Arizona Historical Foundation

Mission
The Arizona Historical Foundation is a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization housed within The Hayden Library at Arizona State University. As a heritage institution our mission is to selectively collect, preserve and make available historically relevant material to current and future generations of researchers. AHF is dedicated to the collection, preservation, and dissemination of the history of Arizona and the Greater Southwest. The Foundation serves as a repository for primary source materials that document the history of the New Southwest (20th and 21stcentury) with emphasis on the fields of political, legal, and business history. Our holdings include over 300 manuscript collections, 40,000 photographs, ephemera, books, artifacts, film, videos, oral histories, political cartoons, microfilm and several distinctive card catalogs.

History
The Arizona Historical Foundation was founded in 1959 by Senator Barry M. Goldwater. He was a passionate collector and student of Arizona history. The goal of Senator Goldwater was to collect, preserve and disseminate the history of Arizona. This was in direct response to the fact that important historical materials, particularly those documenting the early territorial days, were lost to out-of-state repositories. He believed that Arizonans could better connect with their past by keeping the historical documents closer to home.

Philosophy
AHF begins the 21st century with a commitment to service, scholarly research, and community outreach. We are the New West emphasizing the period after the 1900s and extending into the present. This not only calls for an understanding of the past but an appreciation for the present. It demands that we anticipate the future. We are more selective in what we collect, more informed by technology, and more closely linked with the Arizona collecting community and other repositories of the West. Our philosophy is to increase access to unique and rich material in ways that add appreciation of Arizona’s impact on our nation and the world.

Service
Providing reference to researchers is a top priority. Our collections are open worldwide to students, faculty, visiting scholars, independent researchers, and the general public. Over half of our reference inquiries arrive by email and telephone. We stress access, usability and timeliness. Our goal is to help the researcher connect with the information in our collections, provide referrals to other repositories as needed, and to discover new resources. Professional staff also provide document delivery, photographic reproductions, and outreach programs such as speaking engagements and archival consultation. We specialize in long term research projects. Researchers who may require large amounts of material or in-depth reference are encouraged to make an appointment. Call our office at 480-965-3283 or email us at contact@ahfweb.org.

Future
The Arizona Historical Foundation occupies a unique niche in the collecting community by virtue of its founders, its holdings, and its relationship with the Hayden Library. As the Arizona Historical Foundation approaches its 50th anniversary, it is poised for new directions while honoring the spirit and intent of the original founder. AHF is committed to preserving Arizona material of enduring historical value while providing access for Arizonans and the world at large. Outreach activities include the highly regarded Goldwater Lecture Series held annually at the Kerr Cultural Center.  In a collecting environment, it is important to promote access to the collections, to build upon repository strengths, and avoid duplication with other Arizona repositories. AHF collection development policies focus on issues of the New West: Arizona business such as agriculture, banking, construction, mining, real estate, sports and trade; Arizona law, lawyers, law firms and their impact on state, regional and national public policies; and Arizona politics with an emphasis on congressional collections, national party politics and campaigns, along with political science. Anyone interested in donating material related to these topics is encouraged to contact the Chief Archivist, Linda Whitaker, at linda.whitaker@ahfweb.org.

Collections contributed by Arizona Historical Foundation

• A Celebration of the Human Spirit: Japanese-American Relocation Camps in Arizona
• Arizona Aviation History: The Ruth Reinhold Collection
• Arizona's Saints and Shady Ladies
• Murder & Mayhem: The Strange Saga of Winnie Ruth Judd
• Senator Barry M. Goldwater: An Arizona Legend

Contact Information

Rights & Reproduction

Except where noted, the Arizona Historical Foundation reserves the rights to these images. See these links for reproduction information: http://www.ahfweb.org/services_photorep.html and http://www.ahfweb.org/services_pricelist.html.