The A.L. Musson Papers document a 1954 trip to Somalia, East Africa, and include materials spanning from 1950 to 1962. The collection consists of correspondence, trip preparations, photographs, slides, negatives, maps, memorabilia, notes, and reports, as well as publications and recommendations related to agricultural and technical development in Somalia. Scrapbooks compiled by Musson contain photographs with translated Italian captions, while accompanying slides and negatives offer additional visual documentation. Notes provide Musson's personal observations written while in Somalia. The correspondence primarily consists of communication with the Foreign Operations Administration, revealing logistical and diplomatic aspects of the trip. Preparatory documents include details on travel arrangements, customs, immunizations, and security clearance forms. Also included are several analytical and technical documents related to Somali agriculture, such as the “Proposed program for agricultural technical assistance for Somalia” by Musson and Worzella (1954), and a groundwater survey by Thomas P. Ahrens (1951).

The materials provide insight into mid-20th century U.S. international agricultural outreach and development efforts in Somalia. They reflect the administrative planning, environmental assessment, and cross-cultural interactions involved in foreign technical assistance programs. Musson's participation and documentation help illuminate early Cold War-era partnerships and scientific exchanges between the U.S. and East Africa, especially in agricultural policy, research, and water resource development.