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May Day Rally and Yale collection

 Collection
Call Number: RU 86

Scope and Contents

The materials consist of correspondence, press releases, oral history transcripts, objects, and printed material documenting Yale student involvement in the 1970 May Day rally in New Haven, Connecticut and published materials collected by the donor as a stringer for the "New York Times" related to Yale's student strike, the anti-war movement, and the Black Panthers trial in New Haven. Also included are publications related to anti-war activities nationally. Some posters and broadsides in Accession 1971-A-004 that were originally located in box 2 are now located in box 6.

Dates

  • Circa 1969-1974

Conditions Governing Access

The materials are open for research.

Original audiovisual materials, as well as preservation and duplicating masters, may not be played. Researchers must consult use copies, or if none exist must pay for a use copy, which is retained by the repository. Researchers wishing to obtain an additional copy for their personal use should consult Copying Services information on the Manuscripts and Archives web site.

Original computer files may not be accessed due to their fragility. Researchers must consult access copies.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Black Panther "solidarity" shirt and silk screen banner gift of Ms. Karla Forsythe, 2013. Films of May Day activities from the New Haven Green gift of Michael Stickrod, 2016. Gift of Ben Krasney, 2018. Accession 2020-A-0022 was donated by Henry Lawrence, Class of 1968.

Arrangement

The records are arranged by accession.

Extent

21.11 Linear Feet (22 boxes, 51 audiocassettes, one compact disc, 2 film reels and 157 megabytes)

Language of Materials

English

Catalog Record

A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog

Persistent URL

https://hdl.handle.net/10079/fa/mssa.ru.0086

Overview

The materials consist of correspondence, press releases, oral history transcripts, objects, and printed material documenting Yale student involvement in the 1970 May Day rally in New Haven, Connecticut and published materials collected by the donor as a stringer for the "New York Times" related to Yale's student strike, the anti-war movement, and the Black Panthers trial in New Haven. Also included are publications related to anti-war activities nationally.

Biographical / Historical

May Day weekend took place May 1-3, 1970 as a rally to protest the murder trial in New Haven of Black Panther party chairman Bobby Seale and seven other party members. Normal academic activities were suspended so that Yale students, faculty, and staff could assist in preparing the campus for the rally. Yale University opened its doors to demonstrators by offering shelter, food, day care, and first aid throughout the weekend. Approximately 15,000 people attended the first day of rallies without significant disruption or disorder. Fewer remained the following days, and academic activities resumed by Monday May 4.

General note

Forms part of Yale Record Group 41 (YRG 41), Records documenting student life.

General

1917-M-004, box 4, folder "Miscellaneous statements and releases by community groups, New Haven Police Department, and Others" reported missing in 2016.

Processing Information

Yale University records are arranged and described at the accession level by the creating office. The University Archives creates collection level descriptive records, but typically does no further arrangement and description at the accession level.
Title
Guide to the May Day Rally and Yale Collection
Status
Under Revision
Author
compiled by Daniel Hartwig and the staff of Manuscripts and Archives
Date
March 2007
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository

Contact:
Yale University Library
P.O. Box 208240
New Haven CT 06520-8240 US
(203) 432-1735
(203) 432-7441 (Fax)

Location

Sterling Memorial Library
Room 147
120 High Street
New Haven, CT 06511

Opening Hours