Abbott Simon Papers
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Abstract
Abbott Simon, Esq., (1916-) was an activist in the American Student Union and chair of the American Youth Congress, in which capacity he met and corresponded with Eleanor Roosevelt. Simon was a peace activist in the latter 1940s and early 1950s, serving as executive director of the Peace Information Center, and also occupied a leadership position in the American Peace Crusade, both of which were chaired by W.E.B. Du Bois and opposed U.S. involvement in the Korean War. Simon also served on the board of the W.E.B. Du Bois Foundation. He later assisted Freda Diamond (1905-1998) in her dispute with Paul Robeson biographer Martin Duberman regarding her relationship to Robeson. The collection contains correspondence, including that with Shirley Graham Dubois, W.E.B. Dubois, and Eleanor Roosevelt; correspondence and other materials relating to Simon's military service during World War II; minutes, circulars, and other internal documents of the Peace Information Center, as well as documents of the American Student Union and the American Youth Congress, proceedings of the World Peace Congress (Washington, D.C., 1946); files relating to a 1964 Carnegie Hall memorial for W.E.B. Dubois, and for other projects relating to Du Bois's commemoration; and galleys and other materials relating to the disputes of Freda Diamond and Paul Robeson Jr. with Martin Duberman regarding his biography, Paul Robeson.
Historical/Biographical Note
Abbott Simon, Esq., was an activist in the American Student Union and chair of the American Youth Congress, in which capacity he met and corresponded with Eleanor Roosevelt. Simon was a peace activist in the latter 1940s and early 1950s, serving as executive director of the Peace Information Center and occupying a leadership position in the American Peace Crusade. Both organizations were chaired by W.E.B. Du Bois and opposed U.S. involvement in the Korean War. Simon later held a leadership role in the National Committee to Defend Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois and Associates, which was formed when Du Bois was charged with failing to register the Peace Information Center with the federal government. Simon also served on the board of the W.E.B. Du Bois Foundation. He later assisted Freda Diamond (1905-1998) in her dispute with Paul Robeson biographer Martin Duberman regarding her relationship to Robeson.
Arrangement
Folders are arranged alphabetically.
Scope and Content Note
The collection contains correspondence, including that with Lloyd L. Brown, Angie Dickerson, Shirley Graham Du Bois, W.E.B. Du Bois, Esther Cooper Jackson, Howard (Stretch) Johnson, and Eleanor Roosevelt; correspondence and other materials relating to Simon's military service during World War II; minutes, circulars, and other internal documents of the Peace Information Center, as well as documents of the American Student Union and the American Youth Congress; proceedings of the World Peace Congress (Washington, D.C., 1946); files relating to a 1964 Carnegie Hall memorial for W.E.B. Du Bois, and for other projects relating to Du Bois's commemoration and to the custody and publication of his papers, including correspondence with Du Bois biographer David Levering Lewis; galleys and other materials relating to the disputes of Freda Diamond and Paul Robeson Jr. with Martin Duberman regarding his biography, Paul Robeson; and the typescript of an unpublished article by Simon, "No Basis for Hitler in the Factories."
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Donors
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Any rights (including copyright and related rights to publicity and privacy) held by Abigail Simon, Abbott Simon's heir, were transferred to New York University in 2005. Permission to publish or reproduce materials in this collection must be secured from the Tamiment Library.
Preferred Citation
Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date; Abbott Simon Papers; TAM 346; Box number; Folder number; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by Abigail Simon in 2005. Two folders of biographical materials related to Richard Morford were added to this collection in 2006. The accession number associated with this collection are 2005.005, 2005.012, 2006.027, and NPA.2006.043.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Photographs were separated from this collection during initial processing and were established as a separate collection, the Abbott Simon Photographs (PHOTOS 220). In 2013, the photograph collection was reincorporated into the Abbott Simon Papers (TAM 346). A biographical typescript on Revered Richard Morford was separated from this collection during initial processing and established as a separate collection, the Richard Morford Biographical Manuscripts (TAM 360). In 2013, the manuscript was reincorpoated into the Abbott Simon Papers (TAM 346). In 2006, a button from the National Committee to Reopen the Rosenberg Case was donated with the Abbott Simon Photographs but placed in the Tamiment Button Collection (BUTTONS 1). This button was returned to the Abbott Simon Papers in February 2014.
