Michael Letwin Papers
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
Michael Letwin was involved with the International Socialists (IS) and later with the International Socialist Organization (ISO), founded by expelled members of the IS in 1977. For three decades Letwin was also active in the peace movement. Letwin was also president of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys in New York City for 13 years until he lost re-election in 2002, in part because of his opposition to the war in Afghanistan. The first series (1 linear ft., processed), along with documentation of his own activities, the collection also contains a variety of materials regarding cooperative living at Morningside Gardens, in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. The second series (31.5 linear ft., unprocessed), contains subject files (1978-2007) on the Afghan and Iraq Wars; Criminal Justice, principally in New York City and New York State; Rudy Giuliani, Mayor of New York City, 1990-2001; Labor; New York City Police Department; Racism; Racist Violence.
Historical/Biographical Note
Michael Letwin was involved with the International Socialists (IS) at the time of a split between the majority of the party and a group known as the Left Faction. After the Left Faction split from the main body of the IS, the International Socialist Organization (ISO) was formed by Left Faction leaders Calvin and Barbara Winslow. In 1983 the ISO underwent a crisis when the leadership of the Winslows was called into question, and the Winslows stepped down from their leadership positions. Letwin was also president of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys in New York City for 13 years until he lost re-election in 2002, in part because of his opposition to the war in Afghanistan.
As of August 2020, Michael Letwin's personal website contains a more full biography. It can be accessed here: https://michaelletwin.wordpress.com/
Arrangement
Folders are arranged alphabetically in the first two series. Files in Series III have not been arranged by an archivist. These materials are in the order in which they were received by the donor.
Missing Title
- Series I: Subject Files, 1957-1992.
- Series II: Subject Files, 2010 Accession (Containing the subseries: Afghan and Iraq Wars; Criminal Justice; Giuliani, Rudy; Labor; New York City Police Department; Racism; Racist Violence)
Scope and Content Note
The first series, Subject Files, 1957-1992, contains documentation of the International Socialists (IS) from July 1976 to March 1977, when a group of dissenters called the Left Faction was expelled. The collection has minutes of meetings from this time period, presentations given by members of the Left Faction, resolutions from both sides and correspondence between members of the IS, the International Socialists Great Britain (ISGB), the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) and the International Socialists Canada. The collection also contains information from Michael Letwin's grandmother, Manya Zurow, about the co-operative housing development Morningside Gardens. Included are meeting minutes from a variety of organizations managing the property, information about various services offered by Morningside Gardens, and items of ephemera from day-to-day living in the co-op. There are also files of Letwin's friend and collaborator Alina Tugend. The collection also contains a variety of flyers from peace movement activities from the 1960s through the early 1990s. The bulk of the material is from activities in New York City, but there is also information on activities in Los Angeles in the early 1970s. Most of the NYC material is from the Riverside Church Disarmament Program, but many organizations are represented in the collection. The second series, Subject Files, 2010 Accession (29 linear ft., unprocessed), contains subject files (1978-2007) on the Afghan and Iraq Wars, (6.5 linear ft.); Criminal Justice, principally in New York City and New York State (10 linear ft.); Rudy Giuliani, Mayor of New York City, 1990-2001 (2 linear ft.); Labor (1 linear ft.); New York City Police Department (10 linear ft.); Racism (6 linear ft.); Racist Violence (1 linear ft.). Each box in Series II is labeled with a list of contents (see box-level scope and contents below, in the container list).
Material added to the collection in 2018 consist of printed email correspondence, memorandum, committee reports and research materials such as news articles and other literature documenting Letwin's involvement with the union organization Association of Legal Aid Attorneys (ALAA) and non-profit organization Legal Aid Society (LAS) stationed in New York City. Selected news articles and emails between members of the ALAA chronicle the history of the organization from 1967 to the late 2000s. Other emails document Letwin's tenure as President of the ALAA (1990-2002) and illustrate Letwin's continued involvement with the ALAA and LAS in the 2000s.
Subjects
Organizations
Genres
Topics
Conditions Governing Access
There is no deed to this collection. Donor verbally communicated access restrictions to the Tamiment curator but these restrictions were not documented.
Use Restrictions
Copyright (or related rights to publicity and privacy) for materials in this collection, created by Michael Letwin was not transferred to New York University. Permission to use materials must be secured from the copyright holder.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; Michael Letwin Papers; TAM 464; box number; folder number; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Materials donated by Michael Letwin in circa 1977; Michael Letwin donated additional materials in 1990 and 2010. The accession numbers associated with these gifts are 1977.004 and 2010.042. Letwin donated an additional 9 boxes in 2018. The accession number associated with this gift is 2018.079.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Processing decisions made prior to 2018 have not been recorded. A donation of 9 boxes received in 2018 was added to the collection as Series III: Subject Files, 2018 Accession. At the time of accessioning materials were described at the series level with a brief box list. Documents that were housed in overstuffed or damaged folders were rehoused in archival folders, and original titles were maintained. Original titles were maintained where possible. Materials remain in the order in which they were received by the donor.
Revisions to this Guide
Repository
Series I: Subject Files, 1957-1992., 1957-1992, inclusive
Extent
1974 National Campaign to Impeach Nixon, 1974, inclusive
American Professors for Peace in the Middle East: Amos Kenan "A Letter to All Good People", 1968, inclusive
American Veterans Movement (AVM), 1974, inclusive
Asssociation des Travailleurs Haitiens: Coalition for the Defense of Haitian Refugees, 1982, inclusive
Avoid Vietnam in Latin America (AVILA), undated
Central America, undated, 1982, 1987
Chile, undated, 1986
Christic Institute, undated
Coalition against U.S. Intervention in Central America and the Caribbean, undated
Coalition to Stop the War in El Salvador, undated
Columbia University: Peace Movement, Local 1199, Radical Action Committee, undated
Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador, undated
Demokratia: Students for a Free Greece, undated
Draper, Ann: "Women in Struggle", undated
Dump Nixon Coalition, 1974, inclusive
Elections: New York City and National, undated, 1984, 1988
Emergency Civil Liberties Committee, undated
Foreign Policy Council of New York Democrats, 1967, inclusive
Freedom Cafe, 1980, inclusive
German American: "Rebirth of German Culture" (Program), undated
Grant-Morningside Neighborhood News (Newsletter), 1959, inclusive
Grant Peace March (National and New York City), 1986, inclusive
Guatemala, 1989, inclusive
Impeach Richard Nixon: Peoples Action Union and April 27 Committee, 1974, inclusive
International Socialist Organization (ISO): Internal Bulletins, Organizing Committee Minutes and Letters, Jun 1977-Sep 1983, inclusive
International Socialists (IS): Documents, Correspondence, Jul 1976-Mar 1977, inclusive
International Socialists (IS): Left Faction Statements, Correspondence, Presentations and Resolutions, Nov 1976-Mar 1977, inclusive
Inter-Religious Task Force on El Salvador and Central America, 1984, inclusive
Jewish Currents, 1971, inclusive
Joe Hill Collective: POWs: The Big Lie (Newspaper), undated
L.A. Committee for New Elections: Nixon Impeachment, 1973, inclusive
Letwin, Michael and Alina Tugend: Rejection Letters, Questionnaires and Flyer, 1983. 1992
Letwin, Michael: "Blacks in the Military from Colonial Days to Integration", May 1984
Letwin, Michael: "Blacks in the Military: From Vietnam to the Present", Jan 1985
Los Angeles Anti-Imperialist Contingent: Nixon Impeachment, undated
Los Angeles Student Coalition (LASC), 1990, inclusive
Lower East Side Mobilization for Peace Action (LEMPA), undated
Mobilization Against the Draft (MAD), 1980, inclusive
Morningside Citizen's Coalition Newsletter, 1970-1973, inclusive
Morningside Co-op Super Market, 1975-1976, inclusive
Morningside Gardens, undated, 1957-1988
Morningside Gardens: Handbooks, Rules and Fees, 1953-1975, inclusive
Morningside Gardens Tenant Cooperators Committee (MGTCC): Minutes, 1958-1977, inclusive
Morningside Gardens: Trees, 1987, inclusive
Morningside Heights Housing Corporation: Board of Directors Minutes and Reports, 1958-1969, inclusive
Morningside Heights Housing Corporation: By-Laws, 1961, inclusive
Morningside Heights Housing Corporation: Elections, undated
Morningside Heights Housing Corporation: Interim and Annual Reports, 1963-1969, inclusive
Morningside Heights Housing Corporation: Security, undated, 1967-1982
Morningside Heights Housing Corporation: Reports, 1959-1967, inclusive
Morningside Retirement and Health Services, 1966-1991, inclusive
Morningsiders for Reversing the Arms Race, 1985-1986, inclusive
Morris Kominsky Book Committee, undated
National Peace Action Council (NPAC), 1970-1972, inclusive
New El Salvador Today (NEST), 1989, inclusive
New York Mobilization for Justice and Peace in Central America and Southern Africa, 1987, inclusive
Next Middle East Crisis Coalition, 1990, inclusive
Nicaragua, undated, 1987
Open the Gate Committee: Angela Davis Greeting Cards, undated
Pageant Players, undated
Palestine Solidarity Committee, 1988, inclusive
Peace Movement Flyers, undated, 1986, 1987, 1990, inclusive
Poetry Project: John Giorno Defense Fund, undated
Promoting Enduring Peace, undated, 1989
Quakers: New York Yearly Meeting Newsletter, 1966, inclusive
Radio Actors' Workshop: Reverie Vance, "Know These Americans", undated
Rank and File Committee for a Democratic Union within the NYCTA: Rank and File News (Publication), 1968, inclusive
Riverside Church, 1973-1990, inclusive
Riverside Church Disarmament Program, 1979-1992, inclusive
Students for a Democratic Society (SDS): Flyers and New Left Notes (Newspaper), undated
Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC): Flyers, 1980, inclusive
Socialist Workers Campaign: Andrew Pulley, "How to Stop the Draft", 1980, inclusive
Songs and Poems, undated
South Africa: Apartheid, undated, 1990
Soviet Jewry, undated
Student Mobilization Committee: National Strike Bulletin (Newsletter), 1971, inclusive
Student Union for Peace and Justice, 1971, inclusive
Tugend, Alina: "Two Souths:The Impact of Involvement in Vietnam on the Civil Rights Movement, 1963-1968", Feb 1981
U.S. Anti-Imperialist League (USAIL): Beirut and Zionism, undated
Veterans Fast for Life, 1986, inclusive
Vietnam Veterans, 1981-1982, inclusive
Vietnam Veterans Art Group (VVAG), undated
Woman's International League for Peace and Freedom, undated, 1985
Series II: Subject Files, 2010 Accession, 1978-2007, inclusive
Extent
Afghan and Iraq Wars, circa 2000s
Extent
Afghan and Iraq Wars 1, 1988 - Oct 2006
General
Contains: Democratic Party; London bombing (2005); Oil - International Trade; Colombia; Pakistan/Iran/Uzbekistan; Patriotism, US; Russia; SE Asia; Pro-War in US; Military Recruitment; Military Repression, US; Military Intervention (1979-), US; Panama; Central America, Contragate; Katrina (2005); Afghanistan;
Afghan and Iraq Wars 2, 1999 - Jan 26, 2006
General
Contains: Gulf War 1991; Cuba, Left Criticism of; Imperialism, generally; Darfur; WMD, US Nukes; WMD, Iran; WMD, Korea; UN; Torture;
Afghan and Iraq Wars 3, Oct 2, 2001 - May 27, 2007
General
Contains: New York City Labor Against The War; (NYCLAW) postings; NYCLAW digests.
Afghan and Iraq Wars 4, Sep 2001 - Apr 2006
General
Contains: 911 immediate impact - domestic; Bin Ladin evidence; 911 labor assistance to victims; 911 economic impact; 911 disaster victims; 911 Giuliani; 911 biological attack; Civil liberties.
Afghan and Iraq Wars 5, Feb 10, 2003 - Apr 16, 2007
General
Contains: Iraq, Iraq War
Afghan and Iraq Wars 6, c 1974 - Jun 6, 2006
General
Contains: Iraq; Undocumented Workers "Illegals."
Afghan and Iraq Wars 7, Dec 23, 2002 - Jun 3, 2006
General
Contains: Somalia; Korea; 911 HS; Korea; Iran
Criminal Justice, undated
Extent
Criminal Justice 1, 1990 - 2001
General
Contains: AIDS; Bail; Black community position; Black crime; Broken Windows Theory; Children; Drugs: CIA involvement; Drugs: citizen patrols; Drugs: Civil liberties; Drugs: Colombia
Criminal Justice 2, 1988 - 2000
General
Contains: Offensive in NYC; Courts, Pro-prosecution; Drugs: courts; Drugs: crack, generally; Drugs: crack babies; Drugs: Crime lab; Crime rates; Dinkins crime plan; Giuliani crime plan
Criminal Justice 3, 1986 - Aug 21, 2001
General
Contains: District Attorneys, Prosecution; Death Penalty; Drugs: crime; Overview
Criminal Justice 4, 1989 - 2001
General
Contains: Drugs: drug courts; Drugs: education about; Drugs: National enforcement; Drugs: Entrapment; Drugs: Evictions, NYC; Drugs: Federal Policy 1988-; Drugs: Los Angeles; Drugs: Money Laundering; Drugs: legalization; Drugs: interdiction and use of the military
Criminal Justice 5, Mar 1982 - Mar 2001
General
Contains: Drugs: trade, turf, gangs (NYC); Drugs: treatment; Drugs: gangs (national); Drugs: genocide argument; Drugs: jail and prison (NY); Grand Jury; Judicial Appointments and conduct; Juries; Juveniles; Drugs: drug exception (national); Drugs: marijuana; Mental illness; Drugs: National Guard, use of; Drugs: needle exchange; Drugs: parole; Plea Bargaining; Prison-Industrial Complex; Drugs: Angela Thompson Sentence (NY); Central Park Jogger Case ("Wilding") 1989
Criminal Justice 6, 1979 - Nov 20, 1996
General
Contains: Racism: general overview and discussion; Racism: cocaine sentencing disparity; Racism: prosecutors; Racism: Judicial Commission on Minorities (1988); Racism: judiciary; Racism: prosecution of prominent blacks; Racism: reports; Racism: street level enforcement; Racism: sentencing
Criminal Justice 7, 1986 - 2000
General
Contains: Sentencing; Sentences; OJ Simpson Trial; Rodney King Trial
Criminal Justice 8, 2000 - Mar 6, 2007
General
Contains: Tobacco; Rockfeller Drug Laws, NYS; Misc. CJS to file
Criminal Justice 9, Oct 24, 1979 - 2000
General
Contains: California; Florida; LAPD; California; Rodney King
Criminal Justice 10, 1990 - Jan 24, 2002
General
Contains: By state; Phillip Pannell (v. Spath), 1990 NJ; Tyisha Miller Los Angeles Police Department, 1999
Giuliani, Rudy, undated
Extent
Rudy Giuliani 1, 1994 - 2000
General
Contains: School chancellors; School uniforms; Secrecy; Sex; Suits against city; Strike contingency plans; Street signs; Taxis; Time Warner cable; Traffic and peds; Vendors; Welfare; Popularity; Press; As US Attorney; Animus; Aides; AIDS; Arts - Brooklyn Museum; Street artists; Bunkers; Car seizures; Charas; Character, ambition, personal; Racism, personal; Redbaiting; Protesters, gethering; City Hall gardens; NYC Charter reform
Rudy Giuliani 2, 1992 - Jan 15, 2002
General
Contains: City Council; City employee free speech; City Hall fortress; Contractors, vendors; Critics, misc.; CUNY; Defamation, character assassination; Dibrienza; DNA testing; Foreign government figures; Grammys; Opposition to; Haitians; Hanac; Donna Hanover; Health, personal; Homeless; Housing works; Judges; Law, Mafia; Manhattan Institute; Municipal unions; City Hall demo, riot; NYPD commissioner; Navy Yard; Public order; v. Pataki; Patronage, corruption; Pets; v. politicians
Labor
Labor, Oct 23, 1979 - May 2002
General
Contains: Labor notes 1979-2002; Songs, history, etc.; Labor movement; Inside strategy
New York City Police Department, undated
Extent
New York City Police Department 1, Oct 27, 1983 - 2002
General
Contains: To file; Brutality generally; Bystanders; Cadets; Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB)
New York City Police Department 2, 1972 - 2002
General
Contains: Community policing; Corruption, misc.; Equal Justice News; IAD/IAB corruption; Mollen Commission; Drugs corruption/abuse; Crime stats; Corrupt cops: drug rings tipping off mob; Black cops; Locurto; Internal racism; AIDS; Gay; Women; Desmond Robinson: black cop shot by white cop; Cop; Discrimination
New York City Police Department 3, 1989 - 2001
General
Contains: Drugs: DEA; Drugs: Drug Wars NYC; Drugs: Tactical Narcotics Teams (TNT), NYC; NYPD: DWI, by police; NYPD: evictions by; NYPD: evidence, handling of; NYPD: false arrests by; FBI: treatment of FDNY by; Gangs; NYPD: cuffing by; NYPD: treatment of Hassidim by; NYPD: treatment of homeless by; NYPD: hot pursuit and driving by; NYPD: lineups; NYPD: brutality lawsuits and awards; NYPD: media victims; NYPD: city budget; NYPD: commanders; NYPD: compensation; MOVE (Philadelphia); DEA; Drug enforcement by boro; Tactical Narcotics Teams (TNT)
New York City Police Department 4, 1985 - 2001
General
Contains: NYPD: general misconduct; NYPD: off-duty misconduct by officers; NYPD: Operation Condor; NYPD: policy and planning; NYPD: reform proposals; NYPD: spying; NYPD: 48-Hour Rule; NYPD: Giuliani v. Diallo Critics; NYPD: organizations v. abuse by; NYPD: Guiliani v. Patrick Dorismond; NYPD: overtime pay for; NYPD: Police Benevolent Association (PBA); NYPD: use of pepper spray by; NYPD: "Perp walk."
New York City Police Department 5, 1988 - 2002
General
Contains: Police in schools; NYPD: injury death; NYPD: cop v. cop; NYPD perjury; NYPD failed policy; Drug policy; Prosecution of; Protest - NYPD reaction; Puerto Rican Day parade
New York City Police Department 6, 1989 - 2002
General
Contains: NYPD: quality of life arrests; NYPD: arrest quotas; NYPD: racial profiling by; NYPD: radios, beatings with; NYPD: mistaken drug raids by; NYPD: rappers, treatment of; NYPD: recruitment by; NYPD: disclosure of discovery by; NYPD: residency requirement for officers; NYPD: cop v. cop retaliation; NYPD: unconstitutional search and seizure by; NYPD: street crime unit; NYPD: strikebreaking by; NYPD: strip searches by; NYPD: suicide by officers; Police: SWAT (national); NYPD: Brutality Task Force (1997); NYPD: training of; US Marshals; NYPD: ammunition; NYPD: choppers; NYPD: weapons used by; NYPD: street enforcement
New York City Police Department 7, 1992 - 2002
General
Contains: Beatings 1978-; Michael Stewart 9/15/1983; Anthony Patrick 2000; Ryan Zulia 2000; Lauren Sudeall 10/3/2000; Jason Rowley; Sheldon Gilbert 10/3/2000; Marie Claire Lim 10/3/2000; Errol Maitland 3/28/2000; Stacey Patton 4/2/2000; Thomas Washington (broom attack) 4/21/2000; Gilberto Reyes Jusino 3/1999; Donaldo Maloney 7/23/1999; Thomas Pizzato 1/13/1999; Alton Fitzgerald White 7/16/1999; Walter Avila 1998; Kenneth Banks 10/29/1998; Jean Charles 9/24/1998; Norman Batista 9/97; Kuken Kernisant 12/16/1997; Murrell 1997; Shane Daniels 9/1996; Harold Dusenbury 7/25/1996; Anthony Baez 12/24/1994; Ernest Sayon chokehold death 4/29/1994; Johnny Cronartie 1993; Edward Dominguez 1993; Yunas Mohammed 9/16/1992; William Smith death 1/29/1992; Michael Perez rape 1991; Federico Periera custody death 2/5/1991; Joanne Tunner 9/28/1990 video taped assault; Henry Hughes 1989; Juan Rodriguez restraint death 1/20/1988; Edwin Torres drowning death 4/19/1998; Larry Davis 1986; Cadets; Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB)
New York City Police Department 8, 1978 - 2002
General
Contains: NYPD: shootings 1973-1989; NYPD: Bernard Kerik; NYPD: Patrick Dorismond shooting (2000); NYPD: Abner Louima, assault on (1997); NYPD: Amidou Diallo shooting (1999)
New York City Police Department 9, 1988 - circa 2000
General
Contains: Precincts; Anti Bias unit; Crime lab; Correction; Housing Police Department; Medical examiner; NYS troopers; Transit police; Amadou Diallo
New York City Police Department 10, 1983 - 2001
General
Contains: Allan Cameroon, 2005; Shooting by year; Tysheen Bourne and Thomas Boyland, 2000; Reynaldo Colon, 2000; Malcolm Ferguson, 2000; Carmen Valentine, 2000; Andre Austin, 9/18/1999; Gary Busch, 8/30/1999; Larry Cobb, 8/18/99; Stanton Crew, 1999; Walter Hickey, 2/23/1999; Dantae Johnson, 5/26/1999; Charles Stevens, 4/6/1999; Robert Striker, 8/9/1999; Richard Watson, 9/1/1999; Dexter Brown, 1998; Sean Kelly, 9/31/1998; Michael Jones, 1998; Antonio Reid, 6/14/1998; Felix River, 1/1983; Steven Service, 2/27/1998; Jason Rodriguez, 1995; Anthony Rosario, 1/12/95; Argencio, 1/1994; Desmond Robinson, 8/22/1994; Kenneth Cook, 1993; Aurea Bonnie Vargas, 1/29/1993; Earl Black, 5/27/1992; Robert Cabeza, 1992; Jacques Camille, 4/9/1992; Jose Garcia, 7/3/1992; Douglas Orfaly, 3/3/1992; P.O. Derwin Pannell, 11/17/1992; Ardel Amos, 8/25/1991; David Coho, 3/1/1990; Jose Cruz, 12/7/1990; Jose Luis Lebron, 2/1/1990; Luis Liranzo, 1/27/1990; Patrick Bailey, 10/31/1997; Reginald Bannerman, 12/1997; Kevin Cedeno, 4/1997; Donald Davidson, 3/1997; Rodney Dilbert, 1997; William Whitfield, 12/1997; Charles Campbell, 10/1996; Nathaniel Levi Gaines, 7/1996; Gayle Hoffman, 3/1996; Henry Phelan, 1/1996; Thompkins Square Park [riot], 1988
Racism, undated
Extent
Racism, 1980 - 2002
General
Contains: Atlanta murders - Wayne Williams; Greensboro, NC murders, 1979; Latinos, immigration; Klan; Attica Prison (NYS); Martin Luther King; Muslims; Malcolm X; Political prisoners, misc.; Repression, US; MOVE; Mumia Abu Jamal
Racist Violence
Racist Violence, 1980 - 1989
General
Contains: Central Park jogger 4/89; Bernard Goetz, 1984; Yusef Hawkins, 1989; Howard Beach, 1986; 1980-1989; Willie Turks, June 1982; Crown Heights (Bklyn, NY)
