Senator Elizabeth Dole’s Senate Papers opened for research at the Dole Archives

July 23, 2025 - News

LAWRENCE, KS – The Robert and Elizabeth Dole Archives and Special Collections at the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics recently opened Senator Elizabeth Dole’s United States Senate papers for research and public access. Featuring campaign records, constituent correspondence, press materials, and legislative records, the collection offers a detailed look into Dole’s time as the first woman to represent North Carolina in the U.S. Senate from 2003 to 2009.

“This collection is one of the first available in our archive that documents our democracy in the 21^st century,” said Sarah Gard, senior archivist and head of collections at the Dole Institute. “We are excited to open papers from a new part of Senator Elizabeth Dole’s career in public service, and students and scholars will be able to see how the United States Senate worked during a pivotal moment in time for the nation.”

Elizabeth Dole was elected to represent North Carolina in 2002. She brought with her decades of experience in Washington and beyond to the halls of Congress, having served as the Federal Trade Commissioner, U.S. Secretary of Transportation, U.S. Secretary of Labor, and President of the American Red Cross. Dole also ran for president in 2000, becoming the first woman to mount a viable campaign from a major political party.

The Elizabeth H. Dole Senate Papers feature campaign records, constituent correspondence, press materials, and legislative records from Dole’s time representing North Carolina in the U.S. Senate from 2003 to 2009. Materials courtesy of the Dole Archives.

While in Congress, Dole focused on issues pertaining to North Carolina and their relevance to the United States. In her maiden speech on the Senate floor, she spoke about gleaning, or the pre-sale practice of discarding food that didn’t meet specific requirements, and how such discarded but edible food could be used to combat food insecurity throughout the country.

She was also a key advocate for the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina—a Native American tribe by law, but one that lacked access to federal services granted to other federally recognized tribes. Papers in the collection also highlight milestones in the United States’ involvement in the Global War on Terror, and Senator Dole’s tenure as Chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which is responsible for supporting Republican Senate campaigns throughout the country.

The Dole Archives is open to researchers Monday through Friday by appointment. For more information about the Elizabeth Hanford Dole Senate Papers, please visit the Dole Archives’ online finding aids or search terms on the Dole Archives website.

About the Dole Institute
Inspired by the leadership legacies of Senators Bob and Elizabeth Dole, and the enduring civic contributions of the Greatest Generation, the Dole Institute of Politics strives to promote a new era of leadership that uses politics to bring people together through opportunities that emphasize bipartisan cooperation, public service, and civic education and engagement.

For More Information:
Jackson DeAndrea, Dole Institute of Politics
jackson.deandrea@ku.edu
(785) 864-4900