Collections

The Ed and Jean Yellin HUAC Papers (1948-2019) consist of materials relating to the Yellins' legal battles against the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) after Ed Yellin's refusal to testify on the basis of the First Amendment. The materials detail the effects on the Yellins' lives, and their later decision to publish a memoir about their experiences, titled In Contempt: Defending Free Speech, Defeating HUAC. The materials also document the progression of the case and subsequent appeals. The collection consists of five series: Correspondence, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Files, Newspaper Clippings, Research Files, and In Contempt Manuscript Drafts and Notes.

The Ed and Jean Yellin HUAC Papers (1948-2019) consist of materials relating to the Yellins' legal battles against the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). The materials detail the effects on the Yellins' lives during and after their battle to defend Ed's First Amendment rights, and their later decision to publish a memoir about their experiences. The collection consists of five series: Correspondence, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Files, Newspaper Clippings, Research Files, and In Contempt Manuscript Drafts and Notes.

The Correspondence series consists of detailed correspondence between Ed Yellin and various parties. The bulk of the correspondence is from 1957-1965, beginning with Yellin's HUAC hearing in Gary, Indiana. The series includes correspondence with attorney Victor Rabinowitz, letters regarding Yellin's suspension from the University of Illinois and revocation of his NSF grant and subsequent academic reinstatement, correspondence with supporters and other First Amendment defendants, graduate fellowship and postdoctoral applications, correspondence with Johns Hopkins University, support from previous professors, and correspondence with organizations such as the ACLU and the New York Council to Abolish HUAC.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Files series consists of records the FBI compiled on Ed and Jean Yellin. There are files specifically for Jean Fagan Yellin and Ed Yellin, as well as some combined files. These records document the FBI's surveillance of the Yellins as early as 1950. The records were obtained by a Freedom of Information Privacy Act request in the 1980s. Some documents have redacted information.

The Newspaper Clippings series consists of original newspaper articles, primarily from 1958-1963, that relate to Ed Yellin, his legal battles with HUAC, and with the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the University of Illinois over his academic suspension. There are also articles detailing other HUAC and First Amendment cases and anti-HUAC sentiment.

The Research Files series consists of documents collected by Ed Yellin in the course of his contempt of Congress trial, subsequent appeals, and battle for academic reinstatement. These documents are case notes and briefs, court transcripts, press releases, publications by the ACLU and other organizations, anti-HUAC newsletters and pamphlets, journal articles, and notes about his defense.

The In Contempt Manuscript Drafts and Notes series consists of materials relating to the Yellins' process of publishing a memoir of their experiences in the 1950s and 1960s against HUAC. The materials begin with the genesis of the idea of publishing a book, early interview transcripts, and other information gathering, and progress to chapter drafts, revisions, notes, archival material requests, illustrations, and chronologies.

Bi-weekly newspaper based in Highland Park, Michigan reflecting the view of the "International Socialists." Consists primarily of marked up editorial copy and some miscellaneous administrative files.

The collection consists almost exclusively of marked-up editorial copy. The material in box 3 was organized for the most part by issue number, and this organization has been maintained. The material in boxes 1 and 2, however, arrived at the library without any prior separation into issue numbers. It appears that the articles in boxes 1 and 2 are essentially in chronological order, and this material has been separated by issue number where possible, but it must be stressed that this separation may be not be completely accurate.

With a very few exceptions, most of the articles in this collection appear to have been published in Workers' Power. Researchers are advised to start with the published newspaper; the Alternative Press Index may also be helpful.

In addition to the marked-up copy, there are nine folders of miscellaneous material, including items regarding finances, form letters giving general information about the newspaper, marked-up galleys, and lists of articles for various issues.

A 138-page screenplay about the life of Emma Goldman, titled, "Emma Goldman, Daughter of the Dream," by Lea Walker Wood.

This 138-page unpublished screenplay dramatizes the life of anarchist Emma Goldman.

Don Werkheiser was a teacher, writer, and philosopher-reformer active in the last half of the 20th century. He is best described as an individualist anarchist and libertarian. Most of his writings center on the philosophy of Mutual Option Relationship, which he developed and promoted throughout his life. It is multidisciplinary in its nature but based mainly on principles of equal rights and freedom of the individual. The eight linear feet of papers consist primarily of Werkheiser's writings (in the form of notes, drafts, and finished typescripts), correspondence with friends and colleagues, and related ephemera. A small number of photographs, materials documenting Werkheiser's interests and activities, and works by associates of Werkheiser are also present.

Don Werkheiser, like many of his peers, received little recognition for his ideas and efforts during his lifetime, even among the relatively small circle of individualist anarchists within which he interacted. The papers consist mainly of various iterations of his Mutual Option Relationship philosophy and methodologies for realizing it, as well as his thoughts on the numerous social, economic, and political problems that he saw in contemporary American society. There is also correspondence with friends and associates in his intellectual and ideological sphere. The ephemera in the collection--consisting of newspaper clippings; pamphlets; and extracts from periodicals, books, and monographs, are significant because of their subject area (mainly freedom of speech), their relative obscurity, and also Werkheiser's extensive annotations. These materials are supplemented by a very small number of photographs.

The Don Werkheiser Papers (8 linear feet) have been divided into six series: Writings, Correspondence, Other Activities, Works by Others, Photographs, and Ephemera. Originally included with the Don Werkheiser Papers was a large collection of books and pamphlets by Theodore Schroeder, an important influence on Werkheiser, as well as published works by other authors. These have been removed and cataloged separately.

There is a significant amount of material in the Don Werkheiser Papers having to do with Theodore Schroeder. In addition to championing free speech causes, Schroeder developed a system of psychological thought which he named "evolutionary psychology." He was also interested in erotogenic interpretations of religious practices, and his writings on this topic generated much controversy in his day. Werkheiser was profoundly influenced by evolutionary psychology and other areas of Schroeder's thought, especially his advocacy of free speech. This is indicated not only in Werkheiser's own writings, but also in his substantial files of material by and about Schroeder and in a small amount of correspondence between the two, and between Schroeder and others. (As a point of clarification, Schroeder's evolutionary psychology appears to be entirely unrelated to the discipline of the same name established by Leda Cosmides and John Tooby in the 1990s.)

There is also a substantial amount of material related to the School of Living (mainly the one in Brookville, Ohio) and the ideas associated with it: decentralism, cooperative living, monetary and tax reform, alternative education, permaculture, wilderness and farmland preservation, and the environment. Its founders, Ralph Borsodi and Mildred Loomis, are also well-represented in the collection--particularly Loomis, who was a close friend of Werkheiser's. (As another point of clarification, the School of Living's journal-newsletter, Green Revolution, is unaffiliated with--and even in direct ideological opposition to--the Green Revolution in agriculture begun in the mid-1940s that encouraged large-scale chemical applications as a means to boost agricultural productivity.)

Other important influences on or associates of Werkheiser represented in the collection are Georgism and Henry George (on which Werkheiser wrote extensively), Laurance Labadie, Ralph Templin, and Arnold Maddaloni. There is also some material by the science fiction writer Robert Anton Wilson.

The Mary Hays Weik Papers include correspondence with anti-nuclear activists world wide, public officials, concerned citizens, and Weik's family; newsletters and articles on nuclear power, civil rights, neighborhood improvement in Cincinnati in the 1950s, and right-wing and anti-communist organizations; other writings by Weik; legal documents on nuclear power plants in New York; research notes; newspaper clippings; and subject files. Also includes the correspondence, 1950-1954, of Caroline Urie, who, like Weik, was a leader of the American branch of the International Registry of World Citizens.

The papers document Weik's involvement in the world government movement after World War II and the antinuclear movement of the 1960's and 1970's. The bulk of the collection dates from the 1950's to the 1970's; there is little material or information on Weik's life and work prior to 1950. The correspondence file is rich in its documentation of a small but dedicated group of individuals who made up an informal network of international antinuclear activists.

The Josiah Warren Papers comprises correspondence chiefly relating to the use of Warren's stereotype invention, the Equity movement, the cooperative society he founded in Modern Times [now Brentwood] N.Y., his philosophy of land ownership, and his journal, The Periodical Letter; lectures notes; and an article. Also printed leaflets.

The twenty-eight items in the Warren papers comprise correspondence to and from Warren, chiefly relating to the use of Warren's stereotype invention, the Equity movement, the cooperative society he founded in Modern Times (now Brentwood), New York, his philosophy of land ownership, and his journal, The Periodical Letter. There are also lecture notes, and an article, as well as some printed leaflets. It should be noted that many of the letters are difficult to read, as they are written on both sides of very thin paper.

Documents and correspondence detailing Martha Vicinus' involvement in the New University Conference (NUC).

The Martha J. Vicinus papers date from 1968 to 1976 (primarily 1969 to 1972) and measure 1.25 linear feet (4 Hollinger boxes). The papers detail only Vicinus' involvement in the New University Conference, its programs, publications and meetings. Arranged alphabetically into one series, the collection includes incoming and outgoing correspondence, position papers, reports, minutes of the organization, pamphlets and related newspaper clippings.

Some of the file folders concern the organizational workings of NUC. These include National Office, National Committee, and Executive Committee. Others consist of reports and papers on subjects of interest to NUC, notably Child Care, the Peoples' Peace Treaty (Vietnam), and the reform of course grading. Of note are the folders for the Modern Language Association relating to the efforts of Vicinus and other NUC members to organize radical caucuses and thereby affect the decision-making process in this and other professional organizations.

An anarchist and editor of Road to Freedom, Van Valkenburgh assisted Emma Goldman in typing and distributing her writings and correspondence. The collection documents his activities in the Socialist Party in Schenectady, N.Y.; as secretary for the Sociology Club, a group in Schenectady organized to study and debate social problems; as editor of Road to Freedom and Spanish Revolution; and as supporter of anarchist causes, including the Sacco-Vanzetti Case and the Spanish Civil War. There is a collection of articles by Van Valkenburgh and others, as well as correspondence with many radical leaders, including Leonard D. Abbott, Stella Ballantine, Gustav F. Beckh, Alexander Berkman, Karl Dannenburg, Hippolyte Havel, Herman Kuehn, Maximilian Olay, Upton Sinclair, and Carlo Tresca. Correspondence with Emma Goldman concerns her lecture tours, politics, his writing for Mother Earth, and her trial, imprisonment, and deportation in 1919. Also included are transcripts of debates, leaflets, and newspaper clippings.

The collection documents his activities in the Socialist Party in Schenectady, N.Y.; as secretary for the Sociology Club, a group in Schenectady organized to study and debate social problems; as editor of Road to Freedom and Spanish Revolution; and as supporter of anarchist causes, including the Sacco-Vanzetti Case and the Spanish Civil War.

There is a collection of articles by Van Valkenburgh and others, as well as correspondence with many radical leaders, including Leonard D. Abbott, Stella Ballantine, Gustav F. Beckh, Alexander Berkman, Karl Dannenburg, Hippolyte Havel, Herman Kuehn, Maximilian Olay, Upton Sinclair, and Carlo Tresca. Correspondence with Emma Goldman concerns her lecture tours, politics, his writing for Mother Earth, and her trial, imprisonment, and deportation in 1919. Also included are transcripts of debates, leaflets, and newspaper clippings.

Materials are primarily from 1969, and relate to the student-led sit-in protest of Universary of Chicago administration buildings following the firing of Marlene Dixon.

The materials are arranged in three series: Series 1: University of Chicago Sit-In Protest; Series 2: Other Activism and Protests; Series 3: Publications. The collection is 0.5 linear feet in size, and focuses primarily on the early half of 1969, with occasional materials from 1968 and 1970.

The University of Chicago Sit-In Protest series is the largest of the three, and the focus of the rest of the collection. Materials are concerned primarily with the two-week-long student-led occupation of University of Chicago administration buildings following the firing of professor Marlene Dixon in the spring of 1969. Materials include student and faculty statements, posters, news clippings, and official university documentation of the event.

The Tufts Papers contain case files, related documents, internal USACIDC administration and operational papers, and application of USACIDC resources. The Administrative Files consist of background and history of the USACIDC, as well as biographical information on Tufts, including a transcript of an interview, and some brief biographical sketches on other military personnel. Correspondence contains letters and memoranda between Tufts and other military personnel. The largest series, Case Files, concerns criminal investigations which Colonel Tufts directed, including the one convened for the My Lai Massacre. Additional cases involve other war crimes, murder, drug trafficking, drug use, bribery, rape, corruption, racketeering, illegal use of government property, etc.

The papers consist of case files, related documents, internal CID administration and operational papers, and application of CID resources. The Administrative Files consist of background and history of the USACID, as well as biographical information on Tufts, including a transcript of an interview, and some brief biographical sketches on other military personnel. Correspondence contains letters and memoranda between Tufts and other military personnel. The largest series, Case Files, concerns criminal investigations which Colonel Tufts directed, including the My Lai case as well as the Son My case. Additional cases involve other war crimes, murder, drug trafficking, drug use, bribery, rape, corruption, racketeering, illegal use of government property, etc.

Included in Box 2 is the index card filing system of Col. Tufts. This filing system is the key to all of the major case files. The number and letter designations in the upper right hand corner of the case files were copied from the original folders and correspond to the index cards. For example, the contents of case file "1A" (file A of case 1) can be found by locating card A in tab 1 of the index card filing system. (The tab numbers correspond to case file numbers and the letters refer to Reports of Investigation (ROIs). There is also a section divided alphabetically by last name of an individual or name of a firm. The number and letter code found on these cards corresponds to the numbered tabs in the front of the index. These "name" cards can be used as cross reference for locating the cases in which these subjects were involved. This system has been preserved for reference purposes and has been kept in the exact order in which it was received. We have made every effort to maintain the original case file designations and have also retained some of the original case file labels.

Only Social Security numbers were redacted from case files. The identities of individuals are not concealed. The photocopies are of the best quality, and any difficulty in reading them is due to the poor quality of the original, which in many cases was also a photocopy.

One box of materials containing personnel records has been closed and is not available for research.

This collection consists of 21 35mm slides with color illustrations depicting the traditional Vietnamese story of Thánh Gióng, accompanied by two pages of descriptive information.

This collection consists of 21 35mm slides with color illustrations depicting the traditional Vietnamese story of Thánh Gióng, painted by Tạ Thúc Bình and published by the Vietnamese Ministry for Education and Training in 1970. The slides are accompanied by two typed pages that provide a description of each image and a brief history of Thánh Gióng.

This collection contains material related to the Ann Arbor- and University of Michigan- based magazine the Leaping Lesbian, which grew from a local to national profile over the course of its publication. Although the records contain little information on the magazine's administrators, they provide a descriptive view of both the local and national lesbian community. The publications themselves reflect these communities through submitted articles, letters to the editor and news releases. Business correspondence vividly portrays the growing network of lesbian and women's enterprises in the late 1970s. And personal correspondence shows the emergence of a similar network within the social community.

The Leaping Lesbian Records are comprised of materials relating to the publication and the administration of the Leaping Lesbian publication, from 1977 until 1981. Although they adequately reflect the operations behind the publication, little information is present about the women who made up the collective. Meeting minutes hint at strained relationships and uneven workloads, but conclusive evidence as to why the collective disbanded is missing. The records do, however, provide a descriptive view of both the local and national lesbian community. The publications themselves reflect these communities through submitted articles, letters to the editor and news releases. Business correspondence vividly portrays the growing network of lesbian and women's enterprises in the late 1970s. And personal correspondence shows the emergence of a similar network within the social community. Overall, the records of the Leaping Lesbian collective display a lesbian community growing increasingly self-assured. Although an attempt has been made to follow the collective's original organizational system, a few changes have been made in order to make the records more easily accessible. File folders, most maintaining the originally designated titles, have been arranged alphabetically within series. Materials within files have been arranged chronologically. Records containing no identifying date have been placed in front of marked records with file folders. The records are organized into four series: Publication Materials, Organizational Materials, Financial and Legal Materials and Previously Unopened Incoming Correspondence. The Publication Materials Files contain all materials related to the publishing aspect of the organization. Included are contributed materials, press releases, and layouts of publications. The Organizational Materials Files contain all material related to the administration of the organization. Included are incoming correspondence from both businesses and patrons, mailing lists, meeting agendas and minutes, as well as advertising and sales information. The Miscellaneous Memorabilia folder in this series includes flyers and publicity photographs from various organizations and events. The Financial and Legal Materials Files contain all material related to the financial and legal operations of the organization. Included are financial and legal papers, receipts, account statements and records of subscriptions. The Previously Unopened Incoming Correspondence Files contain material that arrived at the Leaping Lesbian office after the final disbanding of the organization. This is the only series that does not reflect the collective's original organizational system. Included is correspondence from businesses, correspondence from patrons and national event notices and press releases.

Socialist and pacifist active in labor, civil rights, cooperative, and world government movements. The papers comprise scattered meeting minutes of various organizations, notes (some very detailed) on speeches and other social functions attended by Tekla in the Cleveland area in the 1930s, carbon copies of outgoing correspondence, and a collection of mailing lists. There is a considerable amount of print and nearprint material -- single issues of labor periodicals, newspaper clippings, for m letters, flyers, etc. The papers reflect to varying extents Tekla's activities in North Dakota as an organizer for the Civilian Public Service Union, a national organization of conscientious objectors performing alternative service during World War II; his efforts to recruit Cleveland auto workers for the Socialist Party in the late 1930s; and his membership on the national executive committee of the Socialist Party, the executive committee of the War Resisters League, the policy committee of Democracy Unlimited (ca. 1952-56), the Cleveland Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), and the Committee for a Socialist Program and Action (ca. 1959-64). Tekla was heavily involved in the cooperative movement in Cleveland and to a lesser extent in the Saskatchewan Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) in the mid-1940s.

The collection consists of material created and collected by Tad Tekla, individually and in various roles in socialist and labor organizations.The collection has been arranged alphabetically by topic.The most voluminous material includes: minutes and other records of the Socialist Party and the Socialist Party-Social Democratic Federation, ca. 1945-1958, including records relating to the Committee for a Socialist Program (founded by critics of the Socialist Party who wanted to serve as an "educational and organizational center within the Party"); records and other material relating to labor unions and labor issues, including records of the Civilian Public Service Union, 1946, and records relating to a crisis in the United Auto Workers and efforts by the Socialist Party to recuit auto workers, ca. 1939; "public meeting notes" by Tekla, which include typewritten notes and diaries relating to a wide variety of meetings and events, 1933-1955 (bulk, 1933-1936); material relating to the world citizenship movement, ca. 1945-1958; material relating to the cooperative movement, ca. 1936-1954; records of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), ca. 1948-1952; and outgoing correspondence, 1961-1964.

The Noël Sturgeon Papers are a collection of materials regarding the research and activism work of Noël Sturgeon from 1977-2002, with the bulk of the material originating from 1983-1993.The ealiest papers primarily concern the organization of an anti-nuclear demonstration held at the Nevada Test Site in 1983, and the Mother's Day Action protests in the 1980s. Later material includes Sturgeon's doctoral research and dissertation, including interview transcripts, as well as her work with the Ecofeminist Newsletter throughout the late 1980s and 1990s. Materials are generally arranged chronologically (as recieved), with some unsorted materials at the end. A collection of 9 audio recordings of interviews is included at the end of the collection.

The collection is 4.0 linear feet in size, and contains 8 series detailing the research an activism of Noël Sturgeon, a feminist scholar and organizer in the late twentieth and early twenty-first century. The collection is primarily comprised of papers, especially newsletters and associated materials, and correspondence related to activism and demonstration planning. Materials are from 1983-2002, and the early papers are primarily concerned with anti-nuclear protests and demonstrations at the Nevada Nuclear Test Site. Other papers include Sturgeon's research materials, including research consent forms, interview transcripts, and a copy of her doctoral dissertation. Nine audio cassettes of recorded interviews are also included. The bulk of the material concerns the Ecofeminist Newsletter, which Sturgeon spearheaded, and include subscription information, mailing lists, and article submissions.

This collection includes arrest papers, clippings, correspondence, photographs, and court records related to the case Street vs. New York. The Physical Evidence file contains remnants of the burned flag.

The Flag-Burning collection is comprised of court papers, correspondence, news articles, and pamphlets relating to the case known as Street vs. new York, including parts of the actual burned flag used as evidence in the court proceedings. Court papers chronicle the position of the prosecuting attorney, Harry Brodbar, including the transcripts of the actual trial and the arrest order. There are letters of support for Brodbar from William F. Buckly, Veterans of Foreign Wars Magazine editor Paul W. Mills (Brodbar was a member of the VFW), and a member of the American Legion. Other items include newspaper clippings on the progress of the case, an issue of Legion magazine and photos of King County Asisstant District Attorney Harry Brodbar, and a flag burning event. A single autographed poster of an artist's interpretation of an American flag, which includes the signatures of Dave Dellinger, Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Phil Ochs, and Pat Paulsen, became the basis of a similar case involving a bookstore owner. It is the only expression of support on behalf of Street in this collection.

This case is a microcosmic study of how two conflicting forces- the Vietnam/Civil Rights movement on one hand and the conservative forces of law and order on the other, brought their grievances to the highest court in the land. The representations of the act of burning the flaf are a universal and enduring feature of protest. The act of burning a US flag by Sidney Street in itself is not unique-- that is to say it has happened before and certainly since-- however, the documentation of how a ruling on the act of protest through speech and symbolism took shape in the US Supreme Court has significant historical value. Although these are mostly papers from the prosecutor's files, this collection presents both sides of the legal argument in court. Moreover, Sidney Street is a representative, through this archival record, of a mass of 'average' US citizens who became fed up with war and inequality. This collection contributes to understanding the limits of authority and protest in public life and, as such, it is a very valuable resource for scholars of US law, civil rights, and the Vietnam War era.

The collection contains a series of letters from Robert "Ed" Stover to William "Bill" Goring, his lawyer and confidante. The bulk of the letters are from Stover's incarceration in San Quentin prison, where he died in 1972.

The letters consist primarily of hand-written letters from Stover to Goring, but also included are photocopies of Goring's letters to Stover. Also included are some note- and postcards, as well as several newsletters and other serialized mailers. Newspaper clippings shared between the two men are also included, as well as photocopies of a document titled "Notebook of a Convict in the Alameda County Jail."

Materials are generally arranged chronologically.

Materials related to the trial known variously as the Chicago Seven/Eight Trial or the Conspiracy Trial, which took place in Chicago between 1969 and 1970, gathered by Jenny Stiller. Stiller, at the time a Michigan Daily reporter, attended the trial and took detailed notes. After the close of the trial she interviewed members of the media and wrote a book called "The Movement" based partially on these interviews. The bulk of the collection is Stiller's own writing, including her notebooks and unpublished manuscript. Collection includes six notepads, the book manuscript, Stiller's press passes, and a statement from attorney William Kunstler.

Collection includes six notebooks' worth of Stiller's handwritten notes (five from the trial, one from her interviews with members of the press following the interview), her press passes, a typed statement by defense lawyer William Kunstler, and her typed manuscript with handwritten annotations.

Dates for each notebook are listed below. Note that Stiller was present at the beginning and end of the trial only. Her notes do not include the day Bobby Seale was bound and gagged in the courtroom or the day his case was separated from the others. Her notes do include the sentencings for contempt of court but not for the conspiracy and incitement charges.

This collection documenting the history of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) and of labor organizing in North America was assembled by Don Stewart, owner of the Vancouver bookstore MacLeod's Books since 1973. The collection is arranged into five series. Organizational Records comprise records of the central IWW administration, such as general convention minutes (1913-1969 with gaps), general executive boards letters and minutes (1959-1964), financial statements (1918-1944 with gaps), membership cards, and documents from the general defense committee relating to IWW prisoners during World War I. Reflecting the IWW's internal structure, Constituent Unions Records are organized by industrial trade numbers and include administrative documents and organizing literature. Constituent Unions Records also include a few folders relating to the Western Federation of Miners, which pre-dates IWW's founding in 1905 The Colorado Coal Strike Archive is a set of letters, telegrams between labor organizers, bulletins to workers, and other documents relating to the Columbine Mine Massacre of 1927. Topical Literature contains general ephemera by the IWW and literature related to the IWW and labor unions, including a transcript of the play "The Wobblies" by Ronald Weihs and a memorial booklet for Carlo Tresca. Finally, International Material contains foreign print materials about IWW or labor more generally. It also contains records and letters from the Canadian division of IWW in the Vancouver area, including letters from Fred Thompson and Pete Seeger.

Private Steiner, a communist and conscientious objector, was sentenced to death for refusing military orders in WWI. Sentence was commuted to 15 years hard-labor by President Harding. Consists of 66 Steiner letters written from prison to his sisters and mother.

The collection consists of 66 letters from Private Francis Steiner, a German-American, mainly to his two sisters, Anna and Aloisia. The letters were written between May 1918 and November 1920, from various prisons (Camp Funston, Fort Dix, Fort Riley, Fort Leavenworth, Fort Douglas). Although his scheduled date of release was February, 1923, the last letter, dated November 7, 1920, makes no mention of an impending release. There are two letters written to his mother. Letters from prison during that time were required to be in English. His parents apparently did not read or write in English, so his letters home were no doubt translated for them.

Much of the subject matter in the letters describes prison life, the political views of Private Steiner (he was a communist and also a strong supporter of the IWW), the treatment he and his fellow C.O.s (Conscientious Objectors) received at the command of various officers in charge, the food they were served, etc. One amusing letter (January 30, 1920) described the visit to Fort Douglas from General Pershing. The letters also contain "brotherly advice," such as how to shoot a good photograph, (Steiner was the "house" photographer in prison and was apparently given access to dark room facilities as well) and words of encouragement regarding their jobs and social activities.

There is one letter, dated February 21, 1919, written to "Miss A. Steiner" from F.P. Keppel, Third Assistant Secretary, War Department, Washington. This letter was in response to an inquiry from either Anna or Aloisia about her brother's status in prison. Also included is a photocopy of a newspaper clipping which tells that Steiner's death sentence was commuted to 15 years by President Harding.

Steiner made several references in his letters to enclosed photographs, which were not included with the collection. No information is available about these photos.

The Martin Sostre Collection (1923-2013; bulk 1967-1976) consists of correspondence, flyers, drawings, newspaper clippings, court records, pamphlets, newsletters, photographs, and handwritten notes pertaining to activist Martin Sostre. The collection contains original material created by Sostre, as well as material collected by others while he was incarcerated.

The Martin Sostre Collection (1923-2013; bulk 1967-1976) consists of correspondence, flyers, newsletters, pamphlets, newspaper clippings, articles, photographs, court documents, legal notes, and original drawings. Series 1, the Martin Sostre Papers, contains materials created by Sostre; these include drawings, legal documents with handwritten notes, published letters and articles, photographs, familial certificates, and newsletters Sostre wrote or edited, and documents on behavioral modification in prisons. Series 2, Correspondence, contains newsletters, informational mailings, petitions, and correspondence from various chapters of the Martin Sostre Defense Committee. Series 3, Flyers, contains demonstration and promotional flyers. Series 4, Court Records, contains affidavits, depositions, and court proceedings related to Martin Sostre. Series 5, Articles, contains newspaper clippings and photocopies, and other written material such as case studies, a thesis, and magazine articles.