Kenton Clymer John Hay Papers

The collection consists of notes that professor Kenton Clymer used to write his first book:  John Hay: The Gentleman as Diplomat (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1975).  Hay was Abraham Lincoln's private secretary, then Ambassador to Great Britain (1897-98), and Secretary of State (1898-1905).  As Secretary of State, he presided over the annexation for the Philippines, and for a few months was in charge of US policy in the Philippines.  A few months after war broke out between the US and Filipino forces, the responsibility for Philippine affairs went to the War Department.  As Secretary of State, however, Hay was deeply involved with US-Asian policy generally.