Edgar B. Young papers, 1952-1980

Summary

Creator:
Young, Edgar B., Rockefeller, John D., III (John Davison) (1906-1978), Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and Japan Society. (New York, N.Y.)
Extent:
28.15 Cubic Feet 71 letter document boxes, 1 legal document box, 1 letter document box (wide), and 1 flat file folder
Language:
English .

Background

Scope and content:

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is a nonprofit institution dedicated to fostering the arts of opera, music, dance, drama, and arts education. Its objective is not only to exist as a physical place where the arts are created and performed, but also to promote and facilitate access to the arts to as wide an audience as possible.

The Edgar B. Young collection documents Lincoln Center as a project fueled by the work and vision of volunteers and the non-profit sector of the economy. It serves as a model of successful urban renewal and collaboration between the private sector and various agencies of all levels of government.

The birth of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts developed from the convergence of three independent actions. First was the availability of land. In 1954, the New York City Committee on Slum Clearance (under the chairmanship of Robert Moses and Mayor Robert Wagner) designated a 17-block area of Manhattan between West 62nd and West 70th Streets for redevelopment. Once the appropriate city government approvals were obtained, this became the Lincoln Square Urban Renewal Project (with Lincoln Square as the intersection of Broadway and Columbus Avenue). Second and third, two major New York art associations, the Metropolitan Opera Association and the Philharmonic-Symphony Society, were both actively and independently looking for new homes. Both organizations had independently come to the conclusion that building a new home to fit their custom specifications and acoustic requirements, rather than becoming a tenant in an existing structure, was essential for their performers and the long term existence and growth of their organizations.

The catalyst for the convergence of these independent activities into one interrelated project was Wallace K. Harrison who had been asked to serve as the design architect for both the new Metropolitan Opera House and the Philharmonic Hall project. Harrison also had a long standing relationship with various New York City government officials as well as the Rockefeller family. Harrison met with John D. Rockefeller 3rd, Chair of the Board of the Rockefeller Foundation at the time, and Young to discuss the dilemma confronting the Metropolitan Opera and the Philharmonic as well as possible solutions. Young and JDR 3rd were interested in further participation and soon after met with other prominent art administrators including Lincoln Kirstein (Managing Director of the New York City Ballet) and William Shuman (President of the Juilliard School). On the invitation of Charles Spofford (Metropolitan Opera Association Executive Committee Chairman), JDR 3rd attended informal meetings with many of these same men, leading to the establishment of the Exploratory Committee for a Musical Arts Center with the objective of defining a common mission and building a performing arts center. This committee eventually led to the incorporation of Lincoln Center in 1956 and, after decades of planning, designing and redesigning, construction and reconstruction, the opening and operation of the nation's largest performing arts complex.

The Edgar B. Young Papers document Young's professional career with Lincoln Center and, to a much lesser extent, the Japan Society. This is not a collection of his personal papers. Due to Young's extensive experience in a wide variety of Lincoln Center positions and activities, this collection documents all aspects of the Lincoln Center project including the origin of Lincoln Center, Inc.; the planning, construction, and completion of each of the original buildings; early administration and operations; constituent relations; fundraising; financial administration; public relations; and the adoption of various sponsored programs beyond the original scope of its mandate such as the Lincoln Center Student Program, the Lincoln Center Film Festival, and sponsorship of the New York World's Fair.

Biographical / historical:

Edgar B. Young, a staff associate of John D. Rockefeller 3rd (JDR 3rd), played a vital role in the creation and early administration of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

Young was born April 27, 1908, in Anderson, Indiana. His academic credentials include an A.B. from DePauw University (1929) and graduate work at the London School of Economics (Economics 1931), the University of Pennsylvania (Economics 1933), and American University (Public Administration 1935).

Prior to his employment as a Rockefeller family associate, Young held several administrative positions in the U. S. Employment Service (1934-1939) and the U. S. Bureau of the Budget (1939-1941). He also served as an Assistant to the Executive Director of the Port of New York Authority (1945-1946). From 1946 to 1949, Young began his service to the Rockefeller family as a staff associate of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Then in 1949, he became the full-time staff associate for JDR 3rd and served in that capacity throughout the time period of the balance of the records documented in this collection.

Young's career closely mirrors the interests and activities of JDR 3rd. In the early 1950s, JDR 3rd devoted much of his energy to the promotion of a greater cultural and educational exchange between Asia and western societies, most notably the United States. These activities centered around the revitalization of the Japan Society, for which Young was appointed Secretary in 1952, and the creation of the Asia Society, for which Young was appointed Secretary upon its founding in 1956.

Young was actively involved in the Lincoln Center project from its origin, participating in many of the early discussions while JDR 3rd served on the Exploratory Committee for a Musical Arts Center. After incorporation, Young became Lincoln Center's Secretary (1956-1962) and JDR 3rd became its first President (June 22, 1956-1961). Rockefeller was succeeded as President by General Maxwell Taylor on January 4, 1961. Following Taylor's resignation to accept a position as military advisor for President John F. Kennedy, Young served as the Acting President of Lincoln Center from June 26 to December 31, 1961. At that time, William Schuman was named the third President of Lincoln Center (1961-1968) and Young was subsequently appointed Executive Vice President (1962-1965) and Chairman of the Building Committee (1961-1971). Young also often served as a member of both the Executive and Education Committees at various points throughout his tenure with Lincoln Center.

Arrangement:

The Edgar B. Young papers are arranged into three series:

Series 1 - Lincoln Center, Inc. (1952-1980) Series 2 - Japan Society (1973-1978) Series 3 - Photographs

The material within each series is further divided in subseries arranged alphabetically by subject. The material within each subseries is arranged alphabetically by folder title.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for research with select materials restricted as noted. Brittle or damaged items are available at the discretion of RAC.

Terms of access:

The Rockefeller Archive Center has title, copyright, and literary rights in the collection, in so far as it holds them, and has authority to grant permission to cite and publish archival material from the collection.

Location of this collection:
15 Dayton Avenue
Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591, United States
Link to repository site
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