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.