Nicaragua Solidarity Network of Greater New York Records
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
The Nicaragua Solidarity Network of Greater New York (1985-2002), and its member organizations worked to support the Sandinista Revolution and to protest U.S. support of the counter-revolutionary military movement, aka the Contras, who also killed civilian supporters of the revolution, targeting medical and educational personnel in particular. Some of the member organizations, like the NY-Nicaragua Construction Brigade, worked to help create infrastructure in Nicaragua. The collection holds the records of the NSN and its member organizations, most notably the NY-Nicaragua Construction Brigade, and includes newsletters, event notices, fundraising letters, correspondence, reports, membership and financial information, grant applications, and reference material about Nicaragua and related issues.
Historical/Biographical Note
The Nicaragua Solidarity Network (NSN) of Greater New York was formed in 1985, initially as a sub-organization of New Yorkers for Peace in the Gulf. The NSN formed from over twenty-five small grassroots organizations in New York that came together in response to President Ronald Reagan's trade embargo on Nicaragua in 1985. The NSN worked to support the Sandinista Revolution, and to protest U.S. support of the counter-revolutionary military movement, aka the Contras, who also killed civilian supporters of the revolution, targeting medical and educational personnel in particular. Delegates from these small groups met at monthly meetings, and with a grant from the North Star Foundation, were able to establish a newsletter, the NicaNews. Among its member organizations were the New York-Nicaragua Construction Brigade, which organized groups of volunteer workers who went to Nicaragua.
Arrangement
This collection has not been arranged by an archivist. The materials are arranged in the order in which they were received from the donor.
Scope and Content Note
This collection contains the records of the Nicaragua Solidarity Network of Greater New York (NSN) and its member organizations, most notably the New York-Nicaragua Construction Brigade. Materials include fliers, event notices, speeches, pamphlets, leaflets, fundraising letters, informational documentation on the situation in Nicaragua, ledgers and budgets, directories, internal correspondence, phone trees, member lists, grant awards, and the Nica News newsletter. These materials mostly detail the events and demonstrations organized to raise awareness to the situation in Nicaragua,in support of the Sandinista government and opposition to the US-backed Contras, fundraising, the 1990 election and its aftermath in Nicaragua, and other topics. Other organizations represented in the collection include the NY-Nicaragua Construction Brigade, which built various co-operatives and schools in Nicaragua, the Women's Brigade (also a construction group), Oats for Peace, New Yorkers for Peace in the Gulf, Peace Ship/Peace House, the Movement Support Network, and the Global Sweatshop Coalition.
Subjects
Organizations
People
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Any rights (including copyright and related rights to publicity and privacy) held by the Nicaragua Solidarity Nework of Greater New York were transferred to New York University in 2011 by David L. Wilson. Permission to publish or reproduce materials in this collection must be secured from the Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archive. Please contact tamiment.wagner@nyu.edu.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; Nicaragua Solidarity Network of Greater New York Records; TAM 580; box number; folder number; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Materials were donated by the Nicaragua Solidarity Network in June 2011. The accession number associated with this collection is 2011.058.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Collection has been placed in archival boxes, but most of the collection remains in the original folders. Almost all folders are labeled, and labels appear to reflect the contents of the folders with relative accuracy.