Table of Contents
Scope and Contents of the Collection
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Overview of the Collection |
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| Creator: | Syracuse University Libraries -- Special Collections Research Center |
| Title: | American Radicalism Ephemera Collection |
| Inclusive Dates: | 1929-1994 |
| Quantity: | 2.0 linear ft. |
| Abstract: | Miscellaneous ephemera (fliers, brochures, posters, etc.) relating to various radical social movements in the U.S. including pro-labor movements, reproductive rights, anti-war activism, Communist and Socialist political organizations, and efforts to address systemic racism. |
| Language: | Most in English, a few items in Japanese. |
| Repository: | Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center |
Biographical History
American radicalism encompasses the political, cultural and intellectual history of radical social movements in the U.S. including AIDS activism, pro-labor movements, reproductive rights, anti-war activism, Communist and Socialist political organizations, and efforts to address systemic racism.
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The American Radicalism Ephemera Collection comprises a variety of ephemera -- cartoons, newsletters, fliers, book catalogs, buttons, patches, brochures, posters, pamphlets, and more -- relating to radical movements of 20th century America. Movements reflected include AIDS activism, anti-capitalism/pro-labor, and peace/anti-war. The collection also contains items related to systemic racism and Black Power movements in the United States, including police brutality, police shootings, and the Black Panther Party.
Cartoons include a 1938 postcard drawn by A. Redfield (cartoonist Syd Hoff) advocating a boycott of German, Japanese and Italian goods; a political cartoon "Ten Free Citizens" by Americans for the Corporate Enterprise System. The John Reed Club material relates to the First National Congress, May 30, 1932, and includes lists of national executive board members and clubs participating in the conference in Chicago, with delegates and membership numbers for each club. Also included are several "International Books" catalogs from International Publishers and some material relating to Dr. Benjamin Spock's peace activism.
Of particular interest are items by Emory Douglas, American graphic artist and Minister of Culture for the Black Panther Party. The collection contains two prints and a cartoon by Douglas.
Restrictions
Access Restrictions
The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.
Use Restrictions
Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.
Related Material
Special Collections Research Center has extensive holdings relating to American radicalism, among them the papers of Arna Wendell Bontemps, Earl Browder, Lillian Gilkes, Horace Gregory, Granville Hicks, Harry Roskolenko and John Spivak. Please refer to the SCRC Subject Index for a complete list of related manuscript collections and to the Classic Catalog for related items in the Rare Books Department and general collection.
Sir Lady Java material was transferred to the Sir Lady Java Collection in 2023.
Subject Headings
Persons
Corporate Bodies
Associated Titles
Subjects
Places
Genres and Forms
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
American Radicalism Ephemera Collection,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries
Acquisition Information
Some items purchase, Blackman Fund. Other items acquired through donation and via transfer from other collections and University Archives.
Finding Aid Information
Created by: MRC
Date: 9 May 2007
Revision history: 21 Dec 2010 - adds (MRC);
19 Oct 2009 - additions (MRC);
22 Sep 2009 - Sacco/Vanzetti switched to SC;
3 Dec 2008 - additions (MRC);
Jan 2008 - additions (MRC);
1 Nov 2007 - additions (MRC);
19 Jul 2007 - subjects updated (MRC);
3 Jul 2007 - subjects updated (MRC);
6 Sep 2019 - oversize posters added (MRC);
9 Nov 2020 - new items added, some additional organization done (MRC);
4 Feb 2021 - new items added (MRC);
15 Jul 2021 - Emory Douglas posters added (MRC);
4 Aug 2022 - numerous additions (MRC);
2 Jun 2022 - numerous additions; OS 2 retired, items moved to map case (RMH);
26 Oct 2023 - Sir Lady Java items transferred to separate collection (RMH);
12 Mar 2024 - additions (MRC)
Inventory
| Printed material | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | Book catalogs 1929-1935 | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Buttons, etc. - includes "Black Power" cloth patch | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Cartoons - includes one by Emory Douglas | ||||||||||
| Fliers and brochures | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | Black liberation 1967-1968, 1971, undated - Angela Davis, Peggy Terry, Bobby Seale, Black Panther Party, etc. | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Miscellaneous 1930s, 1968, 1971, undated - topics include police brutality/police shootings, prison reform, anti-nuclear war | ||||||||||
| Newsletters | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | The Advocate 1946-1947 | ||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Attica, various 1971-1974 - Attica News Service, Attica Defense Committee | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Black Lesbian Newsletter 1982 | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | High Time 1939 - "published by Community Party members at Time Inc." | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Information 1971 - draft of vol. 1 no. 6 of Black Panther information bulletin, Algeria | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Peace and Freedom Party 1969 | ||||||||||
| Reproductive rights (topic) 1971-1973, 1978, 1992-1994 | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | Miscellaneous 1971 | ||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Miscellaneous 1976 | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Pamphlets 1966, undated - include police presences in Harlem, genocide of the Black community written by Michael "Cetewayo" Tabor | ||||||||||
| Oversize 1 | Posters - Peace and Freedom party (3 items); Anvil; Black Panther; Eldridge Cleaver | ||||||||||
| Oversize 2 | Posters | ||||||||||
| Yosano Akiko poem Anna Mae Aquash Angela Davis, Communist Party Emory Douglas (2 items) Fred Hampton Muhammad Ahmad (Max Stanford) Pre-erection [sic] day party / Opening salvos from a black-white gun (Black Panther / Yippie) "Read Raw Milk" "Repeal the national service act" |
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| Map-Case | Posters | ||||||||||
| Four more years (anti-war) Free Bobby [Seale], People's Legal Defense Committee Free Ruchell Magee The Silence=Death Project (AIDS; 2 items) Gun control begins in the White House We begin bombing in five minutes (Ronald Reagan). |
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| Box 1 | Theatrical performances 1932-1935 | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Miscellaneous - "open letters," collection box, letter to Eldridge Cleaver from David McReynolds, etc. | ||||||||||