Social Credit government were widely quoted and copied, and so angered Premier William Aberhart that Kennedy was frequently banned from press conferences. Despite the ban Kennedy managed to break important stories through his contacts with Aberhart's supporters and advisors. In 1957 Kennedy became publicity director for the Calgary Stampede, and in 1965 he began a 14-year column with the Albertan. He married Eugenie O'Neill in 1934 and they had three children. He owned, trained and bred racehorses, and was inducted into the Canadian Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1985.
He wrote his memoirs in Alberta Was My Beat: Memoirs of a Western Newspaperman / Fred Kennedy. - Calgary : The Albertan, 1975.
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Gift of the Calgary Herald Library, 1970.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
The fonds consists of reference material on the Social Credit movement in Alberta compiled by Fred Kennedy while working for the Calgary Herald: newspaper clippings outlining the history and implementation of the Social Credit in Alberta; transcripts of William Aberhart's radio broadcasts from the Calgary Prophetic Bible Institute and speeches as Premier, as well as Social Credit cabinet ministers' speeches; research notes; correspondence; and Social Credit pamphlets. Includes newspaper clippings (1955-1968) on pioneer life in Alberta, and a script for a western historical pageant at the Calgary Stampede (1964).
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
No restrictions on access.
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
The material is in English.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Digital content is available
Also available on microfilm.
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Title based on contents and provenance of records.
Note
The microfilm, done in 1994, has no accession number.
Note
Microfilm-Kennedy, Fred
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Description control area
Description identifier
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Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Tuesday, October 16, 2018