Dr. Anthony Merlino JFK Assassination Conspiracy Theory Collection, 1962-2005

Providence College, Archives and Special Collections
1 Cunningham Square
Providence, RI 02918
Telephone: (401) 865-2377
Email: pcarchives@providence.edu

Published in 2023

Collection Overview

Title:	Dr. Anthony Merlino JFK Assassination Conspiracy Theory Collection
Date range:	1962-2005
Creator:	Merlino, Dr. Anthony F., 1930-2022
Extent:	6.25 Linear Feet 11 manuscript boxes, 3 audiotape boxes
Abstract:	Dr. Anthony Merlino, a 1951 graduate of Providence College, collected a large personal library of books, recordings, and memorabilia concerning President John F. Kennedy, his family, and their associates over the course of his lifetime. This collection is a small subset of the original collection covering the myriad conspiracy theories that arose and circulated in American society following Kennedy’s assassination in 1963. The collection is primarily comprised of small-run serial publications. It also includes copies of recordings of Kennedy’s meetings and speeches while in office, audio recordings of conspiracy theorists’ radio shows, and reproductions of films and photography which captured the assassination.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	Providence College, Archives and Special Collections
Collection number:	SC041

Scope & content

The materials in this collection are a subset of what was originally a large personal library collected by Dr. Merlino. In addition to the material preserved here, Dr. Merlino's personal collection was comprised of several hundred books written about the Kennedy family and their associates; special editions of mass market serial publications; audio recordings of Kennedy speeches; and various commemorative items. Out of the collector's original, broad focus on Kennedy's entire life, this collection represents a narrower focus on Kennedy's assassination and its aftermath.

The material in this collection focuses on the various conspiracy theories that emerged and were circulated via small-run print publications, radio shows, lectures, and personal correspondence between researchers. The majority of this collection is comprised of newsletters, journals, and serial publications written and distributed by conspiracy theorists. Additional printed material includes maps, radio transcripts, directories, and a few pieces of correspondence with the creator. The collection also contains photographic materials, including slides and Super8 films, distributed by government organizations and conspiracy theorists. The audiocassettes in the collection are mainly recordings of commentary or interviews with conspiracy theorists as well as recordings of various meetings with Kennedy.

Users of the collection are advised that the collection contains graphic descriptions and images of the assassination.

Access Points

Subject Names

• Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963
• Oswald, Lee Harvey
• Ruby, Jack
• Jones, Penn

Subject Organizations

• United States. Congress. House. Select Committee on Assassinations
• United States. Warren Commission

Subject Topics

• Assassination
• Communism -- United States -- History -- 20th century
• Presidents -- Assassination -- United States -- History
• Conspiracy theories

Geographical Names

• Dealey Plaza Historic District (Dallas, Tex.)
• Dallas (Tex.)

Occupations

• Assassins
• Presidents

Arrangement

Materials in this collection are arranged into three series:

Series 1: Publications

Series 2: Conspiracy Theorist & JFK Recordings

Series 3: Assassination Film Reproductions

Series 1 is grouped alphabetically by publication title, then arranged chronologically within the title. Materials in Series 2 are split into two subseries, which are both arranged chronologically. Series 3 is arranged alphabetically by subject.

Biographical / Historical

This collection was bequeathed by Dr. Anthony Merlino, a 1951 graduate of Providence College. Dr. Merlino was an orthopedic surgeon who served as consultant and team physician to PC athletic teams for 20 years. Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963 and for several subsequent decades, Merlino collected a large personal library of materials written about Kennedy, his assassination, his family, and related topics. He also collected a wide range of publications concerning conspiracy theories about the assassination, as well as engaging in amateur original research on the assassination. While most of the materials in this collection are not unique, as a whole it represents how prevalent and complex these conspiracies theories were. Researchers will also note how long-lasting JFK conspiracy theories were, with publications spanning across four decades.

President John F. Kennedy was one of the most prominent politicians to emerge from New England, and his 1963 assassination made him loom even larger in the consciousness of America. On November 22, 1963, Kennedy was visiting Dallas, Texas on a campaign trip. He sat in a car waving to onlookers with Texas Governor John Connally and his wife, as well as his own wife Jacqueline Kennedy, when he was shot by an unknown assailant. The President was soon pronounced dead at a local hospital and Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as president shortly after. It was later determined that Lee Harvey Oswald was the person responsible for killing Kennedy. Oswald was arrested the day of the assassination on a separate charge but was killed two days later by local organized crime figure Jack Ruby while being transported in police custody.

After Kennedy's assassination, many stories arose that conflicted with the government's official account of the event. Ideas that the assassination was the result of a conspiracy spread rapidly throughout American society. On November 29, 1963, President Johnson created the President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy, also known as the Warren Commission, which was tasked with investigating the assassination. After interviewing hundreds of witnesses and reviewing reports from various federal agencies, it was determined that the shots that killed President Kennedy were fired by Oswald from the nearby Texas School Book Depository and there was no connection to any larger conspiracy. When conspiracy theories persisted, the United States House Select Committee on Assassinations was formed in 1979 and confirmed the Warren Commission's findings about Oswald, but also concluded that there was a high probability that there were two shooters. Conspiracy theories about Kennedy's assassination still persist in American culture to the present day.

The materials in this collection contain writings, commentary, and evidence about the many theories which emerged surrounding Kennedy's assassination. Theories discussed in these materials include the grassy knoll theory, the umbrella man theory, the CIA theory, the three tramps theory, the communist theory, the single bullet theory, and more. Researchers will note that the theories change, develop, and fall out of favor as evidence is found over the years. For more information about specific conspiracies, "JFK Conspiracy Theories at 50" by David Reitzes gives a full outline of prevalent theories.

Reitzes, D. (2013). JFK conspiracy theories at 50: how the skeptics got it wrong and why it matters. Skeptic Magazine, 18(3), 36.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	This collection is open to researchers.
Use of the materials:	Researchers are advised to contact Providence College Archives and Special Collections (PC ASC) for questions regarding permissions to reproduce, distribute, or otherwise publish material from this collection. Although the PC ASC has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. It is up to the researcher to determine the owners of the literary rights and to obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Preferred citation:	[Author Last Name, First Name Middle Name or Initial]. [Title or description of material]. Dr. Anthony Merlino JFK Assassination Conspiracy Theory Collection. SC041, [Box number], [Folder number]. Providence College Archives and Special Collections, Phillips Memorial Library. [URL if applicable].
Contact information:	Providence College, Archives and Special Collections 1 Cunningham Square Providence, RI 02918 Telephone: (401) 865-2377 Email: pcarchives@providence.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Custodial history:	Custodial HistoryMaterials were bequeathed to Providence College by the collector and acquired by archives staff from the executor of the collector's estate.
Accruals:	No accruals are expected
Processing information:	The collection was processed by Sarah Thompson in 2023.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Sarah Thompson
Encoding:	This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-10-12.
Descriptive rules:	Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Additional Information

Related material:	Related Materials John F. Kennedy Assassination Research collections (multiple collections). W. R. Poage Legislative Library, Baylor University.Kennedy Newspaper Collection. Providence College Archives and Special Collections. President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection. National Archives and Records Administration.
Location of originals:	Some original audio recordings are held at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, MA. Original films are held at the National Archives in Washington, DC.

Inventory

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