Includes materials related to the planning of Perry Expedition centennial events and outreach by the Newport Publicity Commission to engage participants from local to international levels. While the committee existed from January 1953 until October 1954, this collection solely includes materials from 1953.
All researchers seeking to publish materials from the collections of the PSNC Archives and Special Collections are requested to contact the archivist, prior to reproducting, quoting, or otherwise publishing any portion or extract from this collection. Although the Preservation Society has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim copyright ownership. It is up to the researcher to determine the owners of the copyright and to obtain any necessary permission from them.
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Description or title of item, PSNCA.H.042: Perry Expedition Centennial papers, Box #, Folder #, Preservation Society of Newport County, Newport, RI.
Found in collection. Collection was most likely arranged by a previous archivist, possibly between 2000 and 2010. These materials are arranged by subject in a single series.
The Newport Publicity Commission formed the executive committee for the Perry Expedition Centennial in January 1953 to run a year-long program of celebration and cultural exchange with Japan in commemoration of Newport native
Monique (Mrs. Leonard) Panaggio served as head of the Newport Publicity Commission at this time. The joint chairmen of the Perry centennial celebration were Capt. Henry Hederman, commander of the Naval Base, and Newport Mayor Dean J. Lewis.
Source unknown; materials were found in collection and had been donated or transferred to The Preservation Society sometime prior to 2023. Because Monique Panaggio was head of the Newport Publicity Commission during the centennial and later worked for the Preservation Society, it is possible that she donated the papers.
At an unknown time, someone, possibly a former archivist, arranged the materials into the folder groupings currently used in the collection. In 2025, archivist Genna Duplisea removed several pages of duplicate materials, chronologized some papers within folders, and wrote the finding aid, otherwise maintaining the order and folder sequence as found.
Additional accruals are not expected.
During the 2025 processing, duplicate copies of printed materials were removed. Whether other materials were appraised or discarded in the original processing is unknown.
"Newport Plans For Perry Centennial Program Include Invitation To Ike," Newport Daily News, Friday, January 9, 1953, p. 18.
"Local News Briefs," Newport Daily News, Monday, October 18, 1954, p. 4.