Philip Perlman papers

Series 1: Personal, 1926-1938 (4.0 linear feet)

Series I includes Perlman's personal correspondence with friends, business associates, social acquaintances, charitable associations, and government agencies. In addition to personal correspondence, this series contains materials related to Perlman's financial investments and the sale of his yacht, the Arla.

Materials relating to Perlman's yacht, the Arla, document the restoration and sale of the yacht by Perlman. Correspondence, receipts, insurance bills, and legal documents represent the bulk of the materials.

Perlman's personal correspondence contains invitations; replies to invitations; thank-you notes; requests for recommendations; letters of recommendation; letters of introduction; letters of congratulations; meeting notices; personal notes; Christmas cards; solicitations for charitable donations; and Jewish publications. This series also includes documents relating to personal business transactions, such as confirmation of doctor appointments; the filing of annual taxes; securing a license plate; and paying a traffic ticket. Filed separately from other business transactions is correspondence pertaining to Perlman's financial investments. This correspondence primarily consists of form letters distributed annually to investors and stock holders.

Arrangement is alphabetical by subject heading and then chronological within each heading.

Series 2: Client Files, 1924-1942 (6.0 linear feet)

Series II consists of estate records, wills, court documents, reports, legal agreements and contracts, petitions, financial receipts, and copies of legislation used by Philip Perlman in his legal practice in Baltimore, Maryland, prior to his appointment as Solicitor General of the United States in 1947. His corporate clients included the Claiborne-Annapolis Ferry Company, the City Ice Company, the Fairways Company, and the United Railways and Electric Company. The Claiborne-Annapolis Ferry Company, which operated a ferry service across the Chesapeake Bay, was involved in early discussions regarding the construction of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Under an act of the Maryland legislature in 1941, the State Roads Commission of Maryland took over the assets of the company. Representing the Claiborne-Annapolis Ferry Company, Perlman handled all negotiations with the state in the earliest stages of the process and subsequent dealings with the Chesapeake Bridge Commission. The Claiborne-Annapolis Ferry Company files include correspondence with Governor Harry W. Nice on the topic of financing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge construction. Personal clients included the estates of Julius Levy and Samuel Frank. Wirt A. Duvall, Jr. worked with Perlman on several of these cases.

Arrangement is alphabetical by client name.

Series 3: Government and Politics, 1922-1945 (7.5 linear feet)

Materials in this series document Perlman's years in public service and active participation in Maryland politics and include correspondence, memos, legal briefs, copies of Maryland bills and laws, reports, press releases, campaign speeches, radio addresses, campaign propaganda, maps, newspapers, and clippings.

An active member of the Democratic Party, Philip Perlman regularly participated in Maryland political campaigns. A strong supporter of both Mayor Howard Jackson and Governor Albert Ritchie, Perlman worked for their re-election to office several times between 1932 and 1942, and assisted Mayor Jackson in his campaign for governor in 1938. The bulk of the materials in this series document the re-election campaigns, offering great insight into the pressing issues of the time and the political maneuvers of both the Republican and Democratic candidates. Perlman lent his time and legal expertise to the candidates, leading Jackson's efforts to contest the outcome of a primary election for governor in 1938. Perlman often annotated copies of bills and newspapers with his own thoughts and ideas concerning Maryland politics and the campaign agenda. Similarly, Governor Ritchie alerted Perlman to particular issues by circling and noting newspaper articles. In addition to documenting Perlman's relationship to those in power, these records offer information related to Maryland and Baltimore politics, and political campaigns in the 1930s and 1940s.

Perlman's growing influence in the national Democratic Party is evidenced by his involvement in additional congressional campaigns and his role in drafting the Democratic National Convention platform in 1940. Furthermore, Perlman rebutted internal criticisms launched by John O'Connor in a publicized debate. Copies of both O'Connor's letter and Perlman's response can be found in the folders titled "O'Connor's Letter."

Arrangement is alphabetical by topic.

Series 4: The Debates of the Maryland Constitutional Convention of 1867, 1923-1928 and 1931 (0.5 linear feet)

Series IV consists primarily of correspondence pertaining to The Debates of the Maryland Constitutional Convention o f 1867, which Perlman compiled and published in 1923. The State of Maryland commissioned the book, and appropriations in the State budget paid for the publication. Some of the correspondence addresses Perlman's research for the book; the remainder pertains to matters of publication and reviews. Other types of materials that relate to the correspondence include advertising brochures, order forms, and newspaper clippings.

Perlman drew on his research again in 1931 when he delivered an address before the Maryland General Assembly on the Constitution and the adoption of amendments. The 1931 correspondence consists largely of responses to Perlman's address.

Arrangement is chronological.

Series 5: Photographs, 1921-1929 and undated (100 items)

This series consists of 100 black and white photographs that were separated from the textual materials of the collection. The majority of the photographs document the work of the Fairway Company, a Maryland paving business, and transportation conditions in 1920s Maryland. Also included are some photographs of Baltimore City.

Arrangement follows the order of the series, boxes, and folders from which the photographs originated.

The box inventory for this series is not currently available online. Please refer to the series description above for a broad description of the materials or contact the department for more information.

Series 6: Memorabilia, ca. 1930 (1 item)

The single item in this series is a campaign pin that reads "John A. Meyer for Congress." It has been transferred to the Memorabilia Collection, Memorabilia #1848.