Scope and Contents note While advancing his career in law, Thornburgh also became a recognized civic leader by involving himself in various Pittsburgh and Allegheny County organizations and community groups. For example, he chaired a $3 million fund-raising effort for the Home for Crippled Children in Pittsburgh and participated in a year-long study on youth problems for the Health and Welfare Association of Allegheny County. This latter project, which Thornburgh chaired, resulted in the "Report of the Task Force on Youth Problems to the Reappraisal and Development Commission of the Health and Welfare Association of Allegheny County."
In 1969, Thornburgh was appointed Chairman of the Allegheny County Regional Planning Council for the Pennsylvania Crime Commission, which later was named the Governor's Justice Commission. The Commission "was charged with devising plans for the expenditure of federal funds under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to improve police, prosecution, courts and correctional institutions" (Evidence, p. 38). Thornburgh resigned in 1972 due to "politicizing of the council's mission" (Evidence, p. 39).
Thornburgh was selected to participate in a Japanese Friendship Tour for Community Leaders and spent two weeks in Japan in December 1972, as guest of the Japanese government. This group of up-and-coming leaders visited Tokyo, Hiroshima, Osaka, and Kyoto and was provided an opportunity to "come to know and appreciate [Japan] far better than we ever expected." His trip diary included here is detailed and illuminating.
Researchers should note the unavoidable overlaps in time and occasional content with files in "Early Legal Career," "Politics," "Campaign for Congress," " Constitutional Convention," and "U.S. Attorney." For example, correspondence in one section may well also pertain to issues or situations in another area. Another example: speeches in the U.S. Attorney years may relate to community rather than legal issues. Ginny Thornburgh created scrapbooks of clippings, in chronological order, that effectively document Thornburgh's career and activities during these years. This valuable resource has been reformatted and is available in the archives (Section 21).
"Pittsburgh Civic Activity" is organized in four sections: "Organizations, Events and Committees"; "Governor's Justice Commission"; "Japanese Friendship Tour"; "Research and Reports." The files generally consist of speeches, news releases, reports, correspondence, notes and memorabilia.
Subseries 1. Organizations, Events and Committees , 1964-1978 Scope and Contents note These files document many of the community-based organizations and events in which Thornburgh was involved during the sixties and seventies. These files are organized chronologically and include a speech, a news release, and a report which are available on-line, plus correspondence, annotated notes, and files related to the several community boards of trustees on which he was a member.
White House Fellows Application , December, 1964 Containers box 13 , folder 13 Pittsburgh Council for International Visitors (PCIV) , 1965-1967 Containers box 13 , folder 14 "What is Pittsburgh Council for International Visitors?": Remarks Mountain View Rotary , September 27, 1965 Containers box 13 , folder 15 Regional Council for International Education , 1966-1967 Containers box 13 , folder 16 "The Forum," Correspondence and Notes , 1967 Containers box 13 , folder 17 American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) , 1967-1970 Containers box 13 , folder 18 Home for Crippled Children: Capital Fund Drive (Thornburgh, General Chairman) , 1967 Containers box 13 , folder 19 "The Pennsylvania Assembly on the State Legislature in American Politics," American Assembly, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA , May 9-11, 1968 Containers box 13 , folder 20 Allegheny County Committee for 1970 White House Conference on Youth and Children , 1969 Containers box 13 , folder 21 Report of the Housing Inadequacies Task Force to the Reappraisal and Development Commission, Health and Welfare Association of Allegheny County , May 17, 1971 Containers box 13 , folder 22 Report of the Task Force for the Chronically Unemployed to the Reappraisal and Development Commission, Health and Welfare Association of Allegheny County , July 30, 1971 Containers box 13 , folder 23 Report of the Task Force on Services to Families and Children to the Reappraisal and Development Commission, Health and Welfare Association of Allegheny County , November, 1971 Containers box 13 , folder 24 Report of the Health Task Force to the Reappraisal and Development Commission, Health and Welfare Association of Allegheny County, Health and Welfare Association of Allegheny County , November 5, 1971 Containers box 13 , folder 25 Report of the Task Force on Youth Problems to the Reappraisal and Development Commission, Health and Welfare Association of Allegheny County, Richard Thornburgh, Chairman , December 20, 1971 Containers box 14 , folder 1 U.S. Attorney Thornburgh, Chairman of a Task Force on Youth Problems for the Heath and Welfare Association of Allegheny County, spoke to an annual meeting of the Allegheny County Camp Fire Girls, Pittsburgh , February 9, 1972 Containers box 14 , folder 2 Correspondence regarding the Report of the Task Force on Youth Problems , March-May, 1972 Containers box 14 , folder 3 Report of the Reappraisal and Development Commission, Health and Welfare Association of Allegheny County: New Directions for the Seventies (annotated) , June, 1972 Containers box 14 , folder 4 Student Help Center Board of Advisors, Funding Application and Correspondence , 1971-1972 Containers box 14 , folder 5 University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Social Work Board of Visitors , 1971-1975 Containers box 14 , folder 6 House of Representatives Committee to Investigate the Administration of Justice , 1973-1974 Containers box 14 , folder 7 Benjamin Franklin Symposium, Harrisburg, PA , January 17-19, 1977 Containers box 14 , folder 8 Pittsburgh Public Theater Board of Directors , 1977-1978 Containers box 14 , folder 9 WQED Board of Directors , 1977-1978 Containers box 14 , folder 10 Subseries 2. Governor's Justice Commission , 1969-1972 Scope and Contents note Thornburgh was named Chairman of the Governor's Justice Commission in 1969 and he served until 1972. Because Thornburgh was appointed to chair this commission at roughly the same time as he became U.S. Attorney, the speeches from this subseries are scanned and available for on-line use in the U.S. Attorney files. Documents consist of correspondence, reports, and news releases (available here online).
Certificate of Thornburgh's Appointment to Chairman of the Governor's Justice Commission , 1969 Containers box 14 , folder 11 Editorial Regarding Thornburgh as Chairman of Allegheny Regional Planning Council, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and correspondence dated January 30, 1970 , November 26, 1969 Containers box 14 , folder 12 "The Criminal Justice System in Greater Pittsburgh Today," Speech to Public Forum 'What About Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Improvement and Development Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA , February 24, 1972 Containers box 14 , folder 13 "Toward a Safer Community--The Matter of Police Protection," Address to Allegheny County Boroughs Association, Sewickley, PA , May 25, 1972 Containers box 14 , folder 14 "The Professional Policeman," Address at the Graduation Ceremonies at the Allegheny County Police Training Academy, Allison Park, PA , May 24, 1974 Containers box 14 , folder 15 Correspondence regarding a County-Wide Police Force , 1969 Containers box 14 , folder 17 Correspondence regarding Diversion of Funding Problem , August, 1972-February, 1973 Containers box 14 , folder 18 Screening Committee on Strike Forces Correspondence and Memorandum , December, 1972 Containers box 14 , folder 19 Correspondence and Notes regarding Thornburgh's Resignation as Chairman and Member of Allegheny Regional Planning Council of the Governor's Justice Commission , January, 1973 Containers box 14 , folder 20 Grants Under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 , November 5, 1971 Containers box 14 , folder 21 Grant Reports , undated Containers box 14 , folder 22 Pennsylvania Crime Commission Task Force Reports on Corrections in Pennsylvania, Assessment of Crime and Criminal Justice in Pennsylvania, and Goals for Justice (annotated) , January, 1969 Containers box 14 , folder 23 "Toward a Safer Community; Crime and Criminal Justice in Allegheny County," Draft and Volumes 2-6, Allegheny Regional Planning Council for the Governor's Justice Committee , 1969-1977 Containers box 14 , folder 24 Correspondence regarding "Toward a Safer Community: Crime and Criminal Justice in Allegheny County" , 1972 Containers box 14 , folder 25 Public Forums on the Criminal Justice System in Allegheny County , 1970 Containers box 14 , folder 26 "Planning for Criminal Justice in Southeastern Pennsylvania," by the Governor's Justice Commission , 1972 Containers box 14 , folder 27 "Keys to Justice: A Descriptive Guide to Resources in the Criminal Justice System, Allegheny County," by the Governor's Justice Commission , Fall, 1973 Containers box 15 , folder 1 "Public Hearings: Summary of Testimony and Index," by Allegheny Regional Planning Council for the Governor's Justice Committee , 1973-1975, 1977 Containers box 15 , folder 2 "Comprehensive Plan: Action Program," by Allegheny Regional Planning Council for the Governor's Justice Committee , 1974-1975 Containers box 15 , folder 3 1968-1974 Report of the Allegheny County Regional Council of the Governor's Justice Commission , January, 1976 Containers box 15 , folder 4 Subseries 3. Japanese Friendship Tour for Community Leaders , 1972 Scope and Contents note Thornburgh and fellow future leaders visited Japan as guests of the Japanese government in December 1972. This section includes correspondence, memorabilia, research on Japan, articles about the Japanese Friendship Tour, and a paper by Thornburgh: "Japan Today - Some Observations" (available here online).
Correspondence Preceding Trip to Japan , October-December, 1972 Containers box 15 , folder 5 Pre Trip Background materials , November-December, 1972 Containers box 15 , folder 6 Memorabilia , December 1-6, 1972 Containers box 15 , folder 7-8 Tourism Information on Japan , 1972 Containers box 15 , folder 9 "The Magnificent Seven: A Japan Odyssey," Thornburgh's Travel Journal , December 1-6, 1972 Containers box 15 , folder 10 Japanese Journals, Newspapers and Bulletins , August-December, 1972 Containers box 15 , folder 11 Information on Tokyo: Administrative, Housing Problems, Metropolitan Assembly, Facilities for Disabled, Education and Senior Citizens , 1972 Containers box 15 , folder 12 Information on the Supreme Court of Japan , 1972 Containers box 15 , folder 13 Information on the Defense of Japan , 1969-1970 Containers box 15 , folder 14 Information on Japan's Economy , 1969-1972 Containers box 16 , folder 1 Information on Japan: Statistics, National Diet, Northern Territorial Issue, Human Environment, Diplomatic Bluebook and Education , 1970-1972 Containers box 16 , folder 2 Articles on Japan published in USA , 1972 Containers box 16 , folder 3 Correspondence to Thornburgh after returning from Japan , December, 1972-April, 1973 Containers box 16 , folder 4 "Six Community Leaders Gain Insights into U.S.-Japan Relations on Friendship Tour," Japan Report , March 16, 1973 Containers box 16 , folder 5 "The United States and Japan: Partners or Competitors? A Frank Discussion of Relations between America and Japan - Past, Present, and Future," Pittsburgh, PA , March 19, 1973 Containers box 16 , folder 6 "Japan Today--Some Observations," by Richard L. Thornburgh , undated Containers box 16 , folder 7 Subseries 4. Research and Reports , 1966-1973 Scope and Contents note Thornburgh habitually and meticulously researched topics of interest and relevant to his work. The research and reports on Pennsylvania, Allegheny County, and Pittsburgh and some more specific issues are typical of Thornburgh's approach to policy development and represent the following issues, for example: education, urban affairs, minorities, corrections, and police. Many of these files contain his annotations.
Pennsylvania Reports on Pennsylvania's Economy (annotated) , 1970-1972 Containers box 16 , folder 8 Allegheny County Notes and Memorandum on Crime and Police in Allegheny County , 1968 Containers box 16 , folder 9 "Development Sketch Plan, Economic Growth, The Environment, Facilities, and Services in Allegheny County" , October, 1970 Containers box 16 , folder 10 Allegheny County Police Publications (annotated) , 1971-1972 Containers box 16 , folder 11 County Conference: A Report on Allegheny County Government Services (annotated) , April, 1971 Containers box 16 , folder 12 Allegheny County Police Duties and Responsibilities , undated Containers box 16 , folder 13 Pittsburgh Committee on Hearings on Housing (annotated) , April 22, 1966 and September 22, 1966 Containers box 16 , folder 14 Research and Notes on Pittsburgh (annotated) , 1967-1973 Containers box 16 , folder 15 Notes on Education in Pittsburgh , 1967 Containers box 16 , folder 16 "The Changing City" and "Urban Renewal Summary," Reports of the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, 1969 , 1969 Containers box 16 , folder 17 Topics Education , 1966-1967 Containers box 17 , folder 1 Urban Affairs , 1967-1971 Containers box 17 , folder 2 Minorities , 1967-1968 Containers box 17 , folder 3 Corrections , 1969-1973 Containers box 17 , folder 4 "Overloading our Criminal Law" and "Crimes without Victims," by Peter Baugher, Reviewed and Annotated by Thornburgh , 1971-1972 Containers box 17 , folder 5 "Curbing Crime and Establishing Justice," by Donald Stone, Reviewed and Annotated by Thornburgh , 1972 Containers box 17 , folder 6 Police , undated Containers box 17 , folder 7 Subseries 5. News Releases , 1969-1974 Item 1. Allegheny County Regional Council of the PA Crime Commission met to further move forward plans for the infusion of federally available funds into upgrading the entire criminal justice system in Allegheny County , May, 1969 Containers box 17 , folder 16 Item 2. Plans to permit Allegheny County criminal justice agencies to participate fully in federal funds to be made available under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 are being accelerated , May 24, 1969 Item 3. Allegheny County Regional Planning Council for the Pennsylvania Crime Commission was appointed by the Governor and has been assigned the performance of three basic tasks , November 20, 1969 Item 4. Thornburgh described the allocation of nearly $2 million in Federal funds for efforts to upgrade the criminal justice system in Allegheny County during fiscal, 1970 , January 23, 1970 Item 5. Thornburgh announced that the Council would soon undertake a series of public hearings with respect to the Allegheny County criminal justice system , January 24, 1970 Item 6. On April 16, 1970 the Allegheny Regional Planning Council of the PA Crime Commission will present federal grants to those agencies whose applications were approved by the PA Crime Commission on December 19, 1969 , April 8, 1970 Item 7. PA Attorney General William C. Sennett, Chairman of the PA Crime Commission and U.S. Attorney Richard L. Thornburgh, Chairman of the Allegheny Regional Planning Council for the Commission announced additional appointments to the Planning Council , April 11, 1970 Item 8. Checks presented to Allegheny County local government units illustrate the wide scope of needed improvements in our criminal justice system , April 16, 1970 Item 9. Massive program aimed at rehabilitation of narcotic addicts in Allegheny County was presented to the PA Crime Commission for approval in Harrisburg by Richard L. Thornburgh and Larry D. Barker , April 27, 1970 Item 10. Thornburgh sharply criticized efforts of local Justices of the Peace to overturn the State Supreme Court's ban on jaypees holding public or political office during their terms of office , May 16, 1970 Item 11. During its first full year of operation, the Allegheny Regional Planning Council for the PA Crime Commission has taken a "balanced" approach to the upgrading of the County's criminal justice system, said Council Chairman Richard L. Thornburgh , June 20, 1970 Item 12. "A shortage of police professionals" was decried by Thornburgh in remarks to graduates of a three-week course for police supervisory personnel at the Penn Hills Borough Municipal Building , July 3, 1970 Item 13. Thornburgh presented a check for $10,574 to Allegheny County Sheriff Coon, representing the contribution of the Federal Government to the installation of the National Crime Information Center , October 9, 1970 Item 14. A thirty-member Task Force was created by the Allegheny Regional Planning Council for the PA Criminal Justice Planning Board to determine the needs of public housing residents within Allegheny County as they relate to the criminal justice system , October 17, 1970 Item 15. Thornburgh announced the presentation of checks totaling $1,107 representing the Federal contribution to four Upper Allegheny Valley communities for the purchase of breathalyzer equipment and the training of police department personnel , October 21, 1970 Item 16. Thornburgh announced the award of a check representing the first payment on a grant of $30\,591 for the Federal contribution to a joint communication system for ten North Hills Communities , October 24, 1970 Item 17. The second in a series of public forums conducted by the Public Housing Task Force of the Allegheny County Regional Crime Council will be held on November 9, 1970 , November 7, 1970 Item 18. Thornburgh presented a check of $9,500 to Pittsburgh Public Safety Director John H. Bingler, Jr. as the first installment of a $15,000 grant towards creating the position of Assistant to the Director for Management in the Department of Public Safety , November 11, 1970 Item 19. Thornburgh called for increased emphasis on correctional efforts within the criminal justice system in remarks addressed to the Southwest Area Council of the PA Association on Probation, Parole, and Correction , December 11, 1970 Item 20. A $2,204,085 two-year proposal seeking funding under the Federal Safe Streets Act for treatment and rehabilitation of narcotics addicts and drug abusers in Allegheny County was forwarded to the PA Criminal Justice Planning Board , December 14, 1970 Item 21. The long-awaited countywide integrated police communications system took another step towards realization today with the funding of two more joint networks under the Federal Safe Streets Act , January 21, 1971 Item 22. Allegheny County's Criminal Justice System requires a "massive overhaul" or it will remain rooted in the nineteenth century: Thornburgh addresses "Youth and Government Conference" , February 20, 1971 Item 23. The long-awaited countywide integrated police communications system took another step towards realization last week with the approval of funding under the Federal Safe Streets Act of an additional joint local network , March 22, 1971 Item 24. The Allegheny Regional Planning Council for the Governor's Justice Commission announced the appointment of Claire Brandler Walker of Pittsburgh to serve as Planning Director of a five-member Planning Unit , March 23, 1971 Item 25. The long-awaited countywide integrated police communications system took another step towards realization with the funding under the Federal Safe Streets Act of an additional joint network , July 1, 1971 Item 26. Allegheny County's Criminal Justice System requires a "massive overhaul" or it will remain rooted in the nineteenth century: Thornburgh addresses Criminal Justice System Workshop , October 1, 1971 Item 27. Over $100,000 in Federal Safe Streets Act funds were distributed to local law enforcement agencies by the Governor's Justice Commission , October 2, 1971 Item 28. A grant of $125,000 for the relocation and renovation of the Allegheny County Crime Laboratory was announced , October 8, 1971 Item 29. Local government units in Allegheny County have benefited from over $2 million in Federal Safe Streets Act funds over the past two years , November 5, 1971 Item 30. Two major projects approved last week by the Allegheny Regional Planning Council for the Governor's Justice Commission constitute "a substantial step forward in the improvement of Allegheny County's criminal justice system" , December, 1971 File 31. The initial payment to Allegheny County Public Defender's Project under a grant of Federal funds totaling $268,227 to employ an additional 12 full-time trial defenders to represent indigent persons at preliminary hearings in criminal cases , June 23, 1972 Item 32. Federal Safe Streets Act funds in the amount of $109,590 have been made available to the Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Crime Laboratory for a special project in rapid identification and origin determination of dangerous drugs and narcotics , July 17, 1972 Item 33. Local government units in Allegheny County have benefited from over $4 million in Federal anti-crime funds over the first three years of operation of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 , September 29, 1972 Item 34. Thornburgh submitted resignation, effective immediately, as Chairman and as a member of the Allegheny Regional Planning Council for the Governor's Justice Commission , January 5, 1973 Item 35. "Current crime statistics pinpoint Allegheny County's suburbs as the site of the real crime problems in our community," U.S. Attorney Thornburgh told Allegheny Regional Planning Council of the Governor's Justice Commission , April 29, 1974 Item 36. Thornburgh presents check to the Borough of Verona for the purchase of much-needed police communications equipment , undated Item 37. New appointments to the Allegheny Regional Planning Council for the Pennsylvania Criminal Justice Planning Board (PA Crime Commission) were announced , undated Item 38. James E. Hurd, Assistant Director of the Warrendale Youth Development Center, was appointed as first Director of the Allegheny County Regional Planning Council for the Pennsylvania Crime Commission , undated Item 39. Thornburgh announced the presentation of a $15,000 check to Police Chief Richard Baer of the Pine-Marshall-Bradford Joint Police Force , undated