President Baker's Perspective

This page presents John C. Baker's perspective on Dag Hammarskjold's visit to OU. It contains some of John Baker's correspondence that is relevant to the visit and extracts from his autobiography John C. Baker: An Oral History. We provide these documents for download and relevant questions for each document:

The Correspondence

“December 12, 1957” Download PDF file

• Why are the dates January 9 or February 6 possibilities for a visit by Hammarskjold?
• John Baker feels that Dag Hammarskjold’s trip to Ohio University “is far more than simply a trip to another university.” Why is that?

January 11, 1958 Download PDF file

• John Baker asks Andrew Cordier to send him what things in anticipation of Dag Hammarskjold’s visit?

January 14, 1958 Download PDF file

• What items does Baker want Cordier to send to him for display on the stage?

February 10, 1958 to Andrew Cordier Download PDF file

• What is John Baker’s request this time?

February 10, 1958 to Dag Hammarskjold Download PDF file

• John Baker is sending something along with this letter? What is it? Why is he sending it now instead of giving it to Dag Hammarskjold after the speech on February 5?
• What will Baker send Hammarskjold on a later date?

February 18, 1958 Download PDF file

• What is Andrew Cordier returning to John Baker? Why?

John C. Baker: An Oral History

pp. 150-155 Download PDF file

• What "favor" did John Baker do for Dag Hammarskjold?
• How did John Baker convince Dag Hammarskjold to come to Athens to speak?
• What happemed two days before the big party in Columbus?

pp. 266-269 Download PDF file

• Describe John Baker's first impression of Dag Hammarskjold.
• What was John Baker's impression of John Foster Dulles (Secretary of State).
• What was the unusual habit Dag Hammarskjold and Andrew Cordier had?

pp. 288-291 Download PDF file

• Characterisze John Baker's summary of Dag Hammarskjold's visit. What little details strike you as interesting? How do you think John Baker felt about Dag Hammarskjold's visit?