Brenda Berkman Papers on September 11, 2001
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Dates
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
Brenda Berkman is a pioneering female firefighter who worked for the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) from 1982 to 2006. The Brenda Berkman Papers on September 11, 2001 (dates 1999-2021, bulk dates 2001-2002) contain articles, clippings, ephemera, and correspondence related to female first responders who participated in rescue operations during and following the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks. The collection was compiled by Berkman, and contains letters of condolence, general correspondence, newsletters from firefighters' associations and women's organizations, newspaper clippings about 9/11, and articles discussing the role of women firefighters during 9/11. There are also programs, conference materials, photographs, transcripts of speeches, and newspaper clippings related to Brenda Berkman's advocacy for women firefighters and 9/11 victims following the attacks. The collection also contains audio visual recordings pre-9/11 and after of news segments and interviews which feature Berkman, the Women at Ground Zero Project, as well as memorial and funeral services.
Biographical Note
Brenda Berkman is a pioneering female firefighter who worked for the FDNY from 1982 to 2006. She is a founding member and former president of the United Women Firefighters (1982-1986) and served as trustee of the Women in Fire Service (1983-1992). Berkman was born in 1951 and became interested in firefighting as a young girl. She joined the FDNY in 1982 after successfully winning a lawsuit that challenged the department's physical exam, arguing that the tougher requirement discriminated against women and were unnecessary for the job. Berkman was among 47 other women who joined the fire department after passing a revised physical exam. Berkman was promoted to the position of lieutenant in 1994, and captain in 2002. She retired from firefighting in 2006 and shifted to a career in the arts. Most of her work is in stone lithography and copperplate etching which has primarily been inspired by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged alphabetically by topic or record type. Newspaper clippings are grouped by date of publication or topic. The materials sourced from accession 2019.029 are arranged in the order in which they were received from the donor.
Scope and Contents
The Brenda Berkman Papers on September 11, 2001 (dates 1999-2021, bulk dates 2001-2002) contain articles, clippings, ephemera, and correspondence related to female first responders who participated in rescue operations during and following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The collection was compiled by pioneering female firefighter Brenda Berkman, and includes letters of condolence, general correspondence, newsletters from firefighters' associations and women's organizations, newspaper clippings about 9/11, and national publications containing articles discussing the role of women firefighters during 9/11. There are also a number of materials related to Brenda Berkman's advocacy for women firefighters and 9/11 victims following the attacks. They include photographs and programs from firefighters' memorial services; personal notes for memorial service arrangements; audiovisual recordings, transcripts and programs from Berkman's speaking engagements about the her experience on 9/11; newsletters and programs from the Women at Ground Zero Project; and VHS copies of the documentary The Women of Ground Zero, produced by the NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund.
Subjects
Donors
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
This collection is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use materials in the collection in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; Brenda Berkman Papers on September 11, 2001; WAG 299; folder number; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Initially donated by Brenda Berkman in 2009 and 2011. The accession numbers associated with this gift are 2009.016 and 2011.011. Accretions were gifted in 2013, 2018, and March 2023. The accession numbers associated with these donations are 2013.033, 2019.029, and 2023.054.
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 special.collections@nyu.edu, (212) 998-2630 with the collection name, collection number, and a description of the item(s) requested. A staff member will respond to you with further information.
Born-digital Access Policies and Procedures
Born-digital materials have not been transferred and may not be available to researchers. Researchers may request access copies. To request that material be transferred, or if you are unsure if material has been transferred, please contact tamiment.wagner@nyu.edu, (212) 998-2630 with the collection name, collection number, and a description of the item(s) requested. A staff member will respond to you with further information.
Appraisal
In 2016, issues of major national news publications containing general coverage of the 9/11 attacks, which were deemed to contain minimal research value, were removed from this collection. Duplicate copies of clippings, programs, and brochures were also removed. In 2019, a curatorial decision was made during accession to not retain 6 VHS tapes and a printed booklet as they were determined to be out of scope.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Decisions regarding arrangement, description, and physical interventions for this collection prior to 2016 have not been recorded. A file list was created in 2016. At this time, folder titles were revised for clarity and consistency and files were arranged in alphabetical order.
In August 2017, one item was retroactively accessioned into the collection. This item was prepared to be moved to offsite art storage in September 2017.
Born-digital materials have not been imaged, analyzed, and arranged in Forensic Toolkit. New York University Libraries follows professional standards and best practices when imaging, ingesting, and processing born-digital material in order to maintain the integrity of the content.
At the time of accessioning in 2019, materials were placed in new acid-free boxes. All materials were organized in the order the content was received. At this time three VHS cassettes and one audiocassette with evidence of mold or other damage were identified and physically separated from the remainder of the accretion. In 2022 these materials, housed in Box 20, were removed from quarantine and isolated from other items by housing them in a polyethylene bag with a desiccated board and RH monitor strip. If this strip indicates an RH greater than 50%, contact the Preservation Department immediately. Do not open this packaging without contacting the Preservation Department.
At the time of accessioning in 2023, materials were rehoused in archival boxes and folders and added to the collection's inventory.
