The papers include speeches; testimonies for the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and other federal committees; committee/board minutes; memoranda; and reports created or collected by John Palmer Fishwick. Materials date from 1971-1981.

The majority of the collection consists of speeches and talks given by Fishwick between 1971 and 1981 at professional conferences, meetings, schools,graduations, dedications, and other events. The collection also contains testimony before the Senate, reports and minutes from board/committee meetings, newspaper articles and clippings, and professional memos.