Chicago Civic Action Collection
Scope and Contents
The Chicago Civic Action Collection consists of artifacts, buttons, circular letters, correspondence, flyers, photographs, posters, programs, reports and other forms of written documentation on a variety of civic actions in the Chicago area. The advocacy encompasses civil, health, labor, political and religious rights along with a range of issues such as abortion, free speech, housing, immigration, policing, racial discrimination and war. The collection includes documentation of the Women’s March from 2017-2020.
Photographs 1.341-1.364 and 1.570-1.743 were taken by Richard Cook. Photographs 1.1-1.340, 1.365-1.569, 1.744-1.937 and 1.975-1.1301 were taken by Michelle McCoy. Photographs 1.938-1.974 were taken by Sarah Perry Wilson.
Dates
- Creation: 1909-2020, undated
Language of Materials
Materials are primarily in English with a few items in Spanish.
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Please consult staff to determine ability to reuse materials from collection.
Extent
2.75 Linear Feet (in 5 boxes and 1 oversize folder, includes 1301 photographs, 37.9 GB, 22 artifacts)
Abstract
This collection includes buttons, flyers, newsletters, pamphlets, papers and statements related to social justice movements and actions in Chicago. The digital photographs depict nine protest rallies and marches that took place between 2016 and 2020 including the Women’s March.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into three series:
Series 1: Documents, 1909-2022, undated
Series 2: Photographs, 1945-2020
Series 3: Buttons and Artifacts, 1979-2020
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The materials were acquired by purchase and from various donors.
Subject
- Women’s March Chicago (Organization)
- Chicago (Ill.). Police Department. Intelligence Section. (Organization)
Style / Period
Topical
- Chicago Seven Trial, Chicago, Ill., 1969-1970
- Civic action -- Illinois -- Chicago
- Discrimination in Housing -- Illinois -- Chicago
- Discrimination in employment -- United States.
- Freedom of speech
- Gay rights
- Immigration advocates
- Labor movement—Illinois—Chicago
- Peace movements
- Pro-choice movement
- Protest Movements -- Illinois -- Chicago
- Race discrimination
- Student movements
- Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Protest movements--United States
- Women's rights.
- Title
- Guide to the Chicago Civic Action Collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Michelle McCoy
- Date
- 2022
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Unit at Harold Washington Library Center Repository
Harold Washington Library Center, 9th Floor
Chicago Public Library
400 S. State Street
Chicago IL 60605 United States
(312) 747-4875
specoll@chipublib.org