Scope and Contents: The collection contains seven series: Oral History; Love's Writings; Banks: TCB and Chemical New York; Research Files; Pre-TCB; Memorabilia; and Videotapes. Original order has been maintained as much as possible, and the collection is for the most part in the same arrangement as when it entered the archives.
Accession 1
Accession 1 (2007) of the collection mainly contains material relating to the writing and publication in 2005 of Ben Love: My Life in Texas Commerce, by Ben Love with assistance from Dr. Joseph A. Pratt, Cullen Professor of History and Business at the University of Houston, and Barbara Eaves, former manager of employee communications and assistant vice-president at Texas Commerce Bank. Joe Pratt had long encouraged Love to write his autobiography and by the mid 1990s the project had gained momentum. Pratt was already acquainted with the history of TCB through his work with the TCB Oral History Project and his co-authorship, with Walter Buenger, of But Also Good Business: Texas Commerce Banks and the Financing of Houston and Texas, 1886-1986, published in 1986. He interested one of his graduate students, Lidya Osadchey, in the project but she was unable to continue; Eaves then became involved and helped guide the project to its conclusion.
Accession 2
Accession 2 (2010) of the collection comprises additional items cleared from Ben Love’s office after publication of the book. Arrangement follows as closely as possible the format established in Accession 1.
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