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.
