Guide to the Democratic Socialists of America Audiocassette Collection OH 058
Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archive
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
10th Floor
New York, NY 10012
(212) 998-2630
tamiment.wagner@nyu.edu
Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
Collection processed by Aliqae Geraci, November 2007
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on August 13, 2018
Description is in English.
Edited by Heather Mulliner to include recordings from 2014 accretion , January 2017
Descriptive Summary
| Creator: | Democratic Socialists of America |
|---|---|
| Title: | Democratic Socialists of America Audiocassette Collection |
| Dates [inclusive]: | 1976-1996 |
| Abstract: | The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) was founded in 1982. DSA promotes a socialist conception of democracy, with a key objective being the coalition-building of progressive groups in the United States. Michael Harrington (1928-1989) was a founder and leader of DSA from 1982-1989, and the founder and head of its predecessor, the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee (1972-1982). The collection consists of 69 tapes, spanning the years 1976 - 1996, with the bulk of the items falling between the years 1985-1995. The majority of the audiocassettes consist of conference, convention and meeting recordings of the DSA, interviews and speeches of Michael Harrington, and programs and lectures that were either sponsored by, or featured members of, DSA. |
| Quantity: | 1.5 Linear Feet 2 cassette boxes, and 1 folder |
| Quantity: | 69 audiocassettes |
| Language: | Materials are in English. |
| Call Phrase: | OH 058 |
Historical/Biographical Note
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) was formed in 1982 after a merger of the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee (DSOC) and the New American Movement (NAM). DSOC was formed in 1973 by a split in the Social Democrats USA; NAM was organized in 1971 by New Leftists. As a unified group, the DSA's ideology is based on a socialist conception of democracy. A key objective is to build a coalition of the major progressive forces in the United States, including trade unions, women's groups and minority organizations. Its tactics include grass-roots activity, working within existing mainstream institutions, and electoral politics within the left wing of the Democratic Party. The DSA is the U.S. affiliate to the Socialist International.
The structure of the DSA parallels that of the former DSOC. The decision-making bodies of the DSA consist of: the National Convention, which meets biennially; the National Board (NB), which meets between National Conventions and has the authority to charter local and regional organizations; the National Executive Committee (NEC), which meets between the National Boards and National conventions; and the National Interim Committee (NIC), a subcommittee of the NEC which meets between meetings of the NEC and is responsible for the supervision of all offices and staff of the organization. The National Board charters a Youth Section for full-time students age 30 and younger, which has its own locals and structured organization. The NB or the NEC can charter commissions. Members of the NEC serve as liaisons to the commissions and locals and can appoint committees (such as the NIC). Local and regional organizations, chartered by the NEC, carry out independent activities throughout the country.
Michael Harrington (1928-1989) was a U.S. socialist, editor, writer, founder and leader of DSA, and political leader best known for his book The Other America: Poverty in the United States 1962).
Scope and Content Note
The collection consists of 69 tapes, spanning the years 1976 - 1996, with the bulk of the items falling between 1985 - 1995. The majority of the audiocassettes consist of conference, convention and meeting recordings of the DSA, interviews and speeches of Michael Harrington, and programs and lectures that were either sponsored by, or featured members of, DSA. Many of the recordings feature or refer to DSA Co-Chairs Michael Harrington and Barbara Ehrenreich.
The collection has been divided into four subgroups: DSOC, DSA, Michael Harrington, and Miscellaneous. Subgroup One (DSOC) contains a recording of a rally sponsored by the Democratic Agenda Project, which was a joint venture between the DSOC and various progressive groups. Subgroup Two (DSA) contains organizational recordings of DSA, including conferences, meetings and sponsored programs. Subgroup Three (Michael Harrington) contains interviews, speeches and debates featuring Michael Harrington, some of which predate the founding of DSA (1982). Subgroup Four contains miscellaneous audiocassettes, some of which feature DSA members, but the majority whose contents or relationship to DSA are unidentified.
Conference recordings added to the collection in 2017 include 19 audiocassettes and a conference schedule from the the 1980 Institute for Democratic Socialism Conference "Eurosocialism and America: An International Exchange".
Arrangement
Alphabetically by series topic and chronologically thereunder.
Organized into the following subgroups: I. Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee, series A as follows: A. Events; II. Democratic Socialists of America, 1982 - series A - C as follows: A. Meetings; B. Conferences; C. Programs; III. Harrington, Michael, - 1990, series A - D as follows: A. Debates; B. Interviews; C. Programs, D. Speeches and Lectures; IV. Miscellaneous, series A - C as follows: A. Interviews; B. Programs; C. Speeches and Lectures.
Series:
- Part 1: Series A: Events
- Part 2: Series A: Events
- Part 2: Series B: Conferences
- Part 2: Series C: Programs
- Part 3: Series A: Debates
- Part 3: Series B: Interviews
- Part 3: Series C: Programs
- Part 3: Series D: Speeches and Lectures
- Part 4: Series A: Interviews
- Part 4: Series B: Programs
- Part 4: Series C: Speeches and Lectures
Access Points
Subject Names
- Alperovitz, Gar
- Ehrenreich, Barbara
- Aronowitz, Stanley
- Bahr, Morton
- Cosell, Howard, 1918-1995
- Kemp, Jack.
- Harrington, Michael, 1928-1989 -- |v Interviews
- Meyerson, Harold .
- Lerner, Michael, 1943-
- Gordon, David M.
- Fitrakis, Robert J., 1955-
- Steinem, Gloria.
- Williams, Lynn R.
- West, Cornel
- Piven, Frances Fox
- Nadler, Jerrold
- Schwartz, Joseph.
- Kaminsky, Eli
Document Type
- Audiocassettes.
Subject Organizations
- Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee (U.S.)
- Democratic Socialists of America
- Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (U.S.)
- United Steelworkers of America
- Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers
- Socialist International (1951- )
Subject Topics
- Socialism -- United States -- Interviews.
- Socialism -- United States.
- Right and left (Political science)
- Radicalism -- United States.
- Labor movement -- United States.
- Labor -- United States.
Administrative Information
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restriction.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright to materials in this collection created by the Democratic Socialists of America was not transferred to New York University. Permission to use materials must be secured from the copyright holder. Because of the assembled nature of this collection, copyright status varies across the collection. Copyright is assumed to be held by the original creator of individual items in the collection; these items are expected to pass into the public domain 120 years after their creation.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; Democratic Socialists of America Audiocassette Collection; OH 058; box number; folder number; Tamiment Library & Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Separated Material
A letter from the Political Science Department at Loyola University of Chicago to Michael Harrington regarding a lecture was removed from the collection.
Audiovisual Access Policies and Procedures
Audiovisual materials have not been preserved and may not be available to researchers. Materials not yet digitized will need to have access copies made before they can be used. To request an access copy, or if you are unsure if an item has been digitized, please contact tamiment.wagner@nyu.edu with the collection name, collection number, and a description of the item(s) requested. A staff member will respond to you with further information.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Materials in this collection were donated by the Democratic Socialists of America, date unknown; additional materials were donated by Eli Kaminsky in 2014. The accession numbers related to these gifts are 1980.017, 2006.066; and 2015.150.
Processing Information
Processing decisions made prior to 2017 have not been recorded. In 2017, 19 audiocassettes containing recordings of a 1980 Institute for Democratic Socialism conference were added to Series I: Democratic Socialists Organizing Committee.
Container List
Series I: Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee, 1980
Scope and ContentsMaterials in this series related to the "Eurosocialism and America" conference include a copy of the conference program and recordings of conference panels and plenary speeches. Not all panels from the conference were recorded. The printed conference schedule contains a full list of panels and speakers, with annotations indicating which sessions are included in the recordings. Notable individuals featured in the recordings include world leaders like Willy Brandt (Germany), Olof Palme (Sweden), Joop den Uyl (Netherlands), Francois Mitterand (France), as well as Michael Harrington, union leader William Winpisinger, Representative Ron Dellums, and Gloria Steinem. |
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Sub-series A: Events.
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| Container 1 | Container 2 | Title | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-1 (Mixed Materials [31142054875433]) | Democratic Agenda Rally |
August 15, 1980 | |
| Box: OH Shared Access Box 2 | Cd : OH 58-1 (Access cd) | |||
| Box: 2 | Eurosocialism and America: An International Exchange Conference Recordings |
1980 December 5-7 | ||
| Box: MS002 | Folder : 1 | Eurosocialism and America: An International Exchange Conference Schedule |
1980 December 5-7 | |
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Series II: Democratic Socialists of America, 1984-1992
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Sub-series A: Conferences.
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| Container 1 | Container 2 | Title | Date | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-2 (Mixed Materials [31142054875433]) | New Directions Conference
General noteSpeakers include Barbara Ehrenreich, Michael Harrington and Lynn R. Williams of the United Steelworkers of America. |
1986 | |
| Box: OH Shared Access Box 2 | Cd : OH 58-2 (Access cd) | |||
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-3 | Democratic Alternatives Conference (1987: Albany, N.Y.)
General noteSpeakers include Robert Lekachman, Barbara Ehrenreich, Michael Harrington. Moderator: Jo-Ann Mort. |
Feb 27, 1987 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-4 a-b | Socialist Scholars Conference (1991: New York, N.Y.) - 2 tapes |
April 6, 1991 April 7, 1991 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-5 a-j | DSA National Convention 1993 - 10 tapes
General note"Politics in the Clinton Era". Cornel West speaks. |
Nov 12, 1993 Nov 13, 1993 Nov 14, 1993 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-6 a-e | Socialist Scholars Conference (1995) - 5 tapes
General noteSpeakers include Stanley Aronowitz, Jorge Calderon, Bogdan Denitch, David Gordon and Frances Fox Piven. |
April 7, 1995 April 8, 1995 April 9, 1995 | |
Sub-series B: Meetings.
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| Container 1 | Container 2 | Title | Date | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-7 a-c | National Executive Committee - 3 tapes
General noteBarbara Ehrenreich speaks. |
Jun 2, 1984 Jun 3, 1984 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-8 | National Board Meeting (1988: Los Angeles, CA)
General noteSpeakers include Charlie Degamond, Barbara Ehrenreich, Michael Harrington and Harold Meyerson. |
Nov 10, 1988 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-9 a-b | National Board Leadership School - 2 tapes
General noteQuestion and answer period with with Gar Alperowitz. |
Jun 12, 1992 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-10 (Mixed Materials [31142054875433]) | DSA's Domestic Agenda |
no date | |
| Box: OH Shared Access Box 2 | Cd : OH 58-10 A-B (Access cd) | |||
Sub-series C: Programs.
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| Container 1 | Container 2 | Title | Date | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-11 | Paul Pinsky, Mary Jo Kilroy, David Kusnick and Bob Fitrakis |
Jun 14, 1992 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-12 | Frances Fox Piven:Women in the Welfare State(1995: Portland, ME) |
Mar 10, 1995 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-13 | Michael Lerner and Cornel West.Jews and Blacks: Let the healing/future begin(1995: Cambridge, Mass.) |
April 24, 1995 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-14 | Cornel West, Kurt Stand, Heidi Hartman and Bob Fitrakis |
1995 or 1996 | |
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Series III: Michael Harrington, 1976-1989
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Sub-series A: Debates.
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| Container 1 | Container 2 | Title | Date | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-15 (Mixed Materials [31142054875433]) | Michael Harrington debates David Rockefeller, VP of Chase Manhattan Bank |
1976 | |
| Box: OH Shared Access Box 2 | Cd : OH 58-15 A-B (Access cd) | |||
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-16 | Michael Harrington debates Rep. Jack Kemp (New York, NY)
General noteTax Policy and the Economy |
April 25, 1979 | |
Sub-series B: Interviews.
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| Container 1 | Container 2 | Title | Date | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-17 | 8/2/88- tape II |
Aug 02, 1988 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-18 | Howard Cosell interviews Michael Harrington |
Aug 19, 1988 | |
Sub-series C: Programs.
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| Container 1 | Container 2 | Title | Date | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-19 (Mixed Materials [31142054875433]) | Michael Harrington: In His Own Words. |
no date | |
| Box: OH Shared Access Box 2 | Cd : OH 58-19 (Access cd) | |||
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-20 | Michael Harrington Remembrance on NPR's Morning Edition |
Aug 2, 1989 | |
Sub-series D: Speeches and Lectures.
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| Container 1 | Container 2 | Title | Date | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-21 | Unidentified Conference (Chicago, Ill.) |
late 1970s | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-22 a-b | American Public Health Association (APHA) Convention - 2 tapes |
1981 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-23 a-b | Lecture at Department of Political Science at Loyola University of Chicago - 2 tapes |
1985 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-24 | Jewish Labor Board Luncheon (1987: New York, NY) |
, Oct 15, 1987 | |
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Series IV: Miscellaneous, 1988-1995
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Sub-series A: Interviews.
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| Container 1 | Container 2 | Title | Date | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-25 (Mixed Materials [31142054875433]) | Kris Rondeau of Harvard Clerical and Technical Workers Union |
June 13, 1988 | |
| Box: OH Shared Access Box 2 | Cd : OH 58-25 (Access cd) | |||
Sub-series B: Programs.
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| Container 1 | Container 2 | Title | Date | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-26 | Ellen Braune and Cajuste Lexiuste on Haiti - CISPES |
July 20, 1994 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-27 | Federal Judge denies FCC injunction against micro-radio
General noteOriginal program produced by San Francisco Liberation Radio. |
Jan 20, 1995 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-28 | Untitled (labeled "opening session, afternoon session. Ind. Dem.") |
undated | |
Sub-series C: Speeches and Lectures.
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| Container 1 | Container 2 | Title | Date | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-29 | Shakoor on multiculturalism, Suzanne Crowell on mission |
undated | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-30 | Joe Schwartz on identity politics. |
undated | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : OH 58-31 | Frances Fox Piven, Morton Bahr and Gloria Steinem |
undated | |
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