ELWYN B. ROBINSON DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
CHESTER FRITZ LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA 58202

NORTH DAKOTA CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION RECORDS

COLLECTION: OGL# 1221

DATES: 1989 - 1991

SIZE:4.5 linear feet

INTRODUCTION

ACQUISITION: The North Dakota Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union Records were deposited in the Orin G. Libby Manuscript Collection by Jane Summers, NDACLU Activities Coordinator on 31 October 1990 (Acc.#91-1735), 12 April 1991 (Acc.#91-1762), and 20 November 1991.

ACCESS: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Department of Special Collections.

HISTORICAL SKETCH

In October 1917, the National Civil Liberties Bureau (NCLB) separated from the parent organization of Civil Liberties Bureau. Under the guidance of founder Roger Baldwin, the NCLB's main objective was defending the civil liberties of World War I conscientious objectors and American communists. On 20 January 1920, the NCLB changed its name to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The ACLU has since expanded its objective to include defense against most civil rights infringements. The ACLU is especially interested in taking cases that can lead to constitutional changes at the federal level. The North Dakota Chapter deals with civil liberty issues at the state, regional, and national levels.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The North Dakota Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union Records date from 1989 to 1991 and consists of six series as follows:

SERIES I: GENERAL ORGANIZATION MATERIALS
Materials include minutes and reports of the Board of Directors, National Board, and Foundation Board dating from February 1989 - September 1991; directories; ACLU policies dating from October 1988 - September 1991; fund raising materials dating from December 1989; and memos concerning positions of employments.

SERIES II: BIENNIAL CONFERENCE
Materials include memos, bulletins, and letters concerning the planning and final reports of the conference; and topic papers.

SERIES III: ACLU AFFILIATES
Materials include correspondence between the affiliates and the national headquarters; State Legislative updates; Supreme Court reviews; and awards and speakers.

SERIES IV: SPECIALIZED AREAS OF INTEREST
Materials include letters, memos, papers, and newspaper articles covering specific issues in which the ACLU is involved. These issues include free speech and association, censorship, education, and reproductive rights.

SERIES V: NORTH DAKOTA CHAPTER OF THE ACLU
Materials include newspaper clippings, memos, letters concerning the activities of the NDACLU in North Dakota and in the Northern Region of the ACLU, of which NDACLU is a member.

SERIES VI: ACLU PRESS CLIPS
Materials include newspaper clippings from national newspapers sent to the ACLU headquarters then redistributed to all affiliates. Topics range from civil liberties infringements to editorials for and against the ACLU.

BOX AND FOLDER INVENTORY

SERIES I: GENERAL ORGANIZATION MATERIALS
Box 1
Folder

  1. Board of Directors, Feb. 1989 - June 1991, appointments and elections.
  2. Board of Directors, Sept. 1990 - Sept. 1991, At-Large Elections.
  3. Board of Directors, 1990-1991 Board meeting agendas.
  4. Board of Directors, May 1990 - Dec. 1990. Interim Reports; Fairness Doctrine; and Survey on Racial Issues.
  5. Executive Committee Minutes, Oct. 1989 - Mar. 1991.
  6. Directories--Board of Directors and Affiliate Directories.
  7. Foundation Board minutes, Oct. 1989 - Mar. 1991.
  8. National Board minutes, Jan. 1990 - Oct. 1990.
  9. National Board minutes, Jan. 1991 - June 1991.
  10. Policies, Oct. 1988 - Mar. 1991. Due Process Committee; revised sentencing policy no. 242.
  11. Policies, Oct. 1989 - Sept. 1991. Policies and revisions.
  12. Policies, Nov. 1990 - Apr. 1991. Policy on lobbying.
  13. Combined Federal Campaign, Apr. 1990 - Jan. 1991. Membership income and Grants and Subsidies.
  14. Cumulative Income 1990-1991, Dec. 1989 - Oct. 1991. Proposed 1991 budgets.
  15. Special Appeal Letters; Planned Giving Letters; and High Dollar Foundation Donor Appeal Letters, Dec. 1989 - July 1991.
  16. Sustaining Member Newsletters, 27 Apr. 1990 - 27 Sept. 1991.
  17. Wave Prospect Mailing, Dec. 1989 - July 1991.
  18. Positions open; Positions filled; Biographical sketches; retirements; and resignations, 1989 -1991.
  19. ACLU Publications, Feb. 1990 - Oct. 1991. Lists of printed and published materials concerning the ACLU and civil liberties.

SERIES II: BIENNIAL CONFERENCE

  1. 1989 Biennial Conference. Biennial Conference Report, Nov. 1989.
  2. 1991 Biennial Conference, Dec. 1989 - Sept. 1991. Memos and bulletins.
  3. 1991 Biennial Conference. Papers on: "Racism and Multiculturalism"; "Affirmative Action"; ACLU and International Civil Liberties" "Euthanasia"; and"Bias-Related Crime Legislation".
  4. 1991 Biennial Conference. Papers on: "Life and Death after Cruzan"; "Legislative Redistricting"; “ACLU and International Civil Liberties"; "What is the ACLU Biennial Conference?"; "Racism and the Immigrant Experience"; "Students Rights"; and attendance.

SERIES III:ACLU AFFILIATES

  1. Affiliate Directors, Nov. 1989 - July 1991. Weekly Central Files Update and Weekly Central Files and Congressional Vote Update.
  2. Affiliates, June 1990 - July 1991. Memos from the Chapter affiliates.
  3. Affiliates, Feb. 1989 - Aug. 1991. Memos to the Chapter affiliates.
  4. Affiliates. Awards and speakers, 1989 -1991, and ACLU 1990 calendar.
  5. Affiliates, Feb. 1990 - Aug. 1991. State Legislative Activity; National Legislation Briefing Book Update; and Current Legislative Documents.
  6. Affiliates. Summary of Supreme Court Docket 1991 and Preview of the 1991 Supreme Court Term, 3 Oct. 1991.

SERIES IV:SPECIALIZED AREAS OF INTEREST

  1. Civil Rights Act of 1990, Jan. 1990 - Aug. 1991. Memos and newsletters.

Box 2
Folder

  1. Censorship, June 1990 - Aug. 1991. Censorship News no. 1-3, 1990; 2 Live Crew; Art; and Pornography.
  2. Children's Rights, Dec. 1989 - May 1991. "Kids have rights too...but what are they?"; Corporal Punishment in schools; and "Your Rights in School and in the Community" [New York].
  3. Church and State Committee, Jan. 1990 - July 1991. Decision of the Supreme Court in Employment v. Smith and Coral Ridge Ministries.
  4. Crime, Jan. 1991 - Oct. 1991. Capital Punishment; United States v. Curtis; and Bibliography of Materials on Women in Prison.
  5. Crime. Community Corrections, July 1991. Memos and letters.
  6. Crime, Apr. 1990 - Aug. 1990. Criminal Code Recodification; USA, Kropt v. State of Michigan; and Crime Bill.
  7. Crime. Expert Witness Fees, June 1990, and Extraterritorial Arrests, Sept. 1991.
  8. Crime. Policy Brutality 1991; On The Line: Police Brutality and its Remedies, Apr. 1991; and Police Misconduct.
  9. Crime. AIDS and Prisons: The Facts; Private Prisons; and Prison Assistance Directory.
  10. Crime. Racial Justice Act and Edmonson v. Leesville.
  11. Drug Crisis. Drug Forfeiture; War on Drugs; memos and newsletters.
  12. Drug Crisis. Manuel Noriega, 4 Jan. 1990; "Drugs, Noriega, and the ACLU," 16 Feb. 1990.
  13. Drug Crisis. Performance Testing v. Drug Testing; Needle Exchanges; and Pregnancy and Drug Addiction. Memos and letters.
  14. Education, May 1991 - Oct. 1991. Educational Segregation.
  15. Education, Sept. 1990 - Aug. 1991. Equal Educational Opportunities for Pregnant and Parenting Students; School Desegregation; and Public Education Showcase.
  16. Employment, Oct. 1990 - June 1991. Affirmative Action. Memos and letters.
  17. Employment. Genetic Screening in the Workplace. Memos and letters.
  18. Employment. National Task Force on Civil Liberties in the Work Place - 1990.
  19. Employment. National Task Force on Civil Liberties in the Work Place - 1991.
  20. Employment. Special committee on HR 3939 (the "strike breaker's act"), 1990.
  21. Employment. Teamster Fair Election Project, July 1991.
  22. Fair Housing. National Public Housing Asset Forfeiture Project, 1990; Environmental Racism,1991; and Fair Housing Act Project, 1991.
  23. Free Speech and Association Committee, Dec. 1989-Apr. 1991. Racism and Racist Speech; Skinheads and White Supremacists; Loyalty- Security Policies; and flag burning.
  24. Free Speech and Association Committee. Regulation of Political Parties, 1990, and Geary v. Renne,1991.
  25. Free Speech and Association Committee. Proposed policy on plural marriages, 1990.
  26. Homeless Persons. Homeless Docket, 1991, and First Amendment Challenges to Anti-Begging Ordinance, 1991.
  27. Indian Rights Committee, Mar. 1990 - Sept. 1990. Reports on Hatch Bill.
  28. Lesbians and Gays, Sept. 1990 - Aug. 1991. Gay/Lesbian Rights.
  29. Lesbian and Gay Policy Network, May 1990 - Dec. 1990.
  30. Lesbian and Gay Policy Network, Feb. 1991 - May 1991.
  31. Lesbian and Gay Policy Network, July. 1991 - Oct. 1991.
  32. Medical, 1990-1991. Americans with Disabilities Act; Family and Medical Leave Act; Receiving and Withholding Medical Treatment.
  33. Medical/AIDS Policy, Apr. 1990 - Sept. 1990. ACLU AIDS Policy Update.
  34. Medical/AIDS Policy, Oct. 1990 - Apr. 1991. ACLU AIDS Policy Update.
  35. Medical/AIDS Policy. Epidemic of Fear, 1990.
  36. Medical/HIV. HIV-infected Health Care Workers and HIV Testing in the Health Care Setting, 1991.
  37. Military, Jan. 1991 - Apr. 1991. Conscientious Objectors.
  38. Military, Nov. 1990 - Feb. 1991. Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
  39. Military, Sept. 1990 - Nov. 1990. ROTC Discrimination-Anti-Gay Policy.
  40. Military. Youth and Militarism Directory, 1990.

Box 3
Folder

  1. National Voter Registration Act. HR 2190. 1990.
  2. Privacy Committee, Mar. - Apr. 1990. Automatic Number Identification.
  3. Racial Discrimination. Pan-Am discrimination against Arab-Americans and "Alien" Terrorist Removal, 1990.
  4. Reproductive Freedom Project, 1990. UAW v Johnson Controls, Inc.; Title X; Medicaid and Abortion; and Stoners v George Washington University.
  5. Reproductive Freedom Project, 1991. Rust v Sullivan; Title X Gag Rule; and Reproductive Freedom Project Newsletter.
  6. Reproductive Rights Update, 22 June 1990 - 31 May 1991.
  7. Supreme Court Nominee, 1990. David H. Souter. "Civil Liberties Record of David H. Souter," 30 Aug. 1991.
  8. Supreme Court Nominee, 1991. Clarence Thomas. 3 July 1991 - 8 Aug. 1991.
  9. Supreme Court Nominee, 1991. Clarence Thomas. 9 Aug. 1991 - 16 Oct. 1991.

SERIES V:NORTH DAKOTA CHAPTER OF THE ACLU

  1. NDACLU, Apr. 1989 - Dec. 1989. Letters and memos.
  2. NDACLU, Jan. 1990 - Sept. 1990. Letters and memos.
  3. Abortion Issue, Jan. - Feb. 1991. Newspaper clippings, editorials and reports.
  4. Abortion Issue, Mar. 1991. Newspaper clippings; ND Legislature pass restrictive abortion bill.
  5. Abortion Issue, Apr. 1991. Newspaper clippings; Gov. George Sinner vetoes the restrictive bill; and proposals to put the abortion issue to the voters.
  6. Abortion Issue, Aug. 1991. Lambs of Christ in Fargo and abortion protests in Fargo and Kansas City, KS.
  7. Abortion Issue, July -Nov. 1991. Newspaper clippings; abortion protests; and cost of jailing protesters.
  8. Church and State. North Dakota Chancellor Candidate Judith Sturnick and Keene College, May 1991, and "Minute of prayer costs $50. a day" for House and Senate.
  9. Crime, Feb. 1991 - Apr. 1991. Prison Sentences for drug dealers; Inmate sues; Testifying via video tape; and rape verdict.
  10. Discrimination. "Grand Forks needs a minority officer for discrimination" and Report of the Mayor's Subcommittee on Discrimination To Mayor Mike Polovitz, 20 Apr. 1991.

Box 4
Folder

  1. Freedom of Speech, Jan. 1991 - Apr. 1991. Political advertisements and the 'truth'; Freedom to be heard; Politically Correct Speech; Bill to protect rights of those who display political posters; and the limits on free speech caused by the Persian Gulf War.
  2. North Dakota Legislature. 1991. Journal of the Senate: Fifty-Second Legislative Assembly and Journal of the House: Fifty-Second Legislative Assembly.
  3. Pro-Choice. ACLU/Pro-Choice Analysis and Report on the North Dakota Legislative Session of 1991.
  4. Women's Conference, Feb. 1991. Conference involving the American Association of University Women, North Dakota Women's Network, Commission on the Status of Women, and The National Women and the Law Association. NDACLU's Jane Summers gave a presentation.

SERIES VI:ACLU PRESS CLIPS

Box 5
Folder

  1. ACLU Press Clips, 5 Jan. - 16 Feb. 1989.
  2. ACLU Press Clips, 16 Mar. - 15 Dec. 1989.
  3. ACLU Press Clips, 11 Jan. 1990 - 27 Apr. 1990.
  4. ACLU Press Clips, 4 May - 30 June 1990.
  5. ACLU Press Clips, 6 July - 31 Aug. 1990.
  6. ACLU Press Clips, 7 Sept. - 26 Oct. 1990.
  7. ACLU Press Clips, 2 Nov. - 28 Dec. 1990.
  8. ACLU Press Clips, 18 Jan. 1991 - 22 Feb. 1991.
  9. ACLU Press Clips, 1 Mar. - 19 Apr. 1991.
  10. ACLU Press Clips, 19 Apr. - 17 May 1991.
  11. ACLU Press Clips, 7 June - 12 July 1991.
  12. ACLU Press Clips, 19 July - 16 Aug. 1991.
  13. ACLU Press Clips, 23 Aug. - 20 Sept. 1991.
  14. ACLU Press Clips, 27 Sept. - 18 Oct. 1991.
  15. ACLU The National Prison Project Journal, Spring 1990 - Summer 1991 and Civil Liberties Alert, Nov/Dec 1990.

SEPARATIONS RECORD

In addition to these series, there are oversized newspaper articles and clippings from North Dakota concerning the abortion issue. There are also two different sets of newspapers published by the ACLU. One is called the American-Israeli Civil Liberties Coalition, Inc. dated Spring 1991. The other is the American Civil Liberties Union dated from Spring 1990 - Winter 1990/1991. Lastly, there is a poster called "Which One Has Been Censored?" All of this material has been placed in the Orin G. Libby Manuscript Collection oversized material cabinet.

 Original Donation: 1989-1991  First Addition: 1991
 Second Addition: 1989-1993  Third Addition: 1987-1993

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