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Joel Solomon papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MS-038

Scope and Contents

This collection consists primarily of his Washington Papers as Head of the GSA, including speeches, correspondence, meetings, and other government documents. Some personal material is included.Joel Solomon (1922-1984) was the head of the General Services Administration under President Carter, from 1977-1979. Previous to that, he had served as chairman of the Human Resources Committee of the Greater Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce; Chief Executive Officer of the Arlen Shopping Centers of Chattanooga; Senior Vice President and board member of the Arlen Realty and Development Corporation.

Dates

  • Creation: 1976-1979

Creator

Language of Materials

This collection contains materials in English.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

The copyright status of this collection has not been evaluated.

Biographical / Historical

Joel "Jay" Solomon (1921-1984) was a Chattanooga businessman, and served as administrator of the US General Services Administration (GSA) under President Jimmy Carter from 1977 until 1979. While at the GSA he is credited at the time with spearheading one of the most far-reaching investigations into government corruption in the nation's history. His investigation resulted in forty-one indictments of GSA employees or contractors. Mr. Solomon was a Democratic Party activist, who had worked on Jimmy Carter's election in 1976, which led to his appointment as administrator of the GSA in May 1977. Prior to this, Mr. Solomon served as a member of the Chattanooga Housing Authority for thirteen years, eventually becoming chairman. In 1969 he served as chairman of the Human Resources Committee of the Greater Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce. He was also chairman and chief executive officer of the Arlen Shopping Centers in Chattanooga and senior vice president and board member of the company's parent firm, Arlen Realty and Development Corp., the largest development center development firm in the country, which he held prior to his accepting the administrative post with the GSA. He was a graduate of Chattanooga's Baylor School and a 1952 graduate ofVanderbilt University, and was president of the Chattanooga Mental Health Association, Jewish Welfare Foundation, and Chattanooga Opera Association. After leaving Washington in 1979, Mr. Solomon founded a real estate development firm in Chattanooga and moved it to Nashville in 1981. Before he left Chattanooga, the downtown post office and the federal building were named after him. Mr. Solomon died in Nashville in 1984 at the age of 62, of heart failure.

Extent

31.6 Linear Feet (55 Boxes)

Additional Description

Immediate Source of Acquisition

This collection was donated by Joel Solomon to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on 1981 January 6. Rosalind Solomon permanently loaned her photographs to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on 1979 October 16.

Processing Information

Processing of this collection is complete.

Related Names

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title
Joel Solomon papers
Status
Under Revision
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Physical Storage Information

Collection Area Details

Collection Area Details

Part of the Manuscripts Collection Area

http://www.utc.edu/library/special-collections/
Contact:
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Library
c/o Special Collections
600 Douglas Street
Chattanooga Tennessee 37403 United States