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Inventory of the Jenny Sanford Papers, 1989-2012
Inventory of the Jenny Sanford Papers, 1989-2012
Descriptive Summary
| Abstract: | Correspondence, scrapbooks, photo albums, artifacts, political ephemera and other materials relating to Jenny Sanford, former First Lady of South Carolina and former wife of politician Mark Sanford. Topics include Mark Sanford's political career, Sanford family life, United States presidential ephemera, the divorce of Jenny and Mark, and Jenny's memoir, Staying True. |
| Title: | Jenny Sanford papers |
| Creator: | Sanford, Jenny, 1962- |
| Date(s): | 1989-2012 |
| Extent: | 13.0 linear feet (9 document boxes, 5 oversize boxes, 1 oversize folder, 2 cartons) |
| Repository: | Special Collections, College of Charleston Libraries 66 George Street Charleston, SC 29424 Phone: (843) 953-8016 Fax: (843) 953-6319 URL: http://archives.library.cofc.edu |
| Call Number: | Mss 0181 |
| Language of Material: | Materials in English |
Biographical Note
Jennifer Sullivan Sanford was born on September 11, 1962 in Winnetka, Illinois. Sanford's great grandfather, Joseph W. Sullivan, founded the Skil Corporation, which manufactured the first portable electric saw.
Sanford earned her degree in 1984 from Georgetown University, and then went on to work six years (1984-1990) at the Wall Street investment banking firm Lazard Freres & Company in New York. During her time in New York, she met her future husband, then-businessman Mark Sanford. The two were married in 1989, and she moved to South Carolina shortly thereafter.
After Mark Sanford announced he would run for political office, his wife became heavily involved with managing his political campaigns. She managed his successful 1994 campaign for the United States House of Representatives and his successful gubernatorial campaign in 2002, and later co-managed his re-election campaign in 2006. In addition to assisting him during his Governorship and her duties as First Lady of South Carolina, she launched the Healthy South Carolina Challenge (2005), and served on boards at the Medical University of South Carolina's Children's Hospital Advisory Fund, the Coastal Community Foundation and the Drayton Hall Site Council.
On June 24, 2009, after being absent from South Carolina for six days, Mark Sanford publicly admitted to an extramarital affair with an Argentinian woman, Maria Belén Chapur. Jenny Sanford became aware of the infidelity in January 2009, and filed for separation two weeks prior to her husband's public confession. On August 7, 2009, she moved out of the South Carolina Governor's Mansion with the couple's four sons, Marshall, Landon, Bolton, and Blake, and returned to the family home on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina. She announced that she was filing for divorce on December 11, 2009, and the divorce was finalized on March 19, 2010.
Sanford published her bestselling memoir, Staying True, released on February 5, 2010, which details her experience of her husband's affair and the effect it had on her own life.
Collection Overview
Correspondence, scrapbooks, notebooks, photo albums, clippings, political ephemera, and other materials relating to Jenny Sanford, former First Lady of South Carolina and former wife of politician Mark Sanford. Overwhelming public support for Jenny Sanford after her husband's extramarital affair is shown through a large amount of correspondence, magazine articles, and television interviews. Bound scrapbooks (1989-2010) compiled by Jenny Sanford include data on Mark Sanford's political campaigns and office (1993-2008), First Lady of South Carolina materials, Sanford wedding materials including a facetious prenuptual contract signed by Mark Sanford (1986 May 16) and a limited marital agreement (2009 May 29), and autographed materials and photographs of politicians such as Newt Gingrich, Oliver North, Michelle and Barack Obama, Laura and George W. Bush, and Margaret Thatcher. This collection also includes 9 photo albums compiled by Jenny Sanford, including Mark and Jenny's 1989 wedding albums, South Carolina First Lady's Easter egg hunts (2005-2006), and Mark Sanford's second term as Governor of South Carolina (2007-2009). Published materials include materials for her bestselling memoir, Staying True, including drafts, corrspondence, notes, and photo release forms. Artifacts include jewelry given to Sanford as personal gifts from supporters, political materials from her husband's career such as Republican Governor's Association cufflinks and three Congressional pins, and also a Voo Doo doll with pins included.
Collection Arrangement
This collection is arranged in six series.
| 1. | Correspondence, 1995-1998, 2009-2012, undated |
| 2. | Bound volumes, 1989-2010 |
| 3. | Published materials, 2007-2012 |
| 4. | Audiovisual materials, 2001-2010 |
| 5. | Artifacts, 1989, 1999-2012, undated |
| 6. | Miscellaneous materials, 2003-2009, undated |
Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index this collection in the Library's online catalog. They are grouped by name of person, family, or organization, by topical subject, by place, and by types of material.Names
- Sanford, Jenny, 1962-
- Sanford, Mark, 1960-
Subjects
- Governors' spouses--South Carolina
- Politicians' spouses--South Carolina
- Presidents--United States
Places
- South Carolina
Types of Material
- Artifacts (object genre)
- Clippings (information artifacts)
- Color photographs
- Compact discs
- Correspondence
- DVDs
- Printed ephemera
- Scrapbooks
- Videotapes
Related Resources
Separated Material
Published books originally with the collection have been removed and catalogued separately.
Detailed Description of the Collection
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1. Correspondence, 1995-1998, 2009-2012, undated
Printed emails and handwritten and typed letters sent to Jenny Sanford regarding Mark Sanford's extramarital affair, with a majority in support of Jenny.
Includes note from television personality Barbara Walters regarding their recent interview and offering her support.
Includes letter from actor William Shatner, offering praise for Staying True and requesting Sanford's appearance on a cable television show.
Handwritten and email printouts include general correspondence from Mark Sanford to Jenny Sanford and their sons. Includes printed email (2009 April) between them, discussing their relationship. Also includes printed email (2009 May) from Mark Sanford about family real estate and a printed email (2008 July) from Sanford's assistant regarding various purchases.
Mostly thank yous, birthday cards, and holiday cards. Includes notes from South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, South Carolina Lieutenant Governor André Bauer, First Lady of California Maria Shriver, and a blank "compliments of" card from First Lady of the United States Laura Bush. One typed note (1995) from Leo J. O'Donovan, S.J., congratulates the Sanfords on their sixth wedding anniversary.
2. Bound volumes, 1989-2010
Scrapbooks and related materials, 1989-2010
Scrapbooks include clippings, correspondence, photographs, campaign ephemera, and related material. Topics include Mark Sanford's political campaigns and office (1993-2008), Jenny Sanford First Lady and Staying True materials, the Sanford's 1989 wedding and their 2010 divorce.
Includes correspondence, clippings, invitations, ephemera, notes regarding wedding of Mark and Jenny Sanford. Includes homily written by Leo J. O'Donovan, S.J.
Includes articles and photographs, with many annotations, documenting Sanford's entry into politics, forcing a runoff in the primary, and his eventual seat in the US House of Representatives.
Scrapbook includes photographs, correspondence, clippings documenting Mark Sanford's career in United States Congress. Includes autographed photo of President Bill Clinton, autographed photo of Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Newt Gingrich, photo of Iran-Contra constituent Oliver North, and White House memorabilia.
Includes includes clippings, original photographs, materials regarding Republican Primary and runoff, campaign and victory against South Carolina Governor Jim Hodges, and some statistical campaign breakdowns. Also includes George W. Bush fundraiser materials.
Includes clippings, correspondence, photographs documenting First Lady Jenny Sanford. Includes First Lady of California Maria Shriver letter, First Lady of the United States Laura Bush signed photograph, President George W. Bush inaguration materials.
"15 Years of Bliss" scrapbook compiled by Jenny Sanford for 15th wedding anniversary.
Contains signatures of supporters congratulating Mark Sanford on his 2006 South Carolina Gubernatorial win.
Includes ephemera, clippings, correspondence, fund raising materials, quotes from Sanford children, photographs, budget printouts for Mark Sanford's 2006 campaign. Includes South Carolina poet laureate Marjory Wentworth inaugural poem.
Scrapbook includes includes clippings and correspondence regarding role as First Lady, data on Sanford's children's book Mischief in the Mansion, White House invitations, ephemera signed by George W. Bush.
Includes certificates, articles, photographs, press releases, notes. Also includes press release issued from First Lady Jenny Sanford about trial separation (2009 July 2).
Clippings and photocopies regarding Jenny Sanford's involvement with mansion renovations and a small number of other topics.
Scrapbook includes internet printouts and newspaper and magazine clippings regarding divorce of Jenny and Mark Sanford.
Photo albums and related materials, 1989-2009
Includes candid photos of inauguration, post-inaguration newspaper clippings, family photos.
Mostly family photos in Bejing, South Carolina, and elsewhere. Also includes notes from Sanford children, educational pamphlets for various United States landmarks, signed Laura and George W. Bush photos, and a small amount of other material.
Includes signed photo of First Lady Michelle Obama with Jenny Sanford, Michelle Obama signed letter on White House stationery, photos of Sanfords and Newt Gingrich, Obama inaugural invitation, various clippings from Mark Sanford's term.
Approximately 75 candid photographs of Governor Sanford, family, and his staff at various events. Includes photo of Sanfords with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Margaret Thatcher, signed photo of Jenny with tennis player Martina Navratilova.
Notebooks, 2000-2008
9 spiral notebooks include Jenny Sanford's personal and family notes including daily schedules, contacts, appointments, meeting notes, and notes by Jenny Sanford as Mark Sanford's campaign manager. Topics include South Carolina political policies, First Lady of South Carolina "healthy living" initatives, talking points for speeches, and a small number of other topics.
3. Published materials, 2007-2012
Staying True and related materials, 2009
Includes emails between Jenny Sanford and family members regarding stories about Mark Sanford.
Photocopies of articles about marriage/relationships, possibly for research purposes.
Photocopies of letters written to Jenny Sanford about Staying True, with portions circled and underlined.
Mischief in the Mansion, 2007
Materials for book about the South Carolina Governor's Mansion written by Marshall, Landon, Bolton, and Blake Sanford.
Magazine articles, 2009-2012
All focus on Jenny Sanford, post-marital breakup.
Includes signed note from Vogue editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour.
Includes Jenny's handwritten notes for article, several typed drafts, and a note from Harper's Bazaar editor-in-chief, Glenda Bailey.
4. Audiovisual materials, 2001-2010, undated
Videotapes, 2002-2003, undated
DVDs, 2001-2007
Clips from 21 news stations.
Clips from 33 South Carolina news stations.
CDs, 2007, 2010
3 copies. Includes note from Voice of America journalist (2010 August 5).
5. Artifacts, 1989, 1999-2012, undated
Personal gifts from Jenny Sanford supporters.
Gift from Fidel Castro.
3 pins, numbered 104, 105, 106.
Notes Jim Hodges' and Mark Sanford's political policies.
In colonial pewter box, engraved with Haley Barbour's name.
Two medallions.
With pins. Includes tag "Don't get Mad, Get even!"
Mother with calves. Labeled "Jenny, Marshall, Landon, Bolton, and Blake."
6. Miscellaneous materials, 2003-2009, undated
Laminated printout. 2 pages.
Global Strategic Alliance official signing ceremony. Features NBA commissioner David Stern, Haier corporation Vice Chairman Wu Kesong, Vice Premier Wu Yi, China's Ambassador to the United States Zhou Wenzhong, and First Lady Jenny Sanford. Camden, South Carolina.
Handmade for Jenny Sanford, signed "Delia."
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for research.
Copyright Notice
The nature of the College of Charleston's archival holdings means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. Special Collections claims only physical ownership of most archival materials.
The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Jenny Sanford papers, College of Charleston Libraries, Charleston, SC, USA.
Acquisitions Information
Donated by Jenny Sanford to the College of Charleston Foundation, June 2012.
Processing Information
Processed by Cara McHugh, April 2013.
Encoded by Cara McHugh, April 2013.
Reviewed and uploaded by Martha McTear, May 2013.
