Merrill Charles Bakst was born on Feb. 22, 1944 in Fall River, Massachusetts. His parents were Lester Bakst, a lawyer, and Anna Horvitz Bakst, Brown '31.
M. Charles Bakst attended Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts and later Brown University from 1962 to 1966. While at Brown University, Bakst worked for the Brown Daily Herald, serving as editor-in-chief in 1965, and for the Providence Journal as a summer intern.
In 1967, Bakst earned a graduate degree in Journalism from Columbia University. He began working for the Providence Journal covering education in 1968, and became a fulltime political writer in 1972. From 1987 to 1995, Bakst was the Journal's government affairs editor. In 1995 until his retirement in 2008, Bakst was the fulltime political columnist, writing at least three times a week.
A regular participant in numerous local television programs, M. Charles Bakst appeared as a regular commentator and moderator for shows including Channel 10's "10 News Conference", Channel 12's "News Makers", Channel 6's "6 News on the Record", and Channel 36's "A Lively Experiment".
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M. Charles Bakst papers, MS-1U-B6, Brown University Archives.
The papers of M. Charles Bakst consist of manuscripts, correspondence, typed articles, notebooks, ephemera, and other materials documenting the career of M. Charles Bakst as a student at Brown University and the Providence Journal. After graduating from Brown University in 1966, he was a fulltime reporter and columnist covering education and politics for the Providence Journal from 1968 to 2008. The earliest materials include a scrapbook belonging to Bakst's mother, Anna Horvitz Bakst (Brown '31) and a newspaper scrapbook detailing the 1960 Presidential election. Bakst's educational career at Brown is documented in course notebooks, term papers, and other materials relating to Bakst's time as editor of the Brown Daily Herald. Political papers include letters from President George H.W. Bush, Massachusetts Governor Mike Dukakis, Rhode Island Governor Bruce Sundlun, and Providence Mayor Buddy Cianci.
Audio microcassettes are arranged chronologically and provide on-hand interviews with politicians, including then-Senator Barack Obama and Vice President Al Gore. Videotapes (177 in total) include political debates, some involving Governor Donald Carcieri (Brown '65) and Senator Lincoln Chaffee (Brown '75). Approximately 100 of these videotapes include primarily episodes of "A Lively Experiment", a Rhode Island-based political show and the flagship program of Rhode Island PBS in which M. Charles Bakst participated.
This collection is arranged into the following series:
This collection was donated by M. Charles Bakst in December 2008.
Additional materials may be added to this collection.
Includes class grades, counselor reports, and a class photo with Robert Frost.
Includes class assignments, exams, syllabi, and grade reports.
Includes memory book, Pembroke 50th reunion medal, and letter.
Includes response letters from Providence Journal readers. Some letters are derogatory and antisemitic in nature.
Includes childhood documentation, family letters, a bar mitzvah recording, and personal photographs.
Includes letters from President George H.W. Bush, President Gerald Ford, Vice President Al Gore, Rhode Island Governor Bruce Sundlun, Providence Mayor Buddy Cianci, and others.
Microcassettes are arranged chronologically.
177 total videocassettes. Box 5-6: A Lively Experiment (1988-2002). Box 7-8: Miscellaneous (1984-2008).
98 videotapes, in rough chronological order, including episodes of "A Lively Experiment", a Rhode Island-based political show and the flagship program of Rhode Island PBS in which M. Charles Bakst participated. The dates of the videotapes range from October 1988 to October 2002.
79 videotapes, in rough chronological order, containing local newscasts from various television stations, local and national political debates, and other programs related to political events and news. The dates of the videotapes range from October 1984 to December 2008.