Photograph of Mayor Fitzgerald at Old Home Week, July 29, 1907

This collection mostly holds materials documenting the business and political career of John F. Fitzgerald. There are thirty-nine scrapbooks dating from 1896 to 1925 containing newspaper clippings, which mostly document Fitzgerald’s political career. The scrapbooks are in poor condition and this was noted in correspondence dating to when the materials were received. Additionally, there are political cartoons and loose newspaper clippings as well as copies of speeches and public addresses. The collection also includes photographs of Fitzgerald at public events and personal family photographs. Of note, there is one of Fitzgerald attending the Holy Cross football game against Boston College in 1921.

Finally, the collection holds materials pertaining to the newspaper, The Republic. This was a weekly newspaper published in Boston for Irish Catholic Americans. The first issue was published in 1882. Fitzgerald was a publisher in the early twentieth century and during his tenure, the paper’s circulation grew rapidly. The collection contains twelve account books dating from 1902 to 1919. There is also a publishing stock book that dates to 1907. Bound copies of the paper were also donated and these can be found in the Special Collection Rare Book collection.