The Richard W. Bolling Collection is in the Special Collections Department http://www.umkc.edu/lib/spec-col/index.html of Miller Nichols Library http://www.umkc.edu/lib/index.html at the University of Missouri - Kansas City. There are over 2000 photographs in the collection documenting Bolling's life and career in the U.S. Congress from 1949-1983. More information about the collection can be found at http://www.umkc.edu/lib/spec-col/bolling.htm

Richard W. Bolling (1916-1991) served with eight different presidents and through several crucial events in U.S. history as a Missouri Democratic Representative to Congress from 1949 to 1983. His long tenure gave him a unique perspective as a witness to such historical events as the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Watergate, and the assassination of a president. Bolling served on several House committees including the Select Committee on Committees, the Joint Economic Committee, and the Committee on Rules. His papers provide original, firsthand insight into a variety of national issues, including civil rights, labor reform, the federal budget process, and liberalism. In particular, the collection pertains to Bolling’s most direct and lasting influence as a participant in the efforts to reform Congress in the early 1970s. Bolling was arguably the most important player in this reform movement and he was largely responsible for bringing to the floor many of the committee rules and structural changes considered during the 93rd Congress (1973-74). As chair of the Select Committee on Committees at this time, Bolling spearheaded this reform movement which transformed the legislative process during the 1970s and created our current system.

The 2098 photographs in the collection feature images of Bolling with many of the most important U.S. politicians of the 20th century. Included are photographs of Bolling giving speeches and meeting with constituents in Kansas City as well as images of his participation on several House Congressional committees. The photographs also show Bolling with numerous other political personalities and their staffs and include a number of signed photographs of many of the U.S. Congressional representatives he worked with.

Acknowledgments:
The University of Missouri-Kansas City University Libraries are grateful for the assistance with this web project provided by the University of Missouri-Library Systems Office, especially by Kurt Kopp, Assistant Director, Electronic Resources, Library Systems Office, and George Rickerson, UM Assistant Vice President for Library Systems and Executive Director, MOBIUS Consortium.