For reference queries contact Grenander Department Reference staff or (518) 437–3935

AFRICAN AND AFRO–AMERICAN STUDIES, DEPARTMENT OF
Records, 1969–75, 3 ft. (UA–611)
Includes department chair correspondence, 1969–70; departmental meeting minutes, 1970–71, 1973–74; enrollment schedules, 1972–73; annual budgets, 1972–74; proposals; promotional materials; and faculty profiles.  Originally called the Department of Afro-American Studies when it was created in 1969, the department adopted its current name in the fall of 1974.  The department's mission was to concentrate on "urban affairs and human development" as seen through the life experience of black Americans. (Final Budget Request, 1970–71, p. 51.)

ALBANY, NEW YORK, JEWISH COMMUNITY
Collection, 1905–62, 1 ft. (MSS–037)
Includes minutes of Congregation Beth El Jacob, 1956–1961; records of the United Brethren Society, 1939–1960; and miscellaneous documents, printed materials, and photographs, 1930–1960.

ALPHA PI ALPHA
Records, 1952–78, 13.28 ft. (UA–XXX)
Alpha Pi Alpha was chartered on September 29, 1952, as an independent non-discriminatory fraternity at the New York State College for Teachers. Alpha Pi Alpha was the successor to the Gamma chapter (founded in 1915) of the national fraternity Kappa Delta Rho. Found in the records are 16 scrapbooks, 1952-1978, the fraternities certificate of incorporation, a fraternity paddle, and rug, the fraternity crest, fraternity trivia, and the fraternity hymn. Apparently no minutes of APA meetings survive. The scrapbooks contain the basic record of the fraternity’s activities. The first 1952 scrapbook contains the Gamma chapter’s correspondence with the Kappa Delta Rho national and newspaper clippings documenting the struggle to end official and unofficial discrimination of the Kappa Delta Rho national. The second scrapbook, 1952-56, contains some documentation regarding pledging rituals.

BELL, ABRAHAM, AND SON
Records, 1809–1917, 22 ft. (MSS–035)
Includes thirty-one letterpress copybooks kept daily by Abraham Bell and Son, a New York City merchant shipping firm specializing in the export of Southern cotton to the British Isles, 1837–54; thirty-nine volumes of account books, journals, correspondence, and other business records, 1809–88; a record book of Irish immigrants (mostly young women) and other passengers to the United States from Derry and Belfast, 1832–57. There are also correspondence, diaries, and financial records of other members of this Quaker family, James W. Bell and James C. Bell, 1832–1917; record books of Elizabeth Bell, 1858; and records of Bell Brothers, a money-lending business in Yonkers, New York, 1889–95.

THE BROTHERS
Records, 1966–1990, 1.4 cubic ft. (APAP–081)
Includes the following records of this African–American organization: copies of the Albany Liberator, an occasional newspaper edited by Gordon Van Ness for The Brothers, 1967–1971; newspaper clippings and ephemera, 1967–71; retained records of the Northside Advisory Council for the Northside Community Health Center, 1970–1972; materials concerning their 1990 reunion; speeches and poetry by Gordon Van Ness, undated. Organized in July 1966 with twenty–four members, The Brothers were an African–American organization focused on equal employment opportunity, welfare and work reform, programs for youth, stopping drug addiction, better education, against military conscription, and other issues of concern to the black communities in Albany, New York's Arbor Hill, North Side, and South End.

CAPITAL DISTRICT COALITION AGAINST APARTHEID & RACISM (CDCAAR)
Records, 1981–1995, 6 reels of microfilm (APAP–011)
Contains newspaper articles, newsletters, legal papers and correspondence relating to the group's protest against the Springboks (South Africa's then all–white rugby team) game that was scheduled to take place in Albany, NY on September 21, 1981, and to court cases that grew out of the protests; correspondence, minutes, and reports relating to CDCAAR's struggle against apartheid in South Africa (especially related to a campaign to force NYS to divest pension funds invested in South Africa and a boycott of South African performers); and also documenting the organization's struggles against police abuse in Albany N.Y. (particularly the Jessie Davis case).  Also includes a 1995 history of CDCAAR written by Vera Michelson. Includes a small group of papers from the Northeast Southern Africa Solidarity Network and the African National Congress. Founded in 1981 as an inter–racial group opposed to Apartheid, the group changed its name in 1995 to the Capital District Coalition for Southern Africa and Against Racism.

CAUCUS ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS AT SUNY, ALBANY CHAPTER
Records, 1970–1976, .17 cubic ft. (APAP-098)
 The Caucus on Women's Rights at SUNY was organized in Syracuse, New York in June 1970. Includes newsletters, position statements, and other records of the Caucus and the University of Albany chapter. The issues addressed by the Caucus included equal compensation and benefits, affirmative action, parental leave, health and retirement benefits, various student concerns, and part–time employment.

CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE
Records, 1985–2000, 12.75 cubic ft. (APAP–072)
The Center for Law and Justice was created in 1985, an outgrowth of community outcries after Jessie Davis, a young black man was shot and killed by police in his apartment in Albany, New York. The Center for Law and Justice, Inc. was first called the Albany Justice Center, Inc. The collection is extensive and includes documents such as grant proposals, newspaper clippings, membership information, financial statements, photographs, legal documents about the Davis case and the ensuing lawsuit, and conference information. The collection also includes information on various prisoner cases that the Center was working on and letters from prisoners throughout the state. Materials include prisoner intake information and correspondence and copies of the Center's publications, scrapbooks about the Davis case and board meeting minutes.

COMMUNITY STUDIES, CENTER FOR
Records, 1950–76, 16 ft. (UA–652.4)
Includes a 1951 survey of the ethnic composition of local school districts, 1951; Polio Study Project, 1955–56; memoranda and correspondence, 1953–68; copies of exams, 1961–66; and questionnaires for the ethnic study Project X, 1968; notes on the East Side ghetto and on desegregation in education; dissertation proposals, 1964; and photographs.  The Center was created in 1950 to study education in local school districts.

EMPIRE STATE FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUBS
Records, 1938–1991, 3.46 cubic ft. (APAP–041)
Includes minutes of board meetings, 1938–1965, 1973–1985; president's correspondence, 1963–1964, 1973–1977; financial and membership records, 1948–1965; and annual convention programs, 1956–1987. This association of African–American women's clubs in New York State was founded in 1908 in Brooklyn, New York to promote the education of women, protect the rights of working women and children, advance the quality of family life, and contribute to interracial understanding. The federation is affiliated with the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs and the Northeast Federation of Women's Clubs.

GREEN, ALICE P.
Papers, 1960–2001, 1.89 cubic ft. (APAP–136)
The collection is particularly strong in following Dr. Green's media appearances throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Issues of The South End Scene, a newspaper Dr. Green founded as executive director of the Albany–based youth and family services center the Trinity Institution are also included in the collection. The collection contains papers and other materials relating to Dr. Green's 1998 run for Lieutenant Governor of New York State on the Green Party ticket. The collection also follows the progress of Law Never Here, a book Dr. Green co–wrote with Dr. Frankie Bailey which was published in 1999. Items of interest are found in the small correspondence series, which includes letters from New York Senator and former First Lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, former mayor of Albany, Thomas Whalen III, and comedian Richard Pryor.

JUDAIC STUDIES, DEPARTMENT OF
Records, 1970–1982, .2 cubic ft. (UA–607.5)
The collection includes a proposal for a major in Judaic Studies, department course offerings and descriptions, department annual reports, the Final Report on Hebrew 101A-101B Materials, and a study guide to teaching Hebrew.

LEWIS, NAHUM
Papers, circa 1940-1990, .4 cubic ft. (APAP–156)
The collection documents the Jewish community in New York's Capital Region and includes material from teh Troy Zionist Organization of America, the Albany Jewish Community Center, the Troy Hebrew Credit Union, an exhibit produced by the Albany Institute of History and Art.

MANLEY, HENRY S.
Papers, 1849-1960, 2.26 cubic ft. (APAP-178)
Henry S. Manley practiced law in Jamestown, NY, served as an attorney in the Office of the Attorney General of New York State, and was Counsel to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. While Counsel he defended the milk control system in the U.S. Supreme Court in Nebbia v. New York (1934). From 1943 to early 1955 Manley was an Assistant Attorney General in the Appeals and Opinions Bureau of the New York State Department of Law. From early 1955 until his retirement later that year, he served as Solicitor General of the Department. Manley published a book, The Treaty of Fort Stanwix, and a number of articles regarding Native Americans and the law. The collection includes Manley's writings, pamphlets, as well as briefs and case files. Manley's cases covered in the collection are mostly from his years in private practice and include Indian land rights, the Attica Central School District, and other issues mostly in western New York.

M.C. LAWTON CIVIC AND CULTURAL CLUB
Records, 1921–1995, 1.33 cubic ft. (APAP–027)
Contains minute books and membership rosters, 1927–1977; correspondence, 1921–1977; and official publications, 1954–1987. In 1919, this African–American women's club was founded in Albany, New York with the goal of "community service, educational advancement, race relations and self development" by sponsoring lectures by Cullen and other prominent people and protesting housing discrimination. It was named after Maria C. Lawton, president of the Empire State Federation of Women's Clubs, 1916–1926, with which it has always been affiliated.

MELICH, TANYA M.
Papers, 1950–2000, 19.48 cubic ft. (APAP–079)
The Tanya Melich Papers are particularly strong in documenting the political scene in the 1960s and 1970s both nationally and within New York State. The Papers include extensive reports related to political candidates, voting statistics, and political and social issues. The vast amount of material comes from her work on campaigns, the ABC–News Election Unit, and the Ripon Society. The main focus of the collection is the Republican Party's policies, candidates, and strategies. The Papers also document Melich's concern and work regarding relevant social issues. Her work with the New York City Partnership, United States Commission on Civil Rights New York State Advisory Board, and International Women's Year are documented in the collection. Her interest in women's rights, equality, and reproductive freedom can be assessed through the numerous folders in the Subject Files, her writings, and the collection of publications regarding these issues.

MINORITIES AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE, CENTER ON
Records, 1977–82, 1.33 cubic ft. (UA–359)
Includes staff meeting minutes, 1977–78; correspondence, 1977–81; memoranda, 1977–81; grant proposals, 1977–81; budgets, 1978–81; and published bibliographies and studies on minorities and the criminal justice system, 1979–81. Part of the School of Criminal Justice, the Center was founded in 1980 as a continuation of the Training Program in Criminal Justice Education, which had begun in 1977. The Center's goals were to administer the Minority Fellowship Program and conduct research relating to minorities and criminal justice. Dependent on outside funding, the center closed around 1982 or 1983 when its grant was not renewed. The records of the Center are described as part of the School of Criminal Justice's finding aid.

NAACP, ALBANY BRANCH
Records, 1968–1987, 3.2 cubic ft. (APAP–074)
The collection includes minutes, 1977–1978; case files, 1973–1981, and; news clippings, 1968–1975. Chiefly files of Harry Hamilton as chapter president of this civil rights group chartered in 1935 to increase opportunities for and combat racial discrimination against African Americans. This local chapter has been active in affecting change through public awareness, demonstrations, and legislative reform.

NAACP, SCHENECTADY BRANCH
Records, 1949–1982, 4 reels of microfilm (APAP–028)
Records include Executive Committee minutes, 1949–1982 (missing December 1959–January 1963); membership meeting minutes, 1949–1980 (missing January 1963–1972, 1973 [only one meeting found], 1974, October 1975–April 1976); membership lists, 1949–1980; correspondence, 1949–1980; financial records, 1949–1979 (missing 1960–1962, 1966–1976). The Schenectady, NY Branch of the NAACP was founded in 1949 by an interracial group of men and women committed to the task of improving the status of African Americans in the area. Records document their concerns for discrimination in housing and employment and for the recruitment of black professionals from colleges and universities to the area. The role of women in the NAACP, Schenectady Branch, can be found in the records, and in 1959, the Branch's first female president, Malinda Myers, was elected. The records also show the Branch's involvement with area social service providers, labor unions, and other community organizations, as well as with General Electric, as the area's major employer.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BLACK SOCIAL WORKERS, CAPITAL DISTRICT CHAPTER
Records, 1970–1974, 1981–1985, 1991, .17 cubic ft. (APAP–096)
The records primarily document the organization's history in the early 1970s and the early 1980s. The organization's founding is well documented by meeting minutes, correspondence, and the group's constitution and by–laws. The most complete documentation of the organization is during the early 1970s. The collection includes sporadic coverage of membership lists, legislative issues of interest to the organization, and programs organized by the group. The collection also includes single copies of the Association of Black Social Workers (ABSW) newsletter, the NABSW newsletter, and Black Caucus the Journal of the National Association of Black Social Workers.

URBAN LEAGUE OF NORTHEASTERN NEW YORK
Records, 1966–1987, 8.5 cubic ft. (APAP–008)
Correspondence, memoranda, minutes of meetings, subject files, official publications, and other records of this multi-cultural community organization. Since its establishment in 1966, the Urban League of the Albany N.Y. Area has campaigned for voter registration, housing, education, social services and other issues of concern to African Americans and others in the New York State Capital District. Includes some reports, memoranda, and other records of the National Urban League (Washington, D.C.) and its Northeastern Regional Office (New York City).

VERSATILE CLUB OF TROY, NY
Records, 1936–1989, .4 cubic ft. (APAP–040)
Contains drafts of official meeting minutes, 1945–1988; anniversary brochures and histories, 1956, 1982; by–laws, 1939, 1986; financial documents, 1950–1988; some photographs; social programs; biographical statements about members. Organized in 1931 as the Girls' Versatile Club of Troy under the direction of Rev. D. H. White of the A.M.E. Zion Church to strengthen "religious ties" and "provide an outlet for good clean fun," the club adopted its present name in 1947. This African-American women's social club has contributed to church repairs, sponsored African-American entertainers, provided scholarship support for college students and, since the 1960s, sponsored "Ladies of Leisure and Career Women's Luncheons," bringing major African-American speakers to the area.