Guide to the Abbott Simon Papers TAM 346
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 Peter Meyer Filardo and Deb Larsen, 2006
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on May 23, 2018
Description is in English. using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Descriptive Summary
| Title: | Abbott Simon Papers |
|---|---|
| Dates [inclusive]: | 1932-2002 |
| 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. |
| Quantity: | 3 Linear Feet in 3 record cartons and 5 folders |
| Language: | Materials are in English. |
| Call Phrase: | TAM 346 |
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.
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."
Arrangement
Folders are arranged alphabetically.
Access Points
Subject Names
- Duberman, Martin B.
- Simon, Abbott, 1916-
- Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962.
- Lewis, David L.
- Jackson, Esther Cooper
- Robeson, Paul, 1898-1976
- Diamond, Freda.
- Du Bois, W. E. B. (William Edward Burghardt), 1868-1963
- Du Bois, Shirley Graham, 1896-1977.
- Brown, Lloyd L. (Lloyd Louis), 1913-2003
- Simon, Abigail
Document Type
- Clippings (information artifacts)
- Manuscripts for publication.
- Correspondence.
- Proceedings.
- Printed ephemera.
- Photographs.
- Programs (documents).
Subject Organizations
- American Peace Crusade
- National Committee to Defend Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois and Associates in the Peace Information Center.
- American Student Union
- World Peace Congress
- World Peace Council
- Peace Information Center
- W.E.B. Du Bois Foundation
- American Youth Congress
Subject Topics
- Freedom of speech -- United States.
- Student movements -- United States.
- Youth movements -- United States.
- Peace movements -- United States.
- Korean War, 1950-1953 -- Protest movements.
- African American communists.
- Communism -- United States.
Administrative Information
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.
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.
Container List
| Container 1 | Container 2 | Title | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Box: 1 | Folder : 1 | American Peace Crusade |
1951-1953 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 2 | American Student Union |
Undated | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 2 | American Youth Congress |
1937-1941 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 4 | Biographical and Memorabilia |
Undated | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 5 | British Peace Committee |
May 1951 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 6 | Bulletin du Comite' Italien |
Mar 1951 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 7 | Business Proposals / Ventures |
Mar 1953 | |
| Box: 1 | Button: National Committee to Reopen the Rosenberg Case |
undated | ||
| Box: 1 | Folder : 8 | China Welfare Appeal, Inc. |
Sep 1950 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 9 | Committee for a Democratic Far Eastern Policy |
Undated | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 10 | Committee of the World Congress of the Defenders of Peace |
1950 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 11 | Correspondence: Brown, Lloyd (re Robeson) |
Oct 30, 1997 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 12 | Correspondence: Center for Constitutional Rights |
Apr 1974-Mar 1977 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 13 | Correspondence: Dickerson, Angie (re William Patterson Foundation) |
1977-1978 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 14 | Correspondence: Du Bois, Shirley Graham |
Jul 1953-Mar 1976 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 15 | Correspondence: Du Bois, W.E.B. |
Oct 1950-Feb 1963 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 16 | Correspondence: Family |
1963-1997 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 17 | Correspondence: Jackson, Esther |
1991 , 2000 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 18 | Correspondence: Johnson, Howard (Stretch) |
1993 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 19 | Correspondence: Military |
Mar 1943-Nov 1945 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 20 | Correspondence: Roosevelt, Eleanor |
Dec 1938-May 1940 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 21 | Correspondence: Simon, Abbott |
Jan 1939-Apr 2002 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 22 | Correspondence: Travis, Helen |
1993 , 1994 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 23 | Diammond, Freda: re Duberman Biography of Paul Robeson |
Undated | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 24 | DRUM (U. Mass): re Du Bois |
1980 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 25 | Du Bois, David |
1978 , 1996 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 26 | Du Bois, W.E.B.: Anniversaries |
Jun 1952-Apr 2002 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 27 | Du Bois, W.E.B.: Articles about |
Aug 1963-1995 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 28 | Du Bois, W.E.B.: Carnegie Hall Memorial Contract |
Nov 1963-Feb 1964 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 29 | Du Bois W.E.B.: Carnegie Hall Memorial (2/23/1964) Correspondence |
Oct 1963-Mar 1964 , 1993 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 30 | Du Bois W.E.B.: Carnegie Hall Memorial (2/23/1964) General/Planning/Miscellaneous |
Dec 1963-Sep 1993 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 31 | Du Bois, W.E.B.: Carnegie Hall Memorial Speeches |
Feb 1964 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 32 | Du Bois, W.E.B.: Commemorative Stamp Sheet |
Jan 1992 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 33 | Du Bois, W.E.B.: Film Project |
Aug 1996-Mar 1997 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 34 | Du Bois, W.E.B.: Foundation |
Apr 1963-Jun 1998 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 35 | Du Bois, W.E.B.: D.L. Lewis |
Dec 1986-Jul 2002 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 36 | Du Bois, W.E.B.: Memorial Centre for Pan African Culture |
Dec 1991-Aug 1992 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 37 | Du Bois, W.E.B. On the World Wide Web |
Feb 1997 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 38 | Du Bois, W.E.B.: "The Passions of Alan Locke" |
Jun 1954 | |
| Box: A 002 | Folder : 1 | Du Bois, W.E.B.: Photographs |
1950-1973, undated | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 39 | Du Bois, W.E.B.: Speeches, re Peace |
1900-1951 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 40 | Du Bois, W.E.B.: University of Massachusetts |
Feb 1966-Feb 1976 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 41 | Du Bois, W.E.B.: University of Massachusetts, Papers, etc. |
Oct 1973-Sep 1980 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 42 | Emergency Civil Liberties Committee |
Oct 1953 | |
| Box: 1 | Folder : 43 | Higbee, Mark: "W.E.B. Du Bois and the Politics of Liberation, 1917-1963" (Part One
of preliminary version of PhD. dissertation) |
1995 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 1 | Higbee, Mark: "W.E.B. Du Bois and the Politics of Liberation, 1917-1963" (Part Two
of preliminary version of PhD. dissertation) |
1995 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 2 | Hutson, Frances Aileen: Memorial Service |
1985 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 3 | Illinois Peace Assembly (American Peace Crusade) |
1950-1952 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 4 | Israel, David [re Dinse] |
Sep 1974-Sep 1975 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 5 | Kansas City Peace Committee |
Dec 1951-Jan 1952 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 6 | Lightfoot [Claude] Case |
Undated | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 7 | Lil Landau Memorial Fund |
Undated | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 8 | Marcantonio, Vito: Memorial Scholarship Fund |
Nov 1954-Feb 1955 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 9 | Military Service WWII |
Apr 1941-Dec 1942 | |
| Box: A 002 | Folder : 2 | Military Service: Photographs |
undated | |
| Box: 3 | Folder : 22-23 | Morford, Richard: Biographical Manuscript |
1984-1986 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 10 | Moss, Elizabeth, 1890-1984: A Memorial |
Jan 1984 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 11 | National Committee to Defend Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois and Associates in the Peace Information
Center |
1951 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 12 | National Committee to Re-open the Rosenberg Case |
Jun 1953-Feb 1997 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 13 | National Committee to Repeal the McCarren Act |
May 1963 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 14 | National Delegates Assembly for Peace |
Feb 1952 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 15 | New York Labor Conference for Peace |
Undated | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 16 | Newmark, Milton J.: "Struggle" (typescript 37 pp) |
Jan 1997 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 17 | Peace Activism (Korean War, Nuclear Weapons) |
Aug 1950-Mar 1953 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 18 | Peace Information Center |
1950 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 19 | Peace Information Center: Circulars |
1950 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 20 | Peace Information Center: Correspondence (W.E.B. Du Bois, E. Moos, etc.) |
1950 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 21 | Peace Information Center: Minutes |
1950 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 22 | Peace Information Center: Organization Letters (2-11) |
1950 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 23 | Peace Information Center: Press Releases |
1950 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 24 | Peace Referendum (Korean War) |
Undated , 1952 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 25 | Peace-Gram (Peace Information Center) |
May 1950-Jun 1950 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 26 | Paul Robeson Archives |
1974-1976 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 27 | Robeson: Paul Robeson (Duberman): Corrections of Chapters 20-26 of Revised Galleys
Pages with References to "Freda Galley Only" |
ca.1988 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 28 | Robeson: Paul Robeson (Duberman): Galleys with Freda Diamonds Corrections, Chapters
1-9, pp.1-324 |
ca.1988 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 29 | Robeson: Paul Robeson (Duberman): Galleys with Freda Diamond's Corrections, Chapters
22-26, Notes, etc, pp. 808-1302 |
ca.1988 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 30 | Robeson: Robeson: Paul Robeson (Duberman): Galleys with Freda Diamond's Corrections,
Chapters 10-21 |
ca.1988 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 31 | Robeson: Paul Robeson (Duberman): Partial Galleys with Comments [Freda Diamond, References,
etc] |
May 1988 , Sep 1988 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 32 | Robeson: Paul Robeson (Duberman): Partial Typescript and Galleys with Comments by
Simon |
ca. 1988 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 33 | Robeson: Paul Robeson (Duberman): Review by Gerald Horne (Peoples Daily World) |
Mar 30, 1989 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 34 | Robeson: Paul Robeson (Duberman): Transcript of Duberman- Simon Interview, 43 pp. |
1982 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 35 | Robeson: Paul Robeson (Duberman): Typescript Chapters 26 and 27 with Notes by an Unknown
(Simon? Diamond? Other?) |
ca.1988 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 36 | Robeson: Paul Robeson (Duberman): Typescript (Partial) and Comments, Various |
Undated | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 37 | Paul Robeson Foundation |
Nov 1998 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 38 | Robeson, David Paul: Funeral |
1998 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 39 | Robeson, Paul: Clippings and Articles about |
1943-1984 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 40 | Robeson, Paul: Salute 1973 |
1963-1976 | |
| Box: 2 | Folder : 41 | Robeson, Paul, Jr.: Freda Diamond |
Jun 1987 | |
| Box: 3 | Folder : 1 | Roosevelt Memorial in the Philippines |
May 1945 | |
| Box: 3 | Folder : 2 | Rosenberg Case |
Undated | |
| Box: 3 | Folder : 3 | Rosenberg Case: Memorial Writings |
1985 | |
| Box: 3 | Folder : 4 | Rosenberg Case: Translation of Paris Discussion |
Nov 1996-Jul 1997 | |
| Box: 3 | Folder : 5 | Rosenberg Era Art Project |
Jun 1989 | |
| Box: 3 | Folder : 6 | Rosenberg, Michael: Guardianship |
Undated | |
| Box: 3 | Folder : 7 | Rosenberg, Susan: "Celebrating the Freedom of" |
Feb 2001 | |
| Box: 3 | Folder : 8 | Stockholm Petition |
1950-1951 | |
| Box: 3 | Folder : 9 | Scrapbook: Personal and Political |
1932 , Undated | |
| Box: A 002 | Folder : 3 | Scrapbook Photographs: Personal and Political |
undated | |
| Box: A 002 | Folder : 4 | Simon, Abbott: Photographs |
circa 1940s, 1970s, undated | |
| Box: 3 | Folder : 10 | U.S. Senate: Subcommittee of the Committee on Education and Labor, S.1463 (Vocational
Guidance) Including Simon Statement pp.730-end |
1938 | |
| Box: 3 | Folder : 11 | VIDAS Un Drama de Postguerra en dos Actos |
1979 | |
| Box: 3 | Folder : 12 | Women in Prison Film Proposal |
1974 | |
| Box: 3 | Folder : 13 | World Peace Appeal |
Undated | |
| Box: 3 | Folder : 14 | World Peace Congress |
1949-1950 | |
| Box: 3 | Folder : 15 | World Peace Congress (2nd. 1950: Warsaw, Poland) |
Sep 1950-Dec 1950 | |
| Box: 3 | Folder : 16 | World Peace Congress (2nd. 1950: Warsaw, Poland) |
Nov 1950-Oct 1951 | |
| Box: 3 | Folder : 17 | World Peace Congress (Washington, DC, 1946) Vol.1 |
1946 | |
| Box: 3 | Folder : 18 | World Peace Congress (Washington, DC 1946) Vol. 2 |
1946 | |
| Box: 3 | Folder : 19 | World Peace Council |
Jan 1951-Jul 1952 | |
| Box: A 002 | Folder : 5 | World War II: Photographs |
circa 1940s | |
| Box: 3 | Folder : 20 | Writings: Lutheran Hymns (student paper) |
Undated | |
| Box: 3 | Folder : 21 | Writings: "No Basis for Hitler in the Factories" |
Undated | |