Northwest Ohio Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union records

The Northwest Ohio ACLU collection contains a variety of record types, the majority of which date from its founding in 1953 through the 2000s. The collection includes minutes, correspondence, reports, newsletters, press clippings, audio/visual material, subject and case files, and financial records which are arranged chronologically and separated by state and regional categories. The Northwest Ohio ACLU records are filed first, followed by the records of other regional chapters and then the Ohio Civil Liberties Union records. The bulk of material consists of Board of Directors minutes, committee proceedings, and correspondence. Minutes of the OCLU (1954 – 1998) and the Northwest Ohio ACLU (1954 – 2010) Board of Directors meetings reflect concern over issues such as McCarthyism, censorship and civil rights in Ohio and locally. Though there are some gaps in general minutes, the Northwest Ohio ACLU Board of Directors minutes are fairly complete, thus providing the researcher an opportunity to observe the local organization's activities over time.

OCLU position statements, available for the years 1953 through the 1990s (although scattered), are especially valuable as they contain drafts of national and state positions on legislation and controversial issues. Subject files include several which document the beginnings and varied activities of the Northwest Ohio ACLU. These files document this chapter's involvement with such programs as the Court Observer Program and the Jail Improvement League for the Toledo and Northwest Ohio area.

Financial records available for both the Northwest Ohio ACLU and the OCLU from the 1970s through the 1990s, and illustrate the financial relationship and problems faced by these two chapters of a national organization. Most of the financial reports are separately filed, however, some of the more current reports are located with the Board of Directors minutes. The printed material within this collection includes information of historical interest on state and local levels. Unfortunately, newsletters of the OCLU (1954 – 1999) are very scattered. The Northwest Ohio ACLU publications (1968 – 1969, 1980 – 1994) contain local committee reports and summaries of business conducted at meetings.

This collection also includes case files (1954 to 2008) and membership records (1950s, 1972 to 2008) that are closed to public access as specified in the Deed of Gift agreement, which stipulates that access to these materials must be approved in advance through a consultation with the Head Librarian, Center for Archival Collections. Confidential materials are marked as such in their respective folder names and box numbers in this finding aid.

This collection provides insight into the structure and activities of the local ACLU as well as other regional and the state offices; and also illustrates how a community, state and nation respond to civil rights issues.

CONSTITUTIONS/ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION' 1967 – (NWO – ACLU); 1953 - (OCLU); undated (UT-ACLU); arranged by level of organization and within, chronologically. Contains rules governing proceedings, election of officers, agency policy.

NORTHWEST OHIO ACLU BOARD OF DIRECTORS MINUTES; 1954 -; arranged chronologically. Includes minutes of board meetings, agendas, committee reports, attendance, financial reports and some correspondence.

NORTHWEST OHIO ACLU GENERAL MEETING MINUTES; (1953?), 1956, 1966, 1968 -; arranged chronologically. Includes minutes of the general meetings, committee reports, financial reports, information on annual dinner meetings.

NORTHWEST OHIO ACLU INFORMATION/POLICIES MANUAL; 1982, 1988; arranged chronologically. Includes an information manual on organization and procedures of the local chapter and a policies manual providing all position statement and policies of the ACLU.

NORTHWEST OHIO ACLU COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS; 1954 -; Executive Committee separately filed, all others filed together in chronological order Contains rosters, correspondence, minutes for such committees as executive, nominating and operations.

NORTHWEST OHIO ACLU MEMBERSHIP (CONFIDENTIAL); 1953 – 1956, 1972 -; arranged chronologically. Contains rosters, correspondence, interest and involvement questionnaires, solicitation letters, obituaries.

OCLU BOARD OF DIRECTORS MINUTES; 1954 -; arranged chronologically. Contains minutes of state board meetings, memos, agendas, and reports.

OCLU COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS' 1954 – 1957, 1974 – 1978, 1984' arranged chronologically. Includes state minutes, reports, committee assignments for such committees as executive, finance, general, legal and audit – review.

OCLU MEMBERSHIP (CONFIDENTIAL); 1954 – 1956, 1973 – 1075, 1980 – 1981; Includes number of new and renewing members in the Akron, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Oberlin, Toledo, Youngstown and Yellow Springs chapters. 1981 material includes statistical report.

NORTHWEST OHIO ACLU CORRESPONDENCE; 1953 – 1957, 1960 – 1969, 1972 – 1977, 1979 -; arranged chronologically. Includes letters pertaining to the origins of the local chapter, incoming and outgoing mail on national, state and local levels.

OCLU CORRESPONDENCE; 1955, 1957, 1975 -; arranged chronologically. Includes interagency memos from the state headquarters, directions to local chapters, some incoming letters and working papers.

OCLU POSITION STATEMENTS; 1954 – 1981, undated; arranged chronologically. Includes drafts of OCLU positions on legislation, controversial political and social issues.

CHAPTER ORIGINS/BULLEY CASE; 1951 – 1960; arranged chronologically. Includes memoirs by Dorothy Knoke and copies of correspondence and clippings from the Bulley case.

WOMEN'S RIGHTS; 1955, 1974 – 1975, 1991 – 1994; arranged chronologically. Includes ACLU position statements on ERA, rape laws, national women's rights project.

CHURCH AND STATE CASES; 1966 – 1986, 2001; arranged chronologically. Includes correspondence, newspaper clippings and articles.

DR. SPOCK FILE; 1968; arranged chronologically; Includes correspondence, photographs, newspaper clippings and program of Dr. Spock's talk before members.

OBSERVER PROGRAM; 1969, 1973 – 1974, undated; arranged chronologically. Includes pamphlets, training literature, lists of meetings, questionnaires, court rules pertaining to a Toledo program on monitoring trial proceedings to insure fairness.

WHITE POWER; 1971; arranged chronologically. Includes flyer, correspondence on white power movement.

LUCAS COUNTY JAIL; 1973 – 1974; arranged chronologically. Includes material from the NWO – ACLU jail committee such as correspondence, pamphlets, fact sheets, Jail Improvement League roster.

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY PLANNING ASSOCIATION; 1981 – 1982; arranged chronologically. Includes board and nominating committee minutes and correspondence.

CATHOLIC LECTURE/TEACHING ISSUES – UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO; 1992 – 1993; arranged chronologically. Includes news clippings, notes and correspondence.

DEATH PENALTY; 1997 – 2001; arranged chronologically. Includes news clippings, pamphlets, correspondence.

RACIAL PROFILING; 1999 – 2000; arranged chronologically. Includes news clippings, correspondence, articles.

FRANK WILKINSON VISIT/NATIONAL COMMITTEE AGAINST REPRESSIVE LEGISLATION; 1999 – 2000; arranged chronologically. Includes news clippings, articles, correspondence, advertising materials.

CLOSED CASE FILES (CONFIDENTIAL); 1954 – 1958, 1962, 1974 -; arranged by type of case (correspondence/telephone) and within, chronologically. Includes northwest Ohio calls, letters, description of complaints and follow – up reports and referrals.

GENERAL SUBJECT FILES; 1971 – 1988, undated; arranged by title of subject and within, chronologically. Includes files on such topics as abortion, death penalty, peace, free speech, civil liberties, and award honorees of the Northwest Ohio ACLU affiliate. Files include articles, correspondence, and other materials pertaining to the subject.

OCLU LEGAL DOCKET; 1971 – 1972, 1976, 1986, 1990 – ; arranged chronologically. Includes a report on Ohio civil liberties cases which lists attorneys, court/agency and judicial status of the cases. Also includes status of 1971 – 1972 Supreme Court decision on ACLU cases.

NORTHWEST OHIO ACLU FINANCES; 1970 – 1977, 1979 -; arranged chronologically. Includes financial records, correspondence, yearly and monthly expenses, treasurer's reports, lists of contributors and paid members, policy on attorney's fees.

OCLU FINANCES; 1956 – 1957, 1972 – 1981 (more current financial reports located with the Board of Directors minutes); arranged chronologically. Includes foundation expenses, proposed budgets, fundraising projects, state affiliate incomes, case costs, financial statements.

NORTHWEST OHIO ACLU PUBLICITY; 1955 – 1976, 1980 -; arranged chronologically. Includes news releases, public relations guide, some correspondence, Toledo Blade clippings.

NORTHWEST OHIO ACLU NEWSLETTERS – “THE LEGACY”; 1968 – 1969, 1980 – 1994; arranged chronologically. Includes local committee reports, minutes, meeting attendance.

NORTHWEST OHIO ACLU PROGRAMS; 1970, 1972 -; arranged chronologically. Includes agendas of annual dinner meetings and special programs.

OCLU NEWSLETTERS; 1954 – 1956, 1970 – 1978, 1980 – 1999; arranged by title and within, chronologically. Includes “Civil Liberties” and “Ohio Civil Liberties.”

OCLU PROGRAMS; 1974 -; arranged chronologically. Contains biographical rosters of OCLU award recipients and dinner meeting agendas.

OCLU PAMPHLETS/NEWS ARTICLES; 1977, 1978, 1985 -; arranged chronologically. Includes pamphlets on rights of citizens and articles on various civil liberties issues

NORTHWEST OHIO ACLU PHOTOGRAPHS; 1998, 2002, undated; arranged chronologically. Photographs of ACLU members and honorees taken at various banquet events

NORTHWEST OHIO ACLU NEGATIVES; 1998; arranged chronologically. Negatives taken during an unknown banquet event

NORTHWEST OHIO ACLU AUDIO CASSETTE; 1998; arranged chronologically. One audio recording of a speech made at the affiliate’s 1988 Annual Dinner

NORTHWEST OHIO ACLU VIDEO CASSETTE; 1966; arranged chronologically. One recording of a 1966 Armed Forces Day protest in Lucas County.

NORTHWEST OHIO ACLU ARTWORK; 1991; A pen and ink, hand drawn mock-up for the cover of the 1991 Annual Dinner program featuring portraits of prominent civil rights leaders from 1791 – 1991