Human Rights Archival Collections at UConn

Recently I’ve been asked where archival collections relating to human rights can be located in the US. I’ve compiled collections here at UConn below, and will post collections from other repositories in a separate post. Please bear in mind that some of these collections are recent acquisitions and are not yet open for public research. Before you visit the archives to look at the materials, make sure to email or call ahead to be sure that the materials you want to look at are accessible. Materials which have not yet been organized, or which have sensitive materials, may be restricted.

Human Rights Manuscript Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut

African National Congress Collection (a small collection of memorabilia collected as part of the UConn ANC Partnership in 1999)

African National Congress Oral History Transcripts Collection (133 transcripts of oral history interviews with leading anti-apartheid activists conducted between 2000 and 2006.)

Alternative Press Collections (independent and counter-culture newspapers and publications from activist movements for social, cultural, and political change. The collection contains thousands of newspapers, serials, books, pamphlets, ephemera and artifacts documenting activist themes and organizations.)

Center for Oral History Interviews Collection (includes interviews with Holocaust survivors in the Connecticut Region conducted in 1980-1981, as well as “Witnesses To Nuremberg, An Oral History Of American Participants At The War Crimes Trials.”

Dodd (Thomas J.) Papers (include materials from the Nuremberg war crimes trial before the International Military Tribunal from 1945-46)

Ho (Fred) Papers (accounts of Asian American culture and experience in the United States)

Mikhailov (Georgi) Collection (photographs and articles regarding Mikhailov’s experiences in Soviet Labor camps in Northeast Siberia from 1980-1983)

Human Rights Internet Collection (the publications library of Human Rights Internet, a Canadian NGO which collected human rights publications from around the world, including materials which are not found in any other libraries in North America.)

Impact Visuals Photographic Collection (photographs and slides which document the anti-apartheid movement and 1994 democratic elections in South Africa)

Malka Penn Collection of Children’s Books on Human Rights (over 140 children’s books and young adult literature dealing with a variety of human rights themes including slavery, the Holocaust, war, and discrimination.)

North American Congress on Latin America (NACLA) Archive (over 100 linear feet of materials including holdings on human rights, politics, and socio-economic conditions in Chile, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua, and other parts of Central America.)

Refugee Case Files of the International Rescue Committee (records of the New Jersey office of the International Rescue Committee– some materials in the collection are restricted.)

Stolen Childhoods Image Gallery (Collection of noted photographer Robin Romano’s gripping images of child labor from around the world. Access available to the UConn community through HuskyCT; contact the curator for access.)

Tambo (Oliver) Papers (microfilm copies of the papers of anti-apartheid activist, Oliver Tambo; original documents are located at the University of Fort Hare in South Africa)

Xuma (A.B.) Papers (microfilm copies of the papers of anti-apartheid activist, A.B. Xuma; original documents are located at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa)

Other Collections at the University of Connecticut

African American Studies Institute, Archives and Video Collection (contains The Stanley Lawson Collection of Denver Post Clippings on African-American Life, History, and Music from 1986-2001, as well as selected newspapers and magazines.

Asian American Studies Institute, Japanese American Internment Resource Library (contains oral histories, books, videos and other materials documenting the internment of Japanese Americans during the second world war.)

Taken From My Colleague Kathy’s Women Studies Blog… Socially Responsible Gift Ideas!

Socially Conscious Gift Shopping

If you’d like to be a more socially conscious consumer, here are some organizations, some local, some online, where you can purchase gifts while making a difference in the lives of real people. These suggestions come from two of our UConn professors who teach and embody the ideals of these organizations. They are listed alphabetically! No order intended.

If you have some other suggestions, please add them via a comment to this blog.

And pass these on to your friends and family!

A Greater Gift from SERRV:

A Greater Gift is a program of SERRV International, a nonprofit alternative trade and development organization. Our mission is to promote the social and economic progress of people in developing regions of the world by marketing their products in a just and direct manner.

Our goal is to alleviate poverty and empower low-income people through trade, training and other forms of capacity building as they work to improve their lives. SERRV has worked to assist artisans and farmers for more than 55 years through the following:

  • Marketing their handcrafts and food products in a just and direct manner.
  • Educating consumers in the United States about economic justice and other cultures.
  • Providing development assistance to low-income craftspeople through their community-based organizations.

SERRV International was one of the first alternative trade organizations in the world and was a founding member of the International Fair Trade Association (IFAT).

We offer our artisan and farmer partners up to 50% advance payment on orders. This advance helps them to purchase raw materials and have a more regular income so they can avoid high interest rates from borrowing locally.

CoOp America:

About Co-op America
Co-op America is a not-for-profit membership organization founded in 1982.

Our mission is to harness economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society.

Our Vision

We work for a world where all people have enough, where all communities are healthy and safe, and where the bounty of the Earth is preserved for all the generations to come.

CREA: Center for Reflection, Education and Action (based in Hartford):

“Believing that the earth is home to all, CREA facilitates analysis of human, social and economic policies from the perspective of their effects on human lives, beginning with the lives of people who are poor.”

Dean’s Beans (fair trade coffee):

We only purchase beans from small farmers and cooperatives, largely made up of indigenous peoples working hard to maintain their culture and lifestyles in a hostile world. We do not buy beans from large estates and farms. We’ve been there, and have seen the conditions of chronic poverty and malnutrition within which these farms produce those other coffees. Look in your kitchen – do you know where your beans come from?

Each player in our cycle of production and distribution, from the farmer to the consumer, participates in socially just and environmentally responsible trade. We hope that all other coffee companies will follow our lead.

We are proud to be a founding member of Cooperative Coffees, Inc., the first roaster’s cooperative created to buy direct, Fair Trade coffee from farmer coops, and make it available to any small roaster who wants to participate in the Fair Trade movement. We are also active members of the Fair Trade Federation, an international organization of dedicated Fair Traders (no poseurs allowed).

Global Exchange

Why Fair Trade?

Our consumer spending choices affect people’s lives around the world. The products we enjoy are often made in conditions that harm workers, communities and the environment. But increasingly consumers are demanding more humane, more environmentally sensitive products.

In today’s world economy, where profits rule and small-scale producers are left out of the bargaining process, farmers, craft producers, and other workers are often left without resources or hope for their future. Fair Trade helps exploited producers escape from this cycle and gives them a way to maintain their traditional lifestyles with dignity.

Heifer International

Heifer’s Mission to End Hunger
Heifer envisions…

A world of communities living together in peace and equitably sharing the resources of a healthy planet.

Heifer’s mission is…

To work with communities to end hunger and poverty and to care for the earth.

Heifer’s strategy is…

To “pass on the gift.” As people share their animals’ offspring with others – along with their knowledge, resources, and skills – an expanding network of hope, dignity, and self-reliance is created that reaches around the globe.

Heifer’s History

This simple idea of giving families a source of food rather than short-term relief caught on and has continued for over 60 years. Today, millions of families in 128 countries have been given the gifts of self-reliance and hope.

Read more about Heifer’s History.

10,000 Villages

Our Principles of Operation
At Ten Thousand Villages we add our own principles of operation to the IFAT key principles of fair trade:

  1. We honor the value of seeking to bring justice and hope to the poor.
  2. We trade with artisan groups who pay fair wages and demonstrate concern for their members’ welfare.
  3. We provide consistent purchases, advances and prompt final payments to artisans.
  4. We increase market share in North America for fairly traded handicrafts.
  5. We market quality products that are crafted by underemployed artisans.
  6. We build sustainable operations using a variety of sales channels, including a network of stores with a common identity.
  7. We choose handicrafts that reflect and reinforce rich cultural traditions, that are environmentally sensitive and which appeal to North American consumers.
  8. We encourage North American customers to learn about fair trade and to appreciate artisans’ cultural heritage and life circumstances with joy and respect.
  9. We use resources carefully and value volunteers who work in our North American operations.

New Titles in Babbidge Library

These past couple of weeks have been extremely busy, so please excuse the lack of updates.

 Here are a few new human rights titles in Babbidge Library:

Hicks, Elizabeth.  Human Rights and Healthcare. 2007.

 

Koenig, Matthias.  Democracy and Human Rights in Multicultural Societies.  2007.   

 

Mapp, Susan C.  Human Rights and Social Justice in Global Perspective:  An Introduction to International Social Work.  2007.

 

Zaccai, Edwin.  Sustainable Consumption, Ecology and Fair Trade.  2007

 

Forsythe, David P.  American Foreign Policy in a Gloablized World.  2006.

 

Forsythe, David P.  International Committee of the Red Cross:  A Neutral Humanitarian Actor.  2007.

  

Candlelight Vigil and Concert for Burma, Tuesday November 13, 2007

Tonight, 6:00pm at Hillel, the UConn chapter of Amnesty International will be hosting a candlelit vigil for the victims of Burma. All are encouraged to come show support and learn more about the issue. There will be a donation bin for “Dolls for Refugee Children” in Burma.

Following the vigil, Insense will be putting on a concert (7:00pm at Hillel) in an effort to “wage musical war against the military junta that continues to oppress new pro-democracy protest in Myanmar (formerly Burma)”. The bands include:

-My Heart to Joy
-The Gracies
-The Purse Snatchers
-Joseph Stalin and the Island Dreamers

Between sets, activists will be sharing poetry and facts to raise awareness on the atrocities occurring in Burma and what you can do to help. The COST for the concert is $5.00 or a non-perishable food item. All proceeds from the concert go to the Covenent Soup Kitchen in Willimantic.

For more info, visit the facebook event page for Hungry for Democracy (a.k.a. Burma-Stock): http://uconn.facebook.com/event.php?eid=5908154301

“The Exonerated,” Film Screening Tonight

Human Rights Film Series 2007-2008

A Cinematic Exploration through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Film Title: “The Exonerated”

November 13, 2007 – 6pm, Konover Auditorium, Dodd Research Center

Film Description:

Sixteen years. Imagine everything you could do with sixteen years.

Imagine everything you did the last sixteen years.

Now take it all away.

Sunny Jacobs was convicted and sentenced to death for a crime she did not commit. Sixteen years was just the beginning of what was taken from Sunny Jacobs.

Twenty-nine Academy Award nominations, eighty-seven Golden Globe nominations, one hundred and twelve EMMY nominations: such is the incredible array of actors who have lent their considerable talents and passion to The Exonerated. As a play, awarded the Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel and Outer Critics Circle Awards, it was acclaimed in major cities across America.

Now as a film, the undeniable power of the true stories of six exonerated survivors of death row will engage your emotion, incite your passion, and envelop you in their search for the lost small pieces of dignity and the lives so unceremoniously interrupted.

True stories in their own words. Stories you will never forget.

The event is free and open to the public.

Role of Leadership in Promotion of Human Rights in Africa: Future Prospects and Obstacles

Role of Leadership in Promotion of Human Rights in Africa: Future Prospects and Obstacles

The UNESCO Chair & Institute of Comparative Human Rights invites you to a public lecture by His Excellency António Mascarenhas Monteiro, former President of the Republic of Cape Verde on Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at 12:30 p.m. in the Student Union Room 304 A/B

As the first multi-party elected President of the Republic of Cape Verde, His Excellency played a crucial role in making Cape Verde one of the more viable democracies on the continent of Africa. He served as President from 1991-2001 and during his term in office, was active in the international arena as well. He was Chairman of the Third Conference on Regional System of Human Rights Protection in Africa and Europe and participated in the Organization of African Unity (OAU) Goodwill mission to Angola following the country’s first free elections in 1992.

In 1993, he was Chairman of the Colloquium on Constitutional Transition in Africa, held at the Catholic University of Louvain, and from 1994 to 1997 he served as President of the Inter-State Committee for Struggle Against Drought in Sahel (CILSS). In his role as Deputy President of the OAU Ad-Hoc Committee for Southern Africa, he attended the signing of the Lusaka Protocol on Peace in Angola in 1994. He was elected President of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) in 1998.

Lecture is co-sponsored by the African American Cultural Center.

For more information, please call 486.0647 or visit www.unescochair.uconn.edu

“Living Wage, Fair Labor Practices and Eco Sustainability” and other Human Rights Events

Human Rights Events at UConn, November 8, 2007 through November 11, 2007

“Living Wage, Fair Labor Practices and Eco Sustainability” 

November 8, 2007 at 4 PM

The President’s Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility, CIBER (Center for International Business and Education Research) and the Human Rights Institute are proud to sponsor an International Education Week lecture, “Living Wage, Fair Labor Practices and Eco Sustainability” on Thursday, November 8, 2007 at 4:00 p.m. in the Student Union Theatre.

Ruth Rosenbaum, UConn Faculty and Executive Director of CREA (Center for Reflection, Education and Action) will discuss the concepts of Living Wage, Fair Labor Practices and Eco Sustainability and how they relate with a response by Professor Subhash C. Jain, Director of CIBER at the School of Business. Please go to http://web.uconn.edu/sweatshop/ for additional details.  

Also occurring today: 

“Racism: A Domestic Human Rights Crisis”

A discussion on Racism and White Privilege in the United States led by Chris Doucot, of the Hartford Catholic Worker House.  Thursday, November 8 at 7:00 pm, Arjona 143

Sponsors: Neag School of Education, Student Activities, and Community Outreach 

And, the Mead Lecture is today as well– see the previous post for details.

Coming up on Saturday

The Asian American Cultural Center presents the 2nd Annual IMPAACT Conference(Identifying the Missing Power of Asian Americans in CT)

IMPAACT 2007:  Hate is Real, Realize Hate, Speak Out Against Hate Crimes

Saturday, November 10, 2007 – Registration 9 am – Student Union Lobby

University of Connecticut, Storrs Campus Student Union

Registration on conference day, $30   

 

And…

Tuesday, November 13 at 6 PM is the next Human Rights Film—The Exonerated.  Details to follow next week…

Mead Lecture: “When Numbers Count: The Practice of Combating Human Trafficking from Colombia to Japan”

Kay Warren, Distinguished professor of anthropology at Brown University will present the Robert G. Mead, Jr. lecture entitled, “When Numbers Count: The Practice of Combating Human Trafficking from Colombia to Japan.”

The Mead Lecture is sponsored by the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies.  The Mead lecture will be held at the Student Union Theater, 2110 Hillside Rd, on Thursday, November 8 at 2 PM, and will also be broadcast on Husky Vision.

For more information, please contact CLACS at 486-4964 or latinamerica@uconn.edu.

Human Rights Events on Monday, November 5, 2007

 St. Thomas Aquinas, The Roman Catholic Center at UConn presents: “What is really going on in Palestine and what is the U.S. role: Eyewitness accounts from the Connecticut-based Middle East Crisis Committee”  Speakers are Stanley Heller and Dr. Mazin Qumsiyeh. 

Monday, November 5, 2007 @7:30 p.m.

The Aquinas Center at UConn

46 N. Eagleville Rd, Storrs, CT

Also, the Tunnel of Oppression will be beginning on Monday as well and continuing through Tuesday November 6.

The Tunnel of Oppression is a series of rooms designed to advance and disseminate knowledge about issues of oppression and encourage participants to reflect upon the questions raised by hatred and ignorance. This program illustrates the struggles of others while looking at current egregious acts that occur in our nation and around the world. Participants in the program are led on a guided tour through eight “rooms of oppression” and then participate in a short, facilitated debriefing/processing of their experience.

Individual Rooms will be focused on the following issues:

* Racism * Domestic Violence/ Sexual Assault * STDs * Substance Abuse * Homophobia/Transphobia * Disordered Eating  * Depression/Suicide * Broken Systems

The program will occur on the following dates and times

Tuesday November 6th from 1:00-6:00 Rooms 304A, B, C of the Student Union

Wednesday November 7th from 10:00-2:00 Rooms 304A, B, C of the Student Union.  Groups of 8-10 participates will be guided through the experience every ten minutes starting at the top of each hour.

Transnational Women’s Movement Colloquium, November 2, 2007

Transnational Women’s Movement Colloquium

Speakers:
Manisha Desai, Amanda Gouws & Zakia Zalime
Friday, November 2, 2007
2:30 – 5:00 PM

Women’s Center, Student Union Room 421
Reception following the Colloquium
For more information, click here

Manisha Desai, Director of Women’s Studies at the University of Connecticut will give an introduction on “Notes on a Transnational Perspective.” 

Amanda Gouws, Professor of Political Science at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, will speak on “Changing Opportunity Structures:  The Women’s Movement in South Africa.” 

 Zakia Salime, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Michigan State University will speak on, “The Subjects of Democracy:  Women’s Perspectives on War and Reform in the Middle East.”

The colloquium is organized by the Women’s Studies Program and Co-sponsored by the Institute for African American Studies, Institute for Asian American Studies, the Human Rights Institute, the Department of Political Science, the Institute for Puerto Rican and Latino Studies, the Department of Sociology, the UNESCO Chair and Comparative Human Rights Program, and the Women’s Center.