Ruth Wilson Collection on Human Rights and Social Work
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Creator
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Abstract
The Committee for International Human Rights Inquiry (CIHRI) was a social worker driven volunteer organization opposed to human rights violations globally. Social worker Ruth Wilson served as a founder, secretary, and coordinator for CIHRI. The Ruth Wilson Collection of Human Rights and Social Work Records (1958-2005) is comprised of materials created by organizations including the Committee for International Human Rights Inquiry (CIHRI), the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Amnesty International, the United Nations (UN), and more -- all of which were collected by Ruth Wilson. Materials consist of correspondence, research materials, administrative paperwork, conference materials, newsletters, photographs, news clippings, speeches, publications, and brochures. The collection also contains Wilson's personal research materials related to her areas of interests including Marxism, U.S. politics, healthcare reform, unions, Bertha Capen Reynolds, and social work education.
Biographical Note
Ruth Wilson was a social worker and human rights advocate who lived and worked in New York City. In 1974, she and fellow social workers Sol Gorelick, Phyllis Grunauer, and Celia Wolksy founded the Committee for Chilean Inquiry in response to alleged human rights violations in Chile following a 1973 military coup. In 1990, the Committee for Chilean Inquiry changed its name to the Committee for International Human Rights Inquiry (CIHRI). Throughout her membership, Wilson served as both secretary and coordinator of CIHRI. Wilson was involved in other professional organizations including the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW).
Wilson's personal and professional interests included, but were not limited to, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), American politics, the Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism (a subset of the Communist Party USA), the American healthcare system, domestic violence, Marxism, unions, the LGBTQIA community, racism, discrimination, women's rights, Native American rights, Bertha Capen Reynolds, and Karen Silkwood.
Arrangement
This collection has been arranged into three series by topic and two sub-series:
Series I: Committee for International Human Rights Inquiry (CIHRI), 1973-2005
Sub-series I.A: Administrative Files, 1974-2003
Sub-series I.B: Topic Files, 1973-2005
Series II: Affiliated Human Rights and Social Work Organizations, 1974-2005
Series III: Research Files, 1958-2004
Within each series, the materials have been grouped thematically and arranged alphabetically.
Scope and Contents
The Ruth Wilson Collection of Human Rights and Social Work Records (1976-2005) is comprised of materials created by organizations including the Committee for International Human Rights Inquiry (CIHRI), the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), and the United Nations (UN) – all of which were collected by Ruth Wilson.
The overarching theme of the collection is human rights, human rights violations, and advocacy on behalf of victims of human rights violations. This is reflected in both Sub-series I.B: Topic Files and Series II: Affiliated Human Rights and Social Work Organizations. These series highlight human rights violations in countries including Guatemala, Chile, the Philippines, Israel, Palestine, and South Africa. They also focus upon human rights violations against specific individuals including Olga Gonzalez, Mumia Abu-Jamal, Rula Abu Duhou, Phyllis Coard, Shirley Gunn, Rigoberta Menchu Tum, and Benedict Topin. These subjects are documented through newspaper and magazine clippings; correspondence between human rights advocacy organizations, social workers, and government officials; flyers, posters, and newsletters; conference materials and speeches; petitions, press statements and government reports about human rights conditions globally; journal articles and informational pamphlets; and fact books providing background context about specific countries, individuals, and subjects.
The collection also provides an overview of the administrative aspects of CIHRI, NASW, and IFSW. Documents include membership lists, correspondence, election materials, financial records, historical overviews, meeting materials, conference materials, and newsletters and provide insight on how these organizations operated.
In addition to materials related to human rights, Series III: Research Materials contains Wilson's personal research files related to her interests including, but not limited to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), American politics, the Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism (a subset of the Communist Party USA), the American healthcare system, domestic violence, Marxism, unions, the LGBTQIA community, racism, discrimination, women's rights, Native American rights, Bertha Capen Reynolds, and Karen Silkwood.
Subjects
Organizations
Genres
People
Topics
Donors
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
This collection is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use materials in the collection in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; Ruth Wilson Collection of Human Rights and Social Work Records; TAM 342; box number; folder number; Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Materials were donated by Ruth H. Wilson on behalf of the Committee for International Human Rights Inquiry (CHIRI) in 2005. The accession number associated with this gift is 2005.027.
Audiovisual Access Policies and Procedures
Audiovisual materials have not been preserved and may not be available to researchers. Materials not yet digitized will need to have access copies made before they can be used. To request an access copy, or if you are unsure if an item has been digitized, please contact Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, special.collections@nyu.edu, 212-998-2596 with the collection name, collection number, and a description of the item(s) requested. A staff member will respond to you with further information.
Born-Digital Access Policies and Procedures
An access terminal for born-digital materials in the collection is available by appointment for reading room viewing and listening only. Researchers may view an item's original container and/or carrier, but the physical carriers themselves are not available for use because of preservation concerns. Advance notice is required for the use of computer records. Original physical digital media is restricted.
About this Guide
Processing Information
The Ruth Wilson Collection of Human Rights and Social Work Records (1958-2005) was arranged and described by an archivist in the fall of 2023. At the time of processing, the name of the collection was changed from the Committee for International Human Rights Inquiry Records to the Ruth Wilson Collection of Human Rights and Social Work Records in order to better reflect the contents of the collection.
Materials were placed in new archival folders and boxes. Original folder titles were retained when possible. Materials were grouped together thematically, placed into appropriate series, and then arranged alphabetically by file title within those series. Photographs were removed from their original housing and placed into archival sleeves. Four audiocassette tapes were assigned a unique AV identification number, rehoused into a shared archival box, and intellectually incorporated into the finding aid. Audiovisual materials have been listed with the original titles found on their containers.
Materials related to Burma and Myanmar were arranged under the country's current name, Myanmar. Folders relating to the LGBTQIA community using various labels were grouped together and renamed to reflect current preferred terminology.
Duplicate materials were removed from the collection and returned to the donor. Personal documents belonging to Ruth Wilson and her husband Theodore, such as medical and financial documents, were also removed from the collection and returned to the donor.
New York University Libraries follow professional standards and best practices when imaging, ingesting, and processing born-digital material in order to maintain the integrity and authenticity of the content. One floppy disk was forensically imaged using KryoFlux Imager and then arranged and analyzed using Forensic Toolkit.
Repository
Series I: Committee for International Human Rights Inquiry Records (CIHRI), 1973-2005, inclusive; 1983-2003, bulk
Extent
Scope and Contents
Series I focuses upon the activities of the Committee for International Human Rights Inquiry (CIHRI), which was named the Committee for Chilean Inquiry prior to 1990.
Materials in this series include correspondence between human rights advocacy organizations, social workers, CIHRI members, and government officials; administrative documents including meeting materials, financial reports, memorandum, and membership lists; brochures and flyers advertising fundraising events; newspaper clippings and articles about human rights violations domestically and internationally; petitions, press statements and speeches; and research materials about specific countries, the types of human rights issues occurring in those countries, and specific individuals. This series also contains three audio cassettes focused upon Palestinian political prisoners in Israel, as well as digital copies of CIHRI membership lists.
Together, the materials in this series provide a detailed overview of how CIHRI operated, the types of groups CIHRI advocated on behalf of, the geographic regions they focused on, and the types of activities they engaged in.
Arrangement
This series is divided into two sub-series: Administrative Files and Topic Files. Materials have been grouped geographically and/or thematically, when possible, and then arranged alphabetically.
Historical Note
The Committee for International Human Rights Inquiry (CIHRI) was established in 1974 by social workers Ruth Wilson, Sol Gorelick, Phyllis Grunauer, and Celia Wolksy. Originally called the Committee for Chilean Inquiry, Wilson and her colleagues formed the committee in response to alleged human rights violations in Chile that followed a military coup in 1973. In 1990, the organization changed its name to CIHRI to reflect its mission to protect those subjected to human rights violations globally. CIHRI advocated for all victims of human rights violations and focused on the rights of social service workers and human rights monitors.
CIHRI members vocalized their opposition to human rights violations and support of victims through letter-writing campaigns to government officials, fundraising events, and public workshops designed to raise awareness about human rights violations in specific countries. They also hosted public workshops focused on social work and human rights education.
Sub-Series IA: Administrative Files, 1974-2003, inclusive
Extent
Extent
Scope and Contents
This sub-series focuses upon the administrative activities of CIHRI and provides an overview of CIHRI's history, organizational structure, activities, funding, and membership. Materials found in this sub-series include both digital and paper membership lists, correspondence, financial records, by-laws, meeting minutes, flyers, newsletters, public workshop materials, history fact sheets, copies of CIHRI's mission statement, and documents that describe about CIHRI's reorganization and name change in 1990.
Administrative Files, 1990-1991, inclusive
By Laws, 1994
"Chipping Away at Repression", 1988-1990, inclusive
Correspondence, 1981-1998, inclusive
Correspondence -- Barbara Weatherspoon, 1987
Correspondence -- Brinton Lykes, 1986
Correspondence -- Bryn Mawr College, 1977
Correspondence -- Current Events, 2001
Correspondence -- Fundraising, 1984-1998, inclusive
Correspondence -- International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), 1988-1995, inclusive
Correspondence -- Joseph Wronka, 1993, 1998, inclusive
Correspondence -- Marilyn Moch, 2003
Correspondence -- National Association of Social Workers (NASW), 1987-1994, inclusive
Correspondence -- Nicole Walden, 2002-2003, inclusive
Correspondence -- Stephen Lewis (Local 509, SEIU), 1994
Correspondence -- Volunteers, 1988
Correspondence -- Yanino Davila, 1985
Financial Records, 1983-2001, inclusive
General, 1979-2002, inclusive
Handouts and Bulletins, 1974-1997, inclusive
History, Fact Sheets, Reorganization, and Name Change, 1990, 1994, 2001-2002, inclusive
Human Rights Education, Workshops, Conference, and Case Studies, 1984-1996, inclusive
Meeting Materials, 1988-2001, inclusive
Membership, 1990-1998, inclusive
Digital materials
National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Collaboration, 1993-1994, inclusive
Newsletters, 1986-2002, inclusive
Photographs, 1988-1993, inclusive
Sub-Series IB: Topic Files, 1973-2005, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
This sub-series focuses upon specific topics of interest to CIHRI. Human rights violations in countries including Guatemala, El Salvador, Chile, Cuba, the Philippines, Colombia, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, Korea, Puerto Rico, Grenada, South Africa, Malaysia, and Myanmar are documented within this sub-series. Similarly, specific human rights campaigns for individuals including Olga Gonzalez, Mumia Abu-Jamal, Rula Abu Duhou, Phyllis Coard, Shirley Gunn, Rigoberta Menchu Tum, and Benedict Topin are also documented here. In addition to human rights cases, CIHRI's views on topics including global warming, unions, immigration, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), Native American rights, and women's rights are also found within this series.
These topic files contain newspaper and magazine clippings; petitions and correspondence; CIHRI flyers, posters, and newsletters; and factbooks, journal articles, informational pamphlets, and brochures providing background context about certain countries, individuals, and subjects. Three audiocassette tapes focused upon Palestinian political prisoners in Israel can also be found within this sub-series.
The file "Guatemala (Contains Graphic Images)" contains visual depictions of deceased individuals who were victims of torture.
American Orthopsychiatric Association, 1980-1988, inclusive
Brazil, 1992-1993, inclusive
Central America, 1984
Chile, 1973-1993, inclusive
Chile, 1973-1993, inclusive
Chile -- Ambassador's Visit to United Nations, 1983
Chile -- Chilean Women's Needlework, undated
Chile -- Detained Physicians, 1983-1985, inclusive
Chile -- Easter Island, 1983-1985, inclusive
Chile -- Fermin Montes Garcia, 1984-1985, inclusive
Chile and Guatemala, 1987
Chile -- Jose Manuel Parada Maluenda, 1985
Chile and Malaysia, 1987-1988, inclusive
Colombia, 1991-1992, inclusive
Cuba, 1990-2002, inclusive
Cuba -- Elian Gonzalez, 2000
Detained Social Workers, 1988-1992, inclusive
East Timor/Indonesia, 1992-2001, inclusive
El Salvador, 1983-1990, inclusive
Global Warming, 2004-2005, inclusive
Grenada, 1984-1990, inclusive
Grenada -- Phyllis Coard, 1988-2002, inclusive
Guatemala, 1988-1997, inclusive
Guatemala (Contains Graphic Images), 1993-1994, inclusive
Guatemala -- Jennifer Harbury, 1994
Guatemala -- Rigoberta Menchu Tum, 1992-1999, inclusive
Haiti, 1993-1994, inclusive
Iraq, 1992
Israel and Palestine, 1988-2002, inclusive
Israel and Palestine -- Palestinian Women Prisoners in Israel, 1992
Israel and Palestine -- Riyadh Za'Aq'q, 1996-1997, inclusive
Israel and Palestine -- Rula Abu Duhou, 1990-1997, inclusive
Korea, 1990-1993, inclusive
Malaysia, 1988-1994, inclusive
Malaysia -- Benedict Topin, 1990-1992, inclusive
Malaysia -- Margaret John, 1996-2002, inclusive
Missing Social Workers and Political Prisoners, 1977-1990, inclusive
Myanmar (formerly Burma), 1985-1994, inclusive
Nicaragua, 1992-1993, inclusive
Peru, 1994
Philippines, 1983-2003, inclusive
Philippines, 1989-2003, inclusive
Philippines -- Evelyn Balais-Serrano, 1984-1985, 1992-1993, inclusive
Phyllis Grunauer, 2000
Resist Magazine, 1989
Shirley Gunn & Judy Taguiwalo Project, 1992
Singapore, 1988-1994, inclusive
South Africa, 1984-1991, inclusive
South Africa -- Shirley Gunn, 1990-2002, inclusive
South Africa -- Winnie Mandela, 1991
Sri Lanka, 1993-1994, inclusive
SSEU Local 371 Membership, 1996
Sudan -- Child Soldiers, 2001
United States -- Death Penalty, 1999-2001, inclusive
United States -- Deportation and Undocumented Immigrants, 1977-2000, inclusive
United States -- Female Prisoners, 1988-1989, inclusive
United States -- Glen Remer-Thamert, 1988-1990, inclusive
United States -- Joe Doherty, 1990-1992, inclusive
United States -- Lynne Stewart, 2002-2003, inclusive
United States -- Marilyn Montenegro, 2000
United States -- MOVE Prisoners, 1996
United States -- Mumia Abu-Jamal, 1995-2000, inclusive
United States -- Native American Rights and Leonard Peltier, 1986-2002, inclusive
United States -- North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), 1992-1994, inclusive
United States -- Olga Gonzalez, 1996-1997, inclusive
United States -- Political Prisoners, 1990-1991, inclusive
United States --Ruth Messenger, 1985
United States -- Silvia Baraldini, 1994-1997, inclusive
United States -- Susan Rosenberg, 1999-2001, inclusive
Vietnam, 1994
Vinnie Burrows, 1989
Women for Racial and Economic Equality (WREE), 1991-1993, inclusive
Women's Rights, 1991-1992, inclusive
Series II: Affiliated Human Rights and Social Work Organizations, 1974-2005, inclusive; 1985-2002, bulk
Extent
Scope and Contents
This series focuses upon the activities of human rights and social worker organizations that were affiliated with CIHRI and Ruth Wilson, or were of interest to Wilson as demonstrated by her collection of their informational materials.
The majority of this series is focused upon the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) and includes correspondence and petitions; election and conference materials; topic files focused upon human rights violations in specific countries and against specific individuals; and administrative documents including membership lists, newsletters, and memorandums. Due to the large volume of materials related to the NASW and IFSW, it is likely Wilson was a member of these organizations.
In addition to NASW and IFSW, the activities and interests of organizations including Asia Watch, Amnesty International, the Bertha Capen Reynolds Society, Human Rights Watch, Oxfam America, and the United Nations are also represented in this series. Materials related to these and other organizations include booklets, flyers, and brochures; conference agendas, petitions, speeches, press statements; newspaper clippings and articles about human rights violations; factbooks and research materials focused on countries, the types of human rights issues in those countries, and specific individuals; and published government reports about human rights conditions globally.
Together, these materials reflect the diversity of human rights and social work organizations that were active between 1974-2005; the types of groups, geographic regions, and human rights violations these organizations advocated on behalf of; and the types of activities they engaged in.
Arrangement
Materials have been arranged alphabetically by organization name.
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 1985-1987, inclusive
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) -- Death Penalty, 1996
American Humanist Association, 2004
Amnesty International, 1994
Amnesty International -- Amnesty Action, 1993
Amnesty International -- Asia, 1991-1993, inclusive
Amnesty International -- Burma/Myanmar, 1995-1996, inclusive
Amnesty International -- Colombia, 1994
Amnesty International -- Death Penalty, 2001
Amnesty International -- Iran, 2002
Amnesty International -- Israel and Palestine, 1988
Amnesty International -- Mumia Abu-Jamal, 2000
Amnesty International -- Pakistan, 1992
Amnesty International -- South America, 1991-1993, inclusive
Asia Watch -- China, 1991-1993, inclusive
Asia Watch -- Committee of Human Rights Watch, 1990-1991, inclusive
Association for Women in Social Work, 1990
Bertha Capen Reynolds Society, 1978-2000, inclusive
The Burma-American Fund, 1990-1992, inclusive
Canadian Association of Social Workers, 1991-1993, inclusive
Center for International Policy - "Promoting Central American Negotiations", 1991
Human Rights Committee of South Africa, 1994
Human Rights Watch, 1990-1994, inclusive
Institute for Central American Development Studies, 1995
International Action Center - Iraq, 2001
International Association of Schools and Social Work (IASSW), 1974, 1988-1989, inclusive
International Committee for Peace and Reunification of Korea, 1989-1991, inclusive
International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), 1985-2002, inclusive
IFSW -- Conferences, 1994, 1996, 2000, inclusive
IFSW -- Evelyn Balais-Serrano Speech, 1994
IFSW -- Guatemala -- Alex Mejia, 1994
IFSW -- Human Rights Commission, 1989-1994, inclusive
IFSW -- Newsletter, 1991-1994, inclusive
IFSW -- Policies, undated
IFSW -- Terry Bamford Human Rights Article, 1989
International Korean Alliance for Peace and Democracy, 1994
The Israeli Council for Israeli-Palestinian Peace (ICIPP), 1996
Labor Party Advocates, 1994
Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, 1987-1989, inclusive
National Association of Social Workers (NASW), 1988-2001, inclusive
NASW -- Antiwar, 2001-2002, inclusive
NASW -- Bertha Capen Reynolds Video Project, 2001
NASW -- "Bread, Not Bombs: A Role for Social Workers in the Peace Movement", 1983
NASW -- Code of Ethics, 1996
NASW -- Currents (Newsletter), 1989-2001, inclusive
NASW -- Death Penalty, 1980
NASW -- Election Materials, 1984-2000, inclusive
NASW -- Governor George Pataki 16-Point Declaration Plan, 1995
NASW -- Healthcare Committee, 2000-2001, inclusive
NASW -- International Affairs Committee, 2000
NASW -- International Development/Peace and Social Justice Course Reader, 1991
NASW -- Jacqueline Steingold, 2002
NASW -- Meeting Materials, 2002
NASW -- Membership List, 1989
NASW -- Publications, 1993-1994, inclusive
NASW -- Social Workers and the Challenge of Violence Project, 1996
NASW -- Social Workers for Peace and Justice (SWP&J), 1996
NASW -- United States Chapters, 1988-1990, inclusive
NASW -- World Assembly Conference, 1991-1992, inclusive
Oxfam America - Tools for Peace and Justice, 1989
Philippine Resource Center, 1985
Physicians for Social Responsibility, 2002
Same Boat Coalition, 1995-1997, inclusive
Union of Concerned Scientists, 2005
United Nations, 1986-1995, inclusive
United Nations -- Children's Rights, 1989-1993, inclusive
United Nations -- Chile, 1977
United Nations -- Conventions, 1990-1992, inclusive
United Nations -- Economic and Social Council, 1989
United Nations -- Janice Wood Wetzel, undated
United Nations -- South Africa and Apartheid, 1987-1991, inclusive
United Nations -- World Human Rights Conference, 1993
United Nations -- Yugoslavia, 1991-1993, inclusive
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, 1989
Women's Organization for Political Prisoners (WOFPP), 1991-1992, inclusive
Series III: Research Files, 1958-2004, inclusive; 1990-2004, bulk
Extent
Scope and Contents
This series contains materials Ruth Wilson collected while researching specific countries including Chile and Puerto Rico, as well as the types of human rights violations occurring in those locations. It also contains topics files and research materials related to Ruth Wilson's other areas of interest such as women's rights, homelessness in the United States, American politics, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism (a subset of the Communist Party USA), the American healthcare system, domestic violence, Marxism, unions, the LGBTQIA community, racism, Native American rights, and discrimination. Subject files on individuals including Bertha Capen Reynolds, Karen Silkwood, Langston Hughes, Martin Luther King Jr., Madeleine Albright, and Rosa Parks can also be found within this series.
Materials consist mainly of newspaper clippings, magazine clippings, journal articles, brochures, flyers, conference materials, posters, photographs, booklets, essays, and correspondence. It is possible that research materials in this series were used by CIHRI, however, there were no clear indications of this link within the individual research folders.
Arrangement
Materials have been arranged alphabetically .
