The Morris K. Udall Papers began arriving at the University of Arizona Library in 1964. By 1991, with Udall's early retirement and the closure of his Washington, D.C. and district offices in Tucson, Phoenix and Yuma, additional accessions had increased the total volume of the papers to over 3000 linear feet of correspondence, memoranda, speeches, clippings, legislative papers, reports, and campaign, audio-visual, and related materials. The majority of the files document Udall's career as Congressman from the Second District of Arizona from 1961-1991 and his Presidential campaign of 1975-1976. These files are the rich primary materials through which his public service career and political life may be examined and studied. Also included in these first accessions were pre- congressional materials; largely personal papers that document his childhood in St. Johns, Arizona, his Army-Air Force service during World War II, his time as a student at the University of Arizona, a brief career in professional basketball, his early political career in Pima County government, and the papers of his father Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice, Levi S. Udall which have been processed as a separate collection (MS 293).

The papers have been arranged, as much as possible, to reflect the file structures of Udall's Congressional office. Some of the earlier Subject Files, largely Campaign and Media files, were arranged in separate series to improve access and use. The papers have been processed and inventoried in varying degrees of detail. Most are housed in 1.25 linear foot records storage boxes. The series descriptions and summaries that follow highlight the arrangement and content of each of the major series.

Subgroup 1. Personal Files (Boxes 1-91)

Series 1. Biographical Files (Boxes 1-4)

Series 2. Appointment Books, Daily Schedules, and Guest Books (Boxes 5-6)

Series 3. Personal Correspondence (Boxes 7-12)

Series 4. Campaign Files

Series 4.0 General and House of Representatives (Boxes 13-36)

Series 4.1 Udall 76 Presidential Nomination (Boxes 37-77)

Series 4.2 House Leadership (Boxes 78-79)

Series 5. Invitations Accepted and Trips (Boxes 80-87)

Series 6. Publications By and About Morris K. Udall (Boxes 88-91)

Subgroup 2. Legislative Files (Boxes 92-517)

Series 1. Legislative Correspondence (Boxes 92-157)

Series 2. Bill Files (Boxes 158-162)

Series 3. Legislative Assistant Files (Boxes 163-238)

Series 4. Committee Files

Series 4.0 Committee Files (Boxes 239-326)

Series 4.1 Chairman's Special Project Files (Boxes 327-470)

Series 5. Voting and Attendance Records (Boxes 471-474)

Series 6. Staff Project Files

Series 6.0 Central Arizona Project (Boxes 475-492)

Series 6.1 Public Land Review Commission (Boxes 493-508)

Series 6.2 Office of Technology Assessment (Boxes 509-510)

Series 7. Congressional Record Inserts (Boxes 511-514)

Series 8. Democratic Study Group (Boxes 515-517)

Subgroup 3. Administrative Files (Boxes 518-675)

Series 1. Administrative Correspondence (Boxes 518-642)

Series 2. Subject Files (Boxes 643-671)

Series 3. Staff Files (Boxes 672-675)

Subgroup 4. Media Files (Boxes 676-754)

Series 1. Media Correspondence (Boxes 676-677)

Series 2. Press Releases and Statements (Boxes 678-681)

Series 3. Mailings, Newsletters, and Robos (Boxes 682-699)

Series 4. Speeches (Boxes 700-711)

Series 5. Television and Radio Files

Series 5.0 Film (Boxes 712-713)

Series 5.1 Audio Tapes (Boxes 714-720)

Series 5.2 Video Tapes (Boxes 721-733)

Series 6. Photographs (Boxes 734-745)

Series 7. Clippings (Boxes 746-751)

Series 8. Questionnaires (Boxes 752-753)

Series 9. Freshman Seminar (Box 754)

Subgroup 5. Supplemental Files (Boxes 755-771)

Series 1. Memorabilia (Boxes 755-770)

Series 2. Pre-Congressional Activities (Box 771)