CUNY DIGITAL HISTORY ARCHIVE

A participatory project to collect and preserve the histories of the City University of New York

We found 45 items that match your search.

Newt Davidson Parody: Memo to Gov. Rockefeller on CUNY Planning

This recently discovered (August 2017) document from the papers of historian Judith Stein, is the only extant example of what preceded the Crisis at CUNY brochure. As explained in the interview done with four members of the Newt Davidson Collective, [...]

Minutes from 4/8/1965 CCNY Faculty Council Meeting

In these notes from a liberal arts and sciences faculty council meeting at City College, CCNY President Gallagher describes a tentative plan to admit 100 “disadvantaged” students into an experimental program in fall 1965. After discussion, the [...]

Minutes of April 1965 CCNY "Special Committee"

One week after CCNY President Buell Gallagher obtained faculty approval for its creation, he sat in on this “Special Committee” meeting chaired by Bernard Levy to begin to plan a new racial and social justice admissions and support program that [...]

The Pre Baccalaureate Program at the College

In this December 1966 City College Alumnus article, Leslie Berger publicly describes and advocates for the City College SEEK model and challenges all traditional college admissions criteria as incompetent measures of student potential. Short [...]

Statement of Professor John A. Davis

In this 1965 statement Professor John A. Davis demands that his colleagues at City College take action to increase minority representation at the school. He writes that two years had “passed since various units of City College have been [...]

"Pre-Baccalaureate Program Student Statistics -- Fall Term 1965"

This early summary of the first semester of SEEK (then known as the Pre-Baccalaureate Program) details the courses, schedules and teachers for the 113 SEEK students in Fall 1965 at CCNY. These first SEEK students took a mix of mainstream and special [...]

"The Faculty Council Interim Report of the Committee on Enrollment Policy"

This April 1964 report shows the deep conflicts within the CCNY faculty with regards to expanding access to new students. Complaining about limited facilities and student unreadiness, the faculty committee resisted both loosening admissions [...]

CCNY Anti War Notices

“Nip Fascism in the Bud” This collection contains 337 pamphlets, newsletters, and flyers, which were circulated at City College of New York during the 1930s and 40s by student political organizations, which included the Young Communist League, [...]

New York College Teachers Union Newsletter, January 1941

The cover of this issue of the College Newsletter, a publication of the New York College Teachers Union, includes several articles regarding the then ongoing Rapp-Coudert hearings of the early 1940s. They report on mass meetings with thousands of [...]

Alumni Petition for Free Expression on Campus

This June 1933 petition was created by the City College Alumni Committee on Academic Freedom in protest of the college's treatment of students following a May 29th rally. The student-organized anti-war/anti-ROTC rally met resistance from the [...]

"The Crisis in City College"

On this cover of the December 1933 edition of the National Student League's Student Review, CCNY President Robinson is depicted in full academic regalia as a cat, following in step behind a German military officer. Robinson's tail, [...]

"Strike Tomorrow!"

The headline for this edition of Student News announces City College students' strike set for November 20, 1934. The strike was demanded the reinstatement of twenty-one expelled students as well as the removal of City College (CCNY) [...]

The Bulletin of the Anti-Fascist Association, January 1935

Founded by City College staff in early 1935, the Anti-Fascist Association was a collective of likeminded left-wing and liberal faculty who perceived and fought against a rising threat of fascism abroad and militarism at home. The group held monthly [...]

"New CCNY Song"

Published in the March 1936 edition of Teacher and Worker, the lyrics from this parody song mock City College of New York (CCNY) President Frederick B. Robinson and his efforts to keep "our alma mater pure," often through the supression of free [...]

Teacher and Worker, April 1936

Articles on this front page of the April 1936 issue of City College's Teacher and Worker discuss a planned student "peace assembly" as well as preparations for faculty participation in the upcoming May Day Parade. This monthly campus [...]

"Strike Against War!" Flier

This flier advertises an April 22, 1936 anti-war demonstration in the Great Hall at the City College of New York (CCNY). The event, attended by 3,500 students, featured addresses from student and faculty leaders as well as a vote that reaffirmed the [...]

"Schappes Must Stay!" Flier

This flier promotes a May 12, 1936 conference organized by City College's Student Council. The meeting, which first called for the election of student-elected delegates, was meant to "determine future student action on the Schappes case." Morris [...]

"Umbrella Strikes Again!" Flier

This flier promotes an April 14, 1937 student protest against City College President Frederick B. Robinson's decision to ban the "Oxford Pledge" from the CCNY campus. The pledge, an American adaptation of the British original, comprised an oath in [...]

College Newsletter, November 25, 1940

Published by the New York College Teachers Union, this issue of the College Newsletter covers several reactions to the ongoing Rapp-Coudert hearings of the early 1940s.The Rapp-Coudert Committee was a New York State initiative [...]

"Our Position"

This flier promotes a student rally in support of suspended City College history instructor Jack Foner. Foner, a CCNY graduate of 1932, was just one victim of the Rapp-Coudert hearings which lasted from 1940 to 1941. The hearings, organized by New [...]

"Peace Assembly: Strike in Lewisohn Stadium"

This flier advertises a peace rally at City College's Lewisohn Stadium on April 23, 1941. The assembly, one of two held simultaneously on that day, was part of an annual April peace demonstration at the school and the college cancelled all classes [...]

"Breakfast and Forum on Political Tests for Teachers"

This flier promotes a breakfast forum discussing the Board of Higher Education's then recently passed resolution designed to "set up political qualifications for teachers." The resolution was adopted amidst the ongoing Rapp-Coudert Committee [...]

College Newsletter, June 2, 1941

The cover of this issue of the College Newsletter, a publication of the New York College Teachers Union, includes several articles regarding the then ongoing Rapp-Coudert hearings of the early 1940s. Included is one article addressed to [...]

College Newsletter, November 21, 1941

Published by the New York College Teachers Union, the cover of this issue of the College Newsletter features articles about the dismissal of Morris Schappes and Phillip Foner, two City College instructors fired as a result of the Rapp-Coudert [...]

"It's Happening in New York!"

Published in 1941, this pamphlet was created by the Committee for the Defense of Public Education, a joint committee between the Teachers Union and the College Teachers Union, amidst the turmoil of the Rapp-Coudert hearings. Citing a variety of [...]

"They Put You in Jail"

This is a pamphlet from 1941 created in support of recently fired and imprisoned City College English instructor Morris Schappes. Schappes, a self-avowed communist was sentenced to prison for failing to divulge the names of his fellow party members [...]

"What Really Happened?"

Created within a week of the May 29, 1933 anti-war/anti-ROTC rally that led to the suspensions of students, clubs, and campus publications, this flier advertises another demonstration designed to both "secure the reinstatement of the [suspended] [...]

William Canning during his Testimony

This photograph shows William Canning, an instructor in the City College history department, appearing before the Rapp-Coudert Committee. During his testimony, Canning, an ex-member of the Communist Party, disclosed the names of over fifty fellow [...]

Students Playing Ping Pong in CCNY Alcoves

The City College alcoves, located in the lunchroom, provided the setting for much political debate between students during the 1930s and served as the base for various student groups. They also used the space for leisure activities such as playing [...]

Rally against the Rapp-Coudert Committee: "Defend our Right to Freedom of Thought and Action"

Taken during the Rapp-Coudert Committee hearings sometime between 1940 and 1942, this photograph shows demonstrators protesting against the statewide hunt for "subversive activities" and persons in New York's public schools and colleges. Supporters [...]

"Free Morris Schappes"

This is the logo of the Schappes Defense Committee. The group was formed shortly after City College English instructor Morris Schappes was sentenced to prison for failing to divulge the names of his fellow communists on the faculty at CCNY. At a [...]

Morris Schappes at Desk

This is an undated photograph of City College English instructor Morris Schappes. Schappes, a self-confessed communist, was himself twice a cause célèbre at CCNY. In April 1936, Schappes was fired after speaking on behalf of the faculty organized [...]

"Strike Against War"

This undated flier, likely from the mid-to-late 1930s, advertises just one of many similar anti-war and anti-fascism demonstrations on the City College campus. The left-leaning groups at CCNY scheduled such protests regularly, in conjunction with [...]

"In the Case of Morris U. Schappes"

This page from a mid-1941 pamphlet was created to support recently fired and sentenced City College English instructor Morris Schappes. A self-confessed Communist, Schappes had appeared before the Rapp-Coudert Committee, a N.Y. State organized [...]

"Rapp-Coudert Committee Subpoenas Schappes-Edel"

This cover of an issue of The CCNY Student features an especially critical reaction to the ongoing Rapp-Coudert hearings of 1940-41. Produced by the American Student Union, a national left-wing student organization, the cover's [...]

Advertisement for "Mock Trial of President Robinson"

This clipping from The Student Advocate advertises a student-run mock trial of City College President Frederick B. Robinson at Irving Plaza on May 16, 1936. The trial centered on the recent firing of CCNY Professor Morris Schappes. Schappes, an [...]

"Strike at 11am To-Day," April 12, 1935

This flier advertises an April 12, 1935 anti-war demonstration at the City College of New York (CCNY). The 11am rally was part of a nationwide day of protest and attracted front-page coverage from the New York Times the following day with the [...]

"Strike Today for: Reinstatement of 21 Expelled Students - Ousting of Pres. Robinson"

This flier, from November 20, 1934, advertises a demonstration calling for the reinstatement of twenty-one expelled City College (CCNY) students as well as the removal of college president, Frederick B. Robinson. The twenty-one were expelled [...]

Rally on CCNY Quad, November, 20, 1934

This photograph was taken at the November 20, 1934 rally at CCNY. The demonstration was held to demand the reinstatement of twenty-one expelled students as well as the removal of college president, Frederick B. Robinson. The twenty-one were expelled [...]


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