1920-2005
Guide to the Collection
Support provided by the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts Foundation.
Restrictions on Access
The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts Records are stored offsite and must be requested at least two business days in advance via Portal1791. Researchers needing more than six items from offsite storage should provide additional advance notice. If you have questions about requesting materials from offsite storage, please contact the reference desk at 617-646-0532 or reference@ngskmc-eis.net.
There are restrictions on the use of this collection. Users must sign an agreement stating that they understand these restrictions before they will be given access to the collection.
Abstract
Records of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts (ACLUM), an affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), document the administrative, legal, legislative, and educational activities of ACLUM, the ACLU, and its other affiliates from ACLUM's founding as the Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts in 1920 to 2005. The records include legal, legislative, and subject files, ACLUM administrative records, correspondence, printed material, and other records related to the organization's attempts to protect civil rights in Massachusetts and the United States.
Historical Sketch
The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts (ACLUM), an affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), was founded just a few months before the ACLU when a small group of people met in the Beacon Hill home of Mrs. Margaret (Arthur A.) Shurcliff in Boston, Mass. in 1920. The group, "brought together by their concern with the waves of repression during and after World War I" (i.e. the "Great Red Scare" and the Palmer raids), formed the Massachusetts Civil Liberties Committee, which would soon be know as the Massachusetts Civil Liberties Union (CLUM), a name they would retain for nearly 65 years.
From the very beginning, CLUM actively battled censorship. From 1930 until the end of World War II, CLUM fought Mayor James Michael Curley when he banned birth control advocate Margaret Sanger from public speaking, opposed Curley's refusal to allow the Ku Klux Klan to meet in Boston (based on First Amendment grounds); and argued against the teachers' loyalty oath law of the mid-1930s. After the end of World War II, CLUM assisted with the creation of the Massachusetts Fair Employment Practices Commission, and in the 1950s they "became a rallying point for all religious, civic, and educational organizations opposed to McCarthyism."
The new constitutional arenas that CLUM was obliged to face after 1960 would focus on the broader issues of civil rights and the equality of rights historically denied minority groups such as African Americans, women, children, students, homosexuals, patients, the physically and mentally disabled, and prisoners. In addition to their new broader focus, in 1970 CLUM would also reorganize their administrative structure; hire a full time director, legislative agent (lobbyist), and legal director; and establish the Massachusetts Civil Liberties Union Foundation (MCLUF), their 501(c)(3) legal arm to fund litigation and education activities.
In 1995 CLUM changed its name to the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts (ACLUM) and MCLUF changed its name to the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Massachusetts (ACLUFM) to reflect their affiliation with the ACLU.
Sources
American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, The Operations Manual of the Board of Directors of the ACLU of Massachusetts and The ACLU Foundation of Massachusetts, 1996.
Collection Description
The records of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts (ACLUM), formerly the Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts (CLUM), consist of 96 record cartons, 3 document boxes and 11 oversize boxes, spanning the years 1920-2005. The records are arranged into three record groups: Record Group I, 1920-1969; Record Group II, 1927-1987 (bulk: 1970-1985); and Record Group III, 1951-2005 (bulk: 1985-2000). See the arrangement note for more information about these sections.
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) national administrative records date primarily from 1920-1985 and include correspondence, legal files, legislative files, subject files, business correspondence from ACLU national affiliates, and newsclippings. The bulk of the collection is CLUM Boston office records including administrative files, correspondence, committee records, development and membership records, legal files, legislative files, and subject files. Other records include Massachusetts Civil Liberties Union Foundation (MCLUF), now known as the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts (ACLUFM), records from 1970-1999 and CLUM chapter records from CLUM Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Worcester counties, and various student chapters.
The CLUM records are made up of annual reports, by-laws, policy statements, financial statements, officer lists, requests for legal assistance, legal case files, legal briefs, legal dockets, Massachusetts legislative files, Congressional legislative files, Massachusetts state and Congressional bills, newsletters, news releases, speeches, reports, studies, periodicals, photographs, audio tapes, hundreds of printed pamphlets, and clippings spanning 1970-1999.
Papers and briefs in the CLUM records relating to legal actions of interest illustrate a wide spectrum of civil liberty issues, including anarchy and sedition, academic freedom, censorship, compulsory flag salute, distribution of literature, loyalty oaths, public assembly, conscientious objectors, unionization, police malpractice, separation of church and state, aid to parochial schools, racial and religious discrimination, and the rights of voters, women, children, students, homosexuals, prisoners, patients, the handicapped, and the mentally ill.
Of particular interest are the papers and briefs relating to Massachusetts state-wide legal actions, such as Nicholls, Jr. v. Mayor and School Committee of Lynn (Mass.), the 1935-1939 compulsory flag salute case; Commonwealth v. Nichols (Mass.), the 1938 leaflet distribution case; Galardi v. Hague, U. S. Navy (Mass.), the 1946-1948 federal employee loyalty oath; Commonwealth v. Struik and Winner, the 1951-1956 anarchy case; Gallagher v. Crown Kosher Super Market (Mass.), the 1961-1962 censorship case; and Richardson v. Cole and Greenblatt (Mass.) the 1969 state employee loyalty oath.
State legislative efforts to abolish the Massachusetts Committee to Curb Communism (1937) and the Massachusetts Commission to Investigate Subversion (1950), as well as national legislative efforts like the lobby to abolish the Congressional House Un-American Activities Committee (1945-1970), the campaign to repeal the McCarran Act of 1950 during the McCarthy era, and the Nixon Impeachment Campaign (1973-1974) are included in the records. Of particular interest are the Federal Bureau of Investigation files requested in 1977 under the Freedom of Information Act, documenting FBI surveillance of ACLU and CLUM officers, members, and activities between 1920 and 1970.
In the 1980s and 1990s, CLUM records reflect its collaborative efforts with other organizations and individuals on various projects and coalitions. Coalitions of particular interest include the Campaign for Choice Coalition (reproductive rights) from 1983-1990, Bill of Rights Education Project from 1987-1999, and the youth-led Project Hip-Hop organization from 1992-1999, among many others. Records from the 1980s and 1990s also reflect the growth of the Massachusetts Civil Liberties Union Foundation with records documenting trustee meetings, development and fund-raising activities, and interactions with donors and members. In addition, the legal and general subject files (also called FLAPS) of the 1980s and 1990s reflected the controversies addressed by CLUM, including due process, sentencing legislation, issues with prisoners and prisons, privacy and technology, speech and censorship, drug issues, racism and hate crimes, and reproductive freedom.
Additional material include papers of CLUM Executive Secretary and academic freedom activist Kirtley F. Mather, 1936-1958, papers of CLUM Church-State Committee Chairman Dunbar Holmes, 1952-1967; the papers of CLUM Vice Chair Florence Luscomb, 1922-1977; the reading and subject files of CLUM Director John Roberts, 1986-1999; and the papers of CLUM board member and MCLUF trustee Eva Moseley, 1970-2003. In addition the collection includes legal files of United States v. Leon J. Kamin, an anarchy case, 1954-1957; and records pertaining to civil rights controversies at Boston University, most notably those relating to a First Amendment suit brought by the bu exposure against Boston University President John Silber, 1977-1984.
Arrangement
The records of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts (ACLUM), formerly the Civil Liberties of Massachusetts (CLUM), are divided into three record groups: Record Group I, 1920-1969; Record Group II, 1927-1988 (bulk: 1970-1985); and Record Group III, 1970-2005 (bulk: 1985-2000). The record group divisions are based loosely on the date ranges of the records, the record keeping practices of the organization, and how and when the records were accessioned by the MHS.
Record Groups I and II were formerly arranged and described separately. This finding aid now brings all ACLUM and CLUM records together and supersedes all other versions of the finding aid. The variations in the arrangement of the three record groups reflect the nature of the records and different styles of arrangement and description over a period of thirty-five years. Although the series are arranged in three rough chronological sequences, users should note that there is some overlap in dates across the three record groups because of filing practices in the ACLUM offices.
The bulk of the records in Record Group I span the years 1920-1969, and are arranged chronologically in one series titled Archival records. Within each chronological series, the files folders are arranged to reflect the union's hierarchy and organization. American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) administrative files are listed first, followed by alphabetical ACLU subject files. Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts (CLUM) administrative files are after the ACLU files and are followed by alphabetical subject files. Printed materials and miscellaneous are arranged at the end of each chronological series. Other series, such as the personal papers of CLUM members Kirtley F. Mather and Dunbar Holmes, and county chapter records, among other series, follow the Archival records series.
The records in Group II are arranged differently than in Group I. The ACLU records, CLUM records, and then MCLUF records are each arranged into their own series. Within these series the records are then arranged in to sub-series by office, creator, or subject. As with Group I, there are other series that are listed after the organizational records.
The records in Group III are arranged similarly to Group II, with a few exceptions. ACLU records are not the first series listed in the collection; chapter records are arranged within the CLUM administrative series, and the directors' records, coalition records, and general subject files (FLAPS), are each arranged into their own series.
Acquisition Information
The records of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts were placed on deposit at the Massachusetts Historical Society in three main accessions (with occasional additions): 1970, 1989-1991, and 2005. Additional papers were placed on deposit in 1973, 2002, and 2003.
The papers of Eva Moseley were the gift of Eva Moseley, August 2008.
The bulk of Florence Luscomb's papers were the gift of Sharon Strom, July 2016.
Restrictions on Access
The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts Records are stored offsite and must be requested at least two business days in advance via Portal1791. Researchers needing more than six items from offsite storage should provide additional advance notice. If you have questions about requesting materials from offsite storage, please contact the reference desk at 617-646-0532 or reference@ngskmc-eis.net.
There are restrictions on the use of this collection. Users must sign an agreement stating that they understand these restrictions before they will be given access to the collection.
Restrictions on Use
The records of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts have been placed on deposit at the Massachusetts Historical Society. The Massachusetts Historical Society does not claim ownership of the literary rights (copyright) to this collection. The Massachusetts Historical Society cannot give permission to publish or quote from documents to which it does not hold copyright. Use of these materials does not imply permission to publish. It is the sole responsibility of the researcher to obtain formal permission from the owners of the literary rights (copyright) to publish or quote from documents in this collection.
Records containing confidential information such as client/attorney privileged communications, medical information, social security numbers, names and addresses of individuals who donated to ACLUM, and personnel matters have been removed from this collection. If a researcher should discover materials of this nature that have inadvertently been left in the collection, s/he will notify the reference staff immediately and will make no use whatsoever of the information contained in those records.
All reproductions, including photocopies and digital photographs, are for personal use only. Personal use copies may not be donated to or deposited in other libraries or archives, or made available to other researchers, without the written permission of the Massachusetts Historical Society.
Detailed Description of Record Group I
I. Archival records, 1920-1970
Arranged alphabetically within years.
This series contains the organizational files of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts Boston office. The records document ACLUM's various administrative, legal, legislative, and educational activities within the ACLU national organization, ACLU affiliates, local, regional, and national civil liberties groups, and individuals.
The files, dating from 1920 to the early 1960's, focus on ACLUM's defense of First Amendment freedoms of speech, religion, press, and assembly during an era of heightened national fear of aliens, labor's radical subversion and their alleged communist threats to the national security. The bulk of the records, dating from 1960 to 1969, reflect the civil rights movement within Massachusetts and the United States.
Note: The files are arranged alphabetically within years. Many years overlap across two or more cartons. ACLU and CLUM files precede alphabetical topical files which are followed by miscellaneous printed material. Not all years contain each of these elements.
1920-1939
Note: Records for 1920-1939 are in one alphabetical sequence in cartons 1 and 2.
ACLU
Annual Reports, 1921-1938
Printed, 1932-1937
CLUM
Federal Communications Commission
1940
ACLU
CLUM
1941
ACLU
CLUM
Executive Committees
Financial
Legal Committee
Bill of Rights Day
1942
ACLU
CLUM
1943
ACLU
CLUM
1944
CLUM
1945
CLUM
1946
ACLU, 1946
CLUM
1947
ACLU
CLUM
1948
ACLU
CLUM
1949
ACLU
CLUM
1950
ACLU
CLUM
1951
ACLU
CLUM
1952
ACLU
CLUM
1953
ACLU
CLUM
1954
ACLU
CLUM
1955
1956
1957
ACLU
CLUM
1958
ACLU
CLUM
1959
ACLU
CLUM
1960
ACLU
CLUM
1961
ACLU
CLUM
1962
ACLU
CLUM
1963
ACLU
CLUM
1964
ACLU
CLUM
1965
ACLU
"Survey of National Office Organization and Procedures and its Relations with the Affiliates," report, 1965
CLUM
1966
ACLU
CLUM
1967
ACLU
CLUM
1968
ACLU
CLUM
1969
ACLU
CLUM
II. Newsclippings, 1929-1970
Newsclippings were assembled by the Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts main Boston office and date from 1929 to 1968. Newsclippings reflect the files in Archival records, 1920-1969.
A. Scrapbooks
Arranged chronologically.
B. Loose
Arranged chronologically by subject.
III. Kirtley F. Mather Papers, 1936-1958
These papers are the personal business files of Kirtley F. Mather, Civil Liberties Union Executive Secretary and academic freedom activist.
See also Archival records, 1920-1969.
Arranged chronologically by subject.
Academic Freedom. Barnes bill (Mass.)
IV. Dunbar Holmes papers, 1947-1970
These are the Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts business files of Dunbar Holmes, CLUM counsel and Chairman of the CLUM Church-State Committee. Arranged alphabetically by subject, they include correspondence, notes, meeting minutes, legal records, and printed materials relating to Holmes's work.
See also Archival records, 1920-1969.
V. United States v. Leon J. Kamin, 1954-1957
These files document the legal defense of 26-year-old Harvard professor Leon J. Kamin. Kamin pleaded the Fifth Amendment when asked about his past Communist Party membership by Senator Joseph McCarthy and the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Cited for contempt of court, Kamin was eventually acquitted in 1957. The records include legal files from the Boston law offices of Hill, Barlow, Goodale & Wiswall, and from Kamin's defense attorneys Calvin P. Bartlet and John L. Saltonstall, Jr.
See also Archival records, 1920-1969.
VI. Florence Luscomb papers, 1922-1978
The papers of Florence Luscomb, CLUM Vice Chair, are primarily related to state and federal efforts to investigate communist and subversive activities, particularly those of university professors in the 1950s. Although they include a small amount of Luscomb's correspondence and CLUM records, the bulk of her papers consists of printed material.
Arranged chronologically and by record type.
VII. John F. Kennedy letters, 1950-1959
1 folder of photocopies of Kennedy letters to Luther MacNair. Note: The original letters have been removed to Special Collections.
VIII. CLUM County Chapters, ca. 1950-1969
County Chapters records, ca. 1950-1969, contains correspondence, financial records, and other related materials.
See also Record Group II and Record Group III.
Arranged chronologically.
Detailed Description of Record Group II
I. American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) records, 1970-1985
These records consists of the second accession of organizational files from the Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts Boston Office and are a continuation of Archival records, 1920-1969. The records document the union's various administrative, legal, legislative, and educational activities in defense of civil rights issues and constitutional infringements between the years 1970 and 1988. Included in these records are the national Nixon Impeachment Campaign's files and the Federal Bureau of Investigation files requested by the ACLU under the Freedom of Information Act. These FBI files document intelligence surveillance of ACLU and CLUM activities, as reflected in Archival records, 1920-1969, during the years 1920 to 1970.
See also Record Group I and Record Group III.
A. American Civil Liberties Union administrative files, 1975-1984
ACLU Board of Directors
Executive Committee minutes
B. ACLU subject files, 1970-1985
Arranged alphabetically.
ACLU Lawyer. Newsletter.
II. Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts records, 1927-1988 (bulk: 1970-1985)
A. CLUM administrative files, 1971-1984
Board of Directors, Officer and Advisory Committee lists
Board of Directors monthly agenda, minutes, memorandums, financial reports, budgets, and quarterly reports.
B. CLUM Committee Files, 1970-1988
Arranged alphabetically by subject.
See also Record Group I and Record Group III.
Committee on Committees and Priorities
Church-State Committee
Legislation
Quarterly Reports,
Screening Committee
C. CLUM Office of Director, Correspondence Files, 1972-1984
See also Record Group III.
Executive Director, John W. Roberts
D. Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, Legislative Agent, Correspondence Files, 1972-1984
See also Record Group III.
E. Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, Legislative Agent, Subject Files, 1972-1985
See CLUM III for more legal subject files.
Legislative Agent, Subject Files, Karen Hudner:
Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination
F. CLUM Reading Files, 1975-1984
G. CLUM Subject Files, 1927-1987
Behavior Research Institute (BRI):
Bullet Study
Children's Rights Project
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI),
Grand Jury Reform
Handicapped Discrimination
Impeachment
Job Discrimination
Massachusetts Coalition for Human Rights
Massachusetts Research Center
Racial Imbalance
Student Rights
Voting Rights
Worcester Violent Women
H. CLUM County Chapters, 1974-1986
See also Record Group I and Record Group III.
Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, Hampden County Chapter
Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, Worcester County Chapter
Executive Board
III. Massachusetts Civil Liberties Union Foundation records, 1971-1984
A. Administrative Files, 1973-1984
B. Correspondence Files, 1974-1982
C. Fundraising records, 1973-1979
D. MCLUF Subject Files, 1971-1982
IV. Boston University, 1967-1986
Records in this series relate to the interactions of CLUM and Boston University students, faculty, and administration, concerning accusations of the BU administration's abuse of First Amendment rights. Records largely pertain to the investigation of BU's alleged censorship of the student newspaper bu exposure, including correspondence, legal documents, committee records, working files, reports, and published newspaper and magazine articles.
A. CLUM Records Relating to Boston University, 1972-1983
Included in this sub-series is correspondence between CLUM and Boston University students, faculty, and administration, including letters from BU President John Silber and Professor Howard Zinn. In January 1979, CLUM formed a Boston University Academic Freedom Committee of Inquiry to explore charges of First Amendment violations by the BU administration. Records include committee minutes, working files and draft reports, as well as the written dissent of committee member Alan Dershowitz.
Arranged chronologically within record type.
B. bu exposure Records, 1967-1983
Records of the student newspaper bu exposure mainly consist of papers gathered during the discovery phase of the lawsuit filed by CLUM against BU on the exposure's behalf. They include editorial and third party correspondence relating to the paper's long struggle with the BU administration, operational files, and working files of the newspaper's editorial offices and of student editor Terri Taylor. These files have largely been left in original order.
Arranged chronologically within record type.
C. Legal Documents, 1972-1986
Contained in this sub-series are legal documents from several trials involving Boston University, including various complaints, depositions, affidavits, and exhibits.
Arranged chronologically.
D. Printed Material, 1976-1986
This sub-series includes copies of the bu exposure (with gaps) from 1976 to 1980, issues of the BU student newspaper Daily Free Press, and other magazine and newspaper articles that cover the struggles between BU students and administration from both local and national perspectives.
Arranged chronologically.
V. Haskel A. Kassler correspondence, 1970
Correspondence of CLUM Staff Council Haskel A. Kassler from 1970.
Arranged alphabetically.
VI. Miscellaneous clipping files, 1970-1981
Miscellaneous subject files from ca. 1970s mostly contains clippings.
Detailed Description of Record Group III
I. Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts (CLUM)/American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts (ACLUM) administrative records, 1951-2001 (bulk: 1980-1999)
This series includes the records of CLUM's Board of Directors, legal correspondence and subject files, committee records, records of student and regional CLUM chapters, membership records and financial records. In 1995, CLUM changed its name to the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts (ACLUM) to reflect its relationship with its parent organization, the ACLU. Record series that span the time of the name change are referred to as CLUM/ACLUM records .
A. Board of Directors records, 1985-1999
This subseries primarily contains the monthly mailings and meeting minutes of the CLUM/ACLUM Board of Directors from 1985-1999. The mailings, usually sent out to the members of the board a few weeks prior to their monthly meeting, consist of documents and supporting materials on issues to be discussed at meetings and of interest to board members. This subseries also includes lists of board attendance from 1990-1997, and letters written and received by lawyer and President of the Board Harvey Silverglate from 1986-1994. Silverglate's letters pertain to CLUM issues and include letters written to newspapers and political figures.
Arranged chronologically by record type.
i. Board mailings and meeting minutes, 1985-1999
B. Legal records, 1951-1994
This subseries contains letters written and received by CLUM Legislative Agent Karen Hudner mostly from 1985-1994. The correspondence pertains to Hudner's various speaking engagements (mostly to children and teenagers) about civil liberties, current legislation pertaining to civil liberties and CLUM, and other legal matters.
See also Record Group II.
Arranged chronologically.
ii. Legal subject files, 1951-1994 [bulk: 1970-1989]
This subseries contains subject files kept primarily by Legislative Agent Karen Hudner and her staff. Subject files include notes, newspaper clippings, correspondence, reports, and other legal documents of interest to CLUM. Some files are more complete than others.
Arranged alphabetically by subject.
Abortion, 1970-1984
Old Cambridge Baptist Church, 1984-1986
Prisons
Privacy
Search and seizure
Sentencing
Arranged chronologically.
Speech
iii. Miscellaneous legal documents, 1973-1989
Arranged chronologically.
C. Communications records, 1985-1999
This subseries contains CLUM/ACLUM press releases from 1985-1999, and a small collection of letters written and received by CLUM Director of Communications Mackie McLeod from 1986-1987 pertaining to representation of civil liberty and CLUM in print and television, among other media.
Arranged chronologically by record type.
D. Committee records, 1977-2001
This subseries consists of CLUM/ACLUM committee records from 1977-2001, including meeting minutes, notes, correspondence, member lists, and other related materials. Committees are created by the board of directors or the president, who also appoints the committee chairs. Some committees are permanent, some are created on an ad hoc basis to deal with specific issues, and all are open to CLUM/ACLUM members. Some committee records are more complete than others.
For other committee records dated 1970-1986 see Record Group I and Record Group II
Arranged alphabetically by committee.
Note: The Legislative committee and the Crime and Justice committee were joined from April 1990-1991. All joint committee records are located here under Crime and Justice.
Note: The Legislative committee and the Crime and Justice committee were joined from April 1990-1991. See Crime and Justice for all joint committee records.
Management committee, 1983-1999
Public education committee, 1977-1989
E. Chapter records, 1986-2000
This subseries contains the records of the various CLUM/ACLUM Chapters from 1986-2000, including regional and student chapters at colleges and universities in the Boston area. Records include correspondence, organizational and development records, event announcements, and newsclippings. Some of the chapter records are more complete than others.
See also Record Group I and Record Group II.
Campus chapters, 1987-2000
Western Massachusetts chapter, 1987-1999
F. Membership records, 1973-1993
This subseries contains records pertaining to CLUM membership from 1973-1993, including membership mailings, annotated drafts and form letters sent to prospective and current members, and membership information from other organizations.
Arranged chronologically by subject.
Mailings to prospective members, 1984-1989
G. Financial records, 1984-2000
This subseries contains financial records created and maintained by CLUM/ACLUM from 1984-2000. The subseries includes loose financial records from 1984-1990, annual reports on audits from 1989-2000, and the operating expenses for CLUM's office space on Temple Place in Boston. Combined financial statements with the Massachusetts Civil Liberties Union Foundation are also located here.
Arranged chronologically by record type.
H. Miscellaneous administrative records, 1983-1999
This subseries contains Miscellaneous administrative records from 1983-1999. Records include correspondence, a copy of the "The Civil Liberties Songbook" from 1991, and other miscellaneous records.
Arranged chronologically by record type.
II. Massachusetts Civil Liberties Union Foundation (MCLUF) records, 1974-1999 (bulk: 1980-1999)
This series contains the records of the Massachusetts Civil Liberties Union Foundation (MCLUF), an organization founded to raise tax-exempt founds to support the work of the Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts and the American Civil Liberties Union. It includes records of the trustees, correspondence, development and fundraising records, and financial records. In 1995, the foundation changed its name to the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Massachusetts to reflect its association with its national counterpart, the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation. Record series that span the time of the name change are referred to as MCLUF/ACLUFM records.
A. Trustees' records, 1980-1999
This subseries contains the records of the MCLUF/ACLUFM trustees from 1980-1999. The trustee records primarily consist of meeting minutes and related materials, and include discussion of budgets, fundraising activities, and annual plans.
Arranged chronologically by subject.
B. Correspondence, 1980-1996
This subseries contains correspondence written and received by MCLUF/ACLUFM staff, trustees, and Director John Roberts from 1980-1996. The administrative correspondence includes internal and external letters and memos pertaining to ongoing projects, fund-raising efforts, and the daily Activities of MCLUF/ACLUFM. The direct mailings include drafts and copies of form letters written to CLUM members and prospective members requesting financial support and membership renewal.
Arranged chronologically.
C. Development and fundraising records, 1974-1997
This subseries contains records pertaining to MCLUF/ACLUFM development and fundraising from 1981-1997, including development plans, fundraising events such as the annual Bill of Rights Dinner, publications, new member recruitment, and other activities. This subseries also contains some records pertaining to grant proposal research, preparation, and grants/funds maintenance.
Arranged alphabetically by subject.
Fund-raising events, programs, and plans, 1974-1997
D. Financial records, 1982-1996
This subseries contains financial records created and maintained by MCLUF/ACLUFM from 1982-1996. The subseries includes annual audits from 1983-1989 (with gaps) with support documents, records pertaining to financial reconciliation between MCLUF and ACLUF from 1982-1989, donor analysis graphs from 1987-1989, and other miscellaneous financial records.
Arranged chronologically by subject.
E. MCLUF miscellaneous records, 1978-1995
This subseries contains miscellaneous administrative records from 1984-1992 including records pertaining to the management of the MCLUF database from 1984 and 1987-1992, among other administrative records.
Arranged chronologically by subject.
III. John Roberts's Records, 1975-2001
See also Record Group II.
A. Reading files, 1975-1999
Arranged chronologically.
This subseries contains the reading files of CLUM/ACLUM's Executive Director John Roberts from 1986-1999 (bulk: 1986-1989 and 1998-1999), including copies of outgoing letters and memos written by Roberts, meeting minutes, and other related materials. The letters and memos pertain to all facets of CLUM/ACLUM and MCLUF/ACLUFM activities and include individual letters written to members of the general public and internal memos to staff. Outgoing letters were usually written in response to requests for help with potential civil liberty issues and are often accompanied by copies of the requester's letter or the intake and referral forms (filled out by CLUM staff when a request for help is made over the phone).
B. Subject files, 1976-2001
Arranged alphabetically.
This subseries contains subject files kept by CLUM/ACLUM director John Roberts from 1976 to 2001. Subject files include notes, newspaper clippings, correspondence, reports, and other documents pertaining to various topics of interest. Some files are more thorough than others.
See also Legal Subject Files and Subject Files (Flaps).
Censorship
Church/State
Individuals
Issues
Projects
Schools
IV. Eva Moseley Papers, 1970-2003
This series contains the papers of Eva Moseley, who from 1978 to 2003 served in various capacities in both CLUM/ACLUM and the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Massachusetts. These papers include correspondence, CLUM/ACLUM board records from her tenure as Board Secretary, records from CLUM's Nominating and Public Education and Colloquium Committees, ACLUFM trustees' records, fundraising records, various ACLU and ACLUM printed material, and clippings related to ACLUM issues and events. Many records contain Moseley's handwritten notations.
A. Correspondence, 1978-2002
Arranged chronologically.
B.CLUM/ ACLUM Records, 1980-1996
Arranged chronologically within each record type.
C. American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Massachusetts Records, 1980-2003
Arranged chronologically within each record type.
D. Printed Material, 1970-2002
Arranged chronologically within each record type.
V. Coalition records, 1980-2002
This series contains records pertaining to various coalitions, and other similar organizations, in which CLUM/ACLUM created, lead, or participated from 1980-2002. The coalition records relate to a wide variety of civil liberty issues, including abortion, affirmative action, immigrants and refugees, police practice, and sex offenders, among other topics. The bulk of the subseries consists of records pertaining to CLUM/ACLUM's Bill of Rights Education project from 1987-1999, including project descriptions and time lines, records relating to the youth-oriented Project Hip Hop, fundraising and donor information, press coverage, and other related materials.
Arranged alphabetically.
Bill of Rights Education project, 1987-1999
Project Hip-Hop
Potential funders, 1987-1999
Arranged alphabetically.
VI. American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) records, 1980-1996
This series contains records created by the national ACLU from 1980-1996. The series primary contains form letters, memos, and newsletters received by CLUM from 1987-1992 and 1996, pertaining to national civil liberty issues and organizational updates. In addition, the series records from 1986-1991 pertaining to the Annual ACLU Executive Directors Conference. Conference records include correspondence, conference schedules, and other related materials. The series also contains a small amount of form letters and memos from ACLUF, primarily pertaining to national membership and fundraising; records pertaining to the ACLU Biennial Conference in 1989; and other miscellaneous ACLU records.
See also Record Group I and Record Group II
A. ACLU correspondence, 1980-1999 (with gaps)
B. ACLU subject files, 1986-1991
VII. Subject files, 1972-1999
This series contains subject files (also called Flaps) that were kept in the main CLUM offices in Boston. Subject files pertain to a variety of CLUM activities and interests and consists of newspaper clippings, memos, correspondence, printed material, and notes.
Arranged alphabetically.
Drugs
Due process
Speech (and assembly)
VIII. CLUM printed materials, ca. 1975-2005
This series contains publications from 1983-2005, including CLUM/ACLUM's newspaper The Docket, which is printed about twice a year; the Bill of Rights Network, a newsletter produced quarterly by the Bill of Rights Education Project; and The Rising Times, a newspaper produced several times a year by the group Project Hip-Hop. This series also contains a variety of clipping pertaining to CLUM/ACLUM and the ACLU from 1980-1999.
See also Record Group I and Record Group II
A. CLUM/ACLUM publications, 1980-2005
B. Clippings, 1980-1999
See also Record Group I.
C. Brochures, invitations, and programs, ca. 1975-1997
This subseries contains various CLUM/ACLUM and ACLU (national and regional) printed materials including programs, invitations, and brochures from the 1980s and 1990s that were not arranged within other series. The subseries also includes an ACLU calendar from 1997, a small assortment of non-ACLU programs and invitations, and other misc. printed materials.
D. Miscellaneous printed materials, n.d.
Preferred Citation
American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Historical Society.
Access Terms
This collection is indexed under the following headings in ABIGAIL, the online catalog of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related persons, organizations, or subjects should search the catalog using these headings.