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Title: JEWISH COMMUNITY COUNCIL Genre: Records Date: 1937-1984 Size: 700 linear feet ID#: 1726 OCLC: |
Scope & Contents
On January 27, 1935 the Jewish Welfare Federation convened a meeting, the Conference of Jewish Organizations including representatives of the landsmanshaften, other Yiddish speaking groups and of many secular, social, fraternal, charitable, labor, religious and Zionist groups. The purpose of that meeting was to enlist the support of these elements in a community wide campaign for funds to build a new Jewish Old Folk’s Home, as it was then called. A by-product of that meeting was an expressed insistence on the part of those convened for a greater voice and degree of participation in the affairs of the Jewish community.
The 1935 meeting authorized creation of the Committee of Twenty-One headed by Myron Keys. The committee maintained a liaison with the Federation with regard to the campaign for the home. Its agenda included the creation in Detroit of a Jewish Community Council (JCC).
The Jewish Community Council was established September 29, 1937 after two years of organizational effort as two hundred representatives from 155 Detroit Jewish organizations convened at the first delegate assembly.
This file contains documents of relevance to the operation of the organization including pamphlets, publications, correspondence, calendars, memos and newsletters. It contains a significant amount of literature generated by other organizations as well. The collection contains, among other things, anti-Semitic literature disseminated during the nineteen thirties and forties by men like Gerald K. Smith and Fr. Charles Coughlin. Issues, which concerned the Council and its committees, are well documented.
Part 1: 677 Boxes in 8 Series - [Large Files]
Series I comprises the files identified as the Executive Director series. The series consists of ten sub series. The organizations file system has, throughout its history, been numeric. The numeric system ascribes similarity to topics. Each sub series in this series represents a 100 unit in the Council filing system. The file of the Executive Director contains items pertaining to all aspects of the Council’s activity. Throughout its sixty plus year history the Council has been active and involved in a wide variety of programs which have shaped the city and the region. By examining the Executive Director collection one can see the emphasis on these topics. To Series I Box List
SUB-SERIES A: Series I, sub-series A contains materials numbered in the 100s. These are Executive Director materials related to the operation of the Jewish Community Council. Items included are minutes, correspondence, memos, news releases, clippings, reports, and other materials germane to the operation of the Council. To Series I-a Box 1+ List
SUB SERIES B: Materials in this sub series were labeled 200 in the Council file system. That group of materials dealt with the substantive work of the culture and programming committees. Areas included are: Joint Yiddish Culture Committee, Radio and Television scripts, Hebrew Courses at Wayne State University, Hebrew Courses in Detroit Schools, Jewish Community Council and Wayne State University cultural and curricular activities, the South End, the Morris Shaver Foundation, the Louis Stone Foundation, Program Planner’s Institutes, Jewish Books and Jewish Book Month, Judaic Studies Programs, Jewish Music and Jewish Music Month, Programs for Organizations, Special Events such as the Warsaw Ghetto Programs, Prayers for City Council, JCC Open House, Detroit International Freedom Festival, St. Cyprian Award, Human Rights Day observance, Laymen’s Institute, and the U.S. Bicentennial celebration. Also included are: Internal Relations activities, the poverty committee, absentee ballots, delinquency and gang activities, Merchants associations, Jewish centers, Kashruth problems and violations, Landsmanschaft Council and other neighborhood councils. The sub series further includes materials on black Jewish relations, real estate practices and complaints, problems of constituent organizations, Catholic-Jewish dialogues and mediation and conciliation cases. To Series I-b Box 46+ List
SUB SERIES C: Items in this Sub series held 300 descriptive numbers in the Council filing system. Materials included relate to areas of discrimination. The sub series includes Council activities related to discrimination in advertising, education, voting rights, government employment, housing, resorts and public accommodations and sports. The sub series also contains materials on anti -Semitism, Anti - Catholicism, George Lincoln Rockwell, and race labeling. Civil Rights material pertaining to demonstrations, sit ins and marches are also included as are activities and programs of the Fair Employment Practices Commission. To Series I-c Box 71+ List
SUB SERIES D: Materials in this sub series were identified with the numeric labeling 400, Schools and Education and Church State relations. They relate to techniques and practices, organizations and institutions, policies and individuals concerned with all forms of organized education except Jewish education. Matters containing to discrimination in education are located filed in Sub Series C. Items in this sub series include: Boards of Education, Educational Organizations, Intercultural Education, White House Conferences on Education, school milages, workshops, Parent Teacher Organizations and religion and education. To Series I-d Box 90+ List
SUB SERIES E: Items in this sub series were identified by the numeric 500 classification. They consist of ads, cartoons, books, pamphlets, film data, newspapers, plays, poems, radio and television information. The sub series contains newspaper clippings, scripts, news releases, and correspondence related to mass media items. To Series I-e Box 102+ List
SUB SERIES F: Materials in this sub series were labeled numerically 600. The category contains information about particular organizations. Examples of organizations included are: Michigan Inter-faith Seminar on International Affairs, Liberal Foundation, U.S. Committee on Refugees, Ad Hoc Committee on Human Rights and Genocide Treaties, American Friends Service Committee, University District Civil Association, Citizens Committee for Equal Opportunity, National Education Association, American Jewish Congress, B’nai B’rith. A survey of the sub series should identify the organizations that are included. To Series I-f Box 134+ List
SUB SERIES G: Materials in this sub series were filed numerically as 700s. Items filed in this numeric series continue to represent organizations. Organizations included in this series are NAACP, Urban League, SCLC, New Detroit, ORT, Union of American Hebrew Congregations, Synagogue Council of America, Yiddish Scientific Institute, Social Action groups, the United Jewish Appeal, Workmen’s Circle and Zionist Organizations. The sub series includes correspondence, minutes, memos, reports, brochures and similar materials pertinent to the Councils interaction with these varied groups. To Series I-g Box 233+ List
SUB SERIES H: Materials filed in this sub series were classified numerically in the 800 range. The main thrust of the numeric series deals with Israel and activities related to it. Items contained in this sub series include news clippings, Congressional Records, correspondence, reports and brochures on subjects such as the PLO, the American Christian Palestine Committee, the Middle East Crisis, the American Israel Society, Israel Day. Other subjects covered in this numeric sub series are communism, Americans for Democratic Action, American political parties, elections, Socialism and Nazism. To Series I-h Box 251+ List
SUB SERIES I: This small sub series contains only 2 boxes. They were the numeric 900s. The 900s were assigned to research. Items contained in this series are research related. To Series I-i Box 278+ List
SUB SERIES J: Materials in this sub series held the numeric 1000 classification. The category 1000 had been assigned to items of a general nature. Items contained in this sub series include, but are not limited to New Year’s and Christmas Cards, Immigration legislation, Inter-religious relations, the Federation of Women’s Clubs, foreign Jewish communities, passport problems and officers and staff of the Council. The types of items included are cards, pamphlets, memos, correspondence and speeches. To Series I-i Box 280+ List
Series II consists of documents relevant to the operation of the Jewish Community Council which were not filed numerically. In some instances there may be duplication, but that does not normally appear to be so. To Series II Box List
Series III contains materials related to Culture and Programming, not filed numerically, an area of major concern throughout the Council’s history. To Series III Box List
Series IV contains materials related to Discrimination, including, but not limited to employment, housing and public accommodation. This series also contains material related to anti-Semitism as well as racial bigotry. To Series IV Box List
Series V contains materials related to the committee on Church and State as well as those pertaining to concerns on schools and education. To Series V Box List
Series VI holds the materials generated and received by the Mass Media committee and its branches. To Series VI Box List
Series VII contains materials related to the organizations with which the Council has been involved either as a supportive mechanism or as a vocal opponent. To Series VII Box List
Series VIII contains material identified as addenda. Materials in this series relate to those in another series. Be sure to pay attention to the see references appended to the description of each boxes content. Items in this series can be linked to all other series.
Part 2
18.75 linear feet
17 storage boxes, 1/2 manuscript box & 1 large flat
This collection consists largely of meeting minutes and audio tapes. There is a small number of video tapes and subject files. To Part 2 List
Containers-[Large File] |
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PART 1 |
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Finding Aid end