Come!Unity Press Collection
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Abstract
This collection consists of printed material produced by Come!Unity Press from 1972 to 1977. Pamphlets and posters addressing a variety of activism topics such as gay rights, women's rights, anti-facism, Native American rights, empowerment efforts for specific communities, and humanitarian crises in Vietnam, are represented in this assemblage of offset lithography prints. The pamphlets include poetry and appeals for social change on a broad and occasionally conflicting range of issues, including peace and anti-war efforts, gay rights and gay liberation, and international solidarity movements. Come!Unity Press was a gay anarchist collective that provided free printing materials and a shared living space for social and political activists. Operating from 13 East 17th Street in New York City, beginning in 1971, this 24-hour printing collective concentrated on publishing non-commercial alternative material on social and political justice issues. Come!Unity Press explained their purpose by printing slogans next to their logo stating "Survival by Sharing", "Unplug from Profit" and "Equal Access to the Poor, Printing Movement Alternatives to Imperialism, War and Rape."
Historical Note
Come!Unity Press was a gay anarchist collective print shop that provided free printing materials and a shared living space for social and political activists. Operating from 13 East 17th Street in New York City, beginning in 1971, this 24-hour printing collective concentrated on publishing non-commercial alternative material on social and political justice issues. The free printing materials were provided through donations and appeals to the public were included on each paper item produced. Come!Unity Press explained their purpose by printing slogans next to their logo, such as "Survival by Sharing", "Unplug from Profit" and "Equal Access to the Poor, Printing Movement Alternatives to Imperialism, War and Rape". Appeals for donations were printed on the front of posters and brochures stating that the publication was free but that donations would cover the cost of printing. The Come!Unity Press collective promoted their views of gay rights and anarchy with graphic design that included rainbow motifs and marijuana leaves.
Arrangement
This collection has not been arranged by an archivist. The materials are arranged in the order in which they were received from James Cummins Bookseller.
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of printed material produced by Come!Unity Press from 1972 to 1977. Pamphlets and posters addressing a variety of activism topics such as gay rights, women's rights, anti-facism, Native American rights, empowerment efforts for specific communities, and humanitarian crises in Vietnam, are represented in this assemblage of offset lithography prints. The pamphlets include poetry and appeals for social change on a broad and occasionally conflicting range of issues, including peace and anti-war efforts, gay rights and gay liberation, prisoners' rights and treatment, and international solidarity movements. Other posters in this collection advertise benefit events hosted by groups with an association to the collective, including the Quaker Project on Community Conflict, Freespace Alternate U., The People's Warehouse, WBAI-FM, and the Youth International Party.
Subjects
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
The Fales Library and Special Collections has no information about copyright ownership for this collection and is not authorized to grant permission to publish or reproduce materials from it. Materials in this collection, which were created in 1972-1977, are expected to enter the public domain beginning in 2097.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; Come!Unity Press Collection; MSS 521; box number; folder number; Fales Library and Special Collections, New York University.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from James Cummins Bookseller in May 2017. Prior provenance is unknown. The accession number associated with this collection is 2017.251
About this Guide
Processing Information
At the time of acessioning, materials were rehoused in archival acid-free folders and boxes. Materials were described on the collection-level with a folder-level inventory.
