The Civil Rights History Project: Survey of Collections and Repositories

Indiana University Northwest. Calumet Regional Archives

3400 Broadway; Library Room 331
Gary, Indiana 46408

Email: [email protected]

Fax: 219-981-4289

Phone: 219-980-6628

Repository URL: http://www.iun.edu/~cra/

Repository code: inun

Repository description (CRHP): Several collections document the history of Gary, Indiana, including the activities of the Clifford E. Minton and the Gary Urban League.

The CRA Oral History Collection has a number of individual interviews that document civil rights activities, as well as copies of tapes recorded during Gary's Golden Jubilee in 1956 and presented on radio station WWCA that year, or that were recorded during meetings of the Gary Historical Society.

In addition, the interviews Ruth Needleman conducted for her 2003 book "Black Freedom Fighters in Steel" are located in the University Archives--Faculty Papers section (Ruth Needleman Papers, IUNA RG 13.11). This unprocessed collection includes 80 cassette tapes and 12 video tapes (a mix of VHS and three-quarter-inch formats); interviews address the efforts made to gain equality for African Americans within the steelworkers' union.

A list of Black History holdings in the archives is online at http://www.iun.edu/~cra/lists/#blackhistory

Repository description (extant): The mission of the Calumet Regional Archives shall be to collect, preserve, and make available records from organizations and individuals to document the history of Indiana's Calumet Region (Lake and Porter Counties) for use by students, scholars, and the general public.

Archives collections provide information on the history of:

* Arts and Music
* African-Americans, Latinos, and other ethnic groups
* Education
* Environmentalism
* Health
* Industry (particularly the steel industry)
* Labor
* Politics
* Recreation
* Women
* And many additional topics pertinent to the history of Northwest Indiana

Records sought by the Archives include correspondence, diaries, minutes, scrapbooks, journals, programs, pamphlets, photographs, financial records, maps, posters, reports, and other printed material, as well as films, videotapes, and sound recordings.

Churches, community organizations, ethnic groups, environmental groups, unions, and industries have preserved their records in the Archives. In addition, many long-time residents of the area have placed their personal papers and files in the repository, offering a rich source of documentation on a wide variety of subjects in Calumet history.

Repository Notes (CRHP): Researchers are advised to call ahead, if possible, before visiting the Archives. Contact Scott Michael Sandberg, Head of the Indiana University Northwest Calumet Regional Archives to arrange for a visit - 219-980-6928

Repository type: University Special Collection

Collections:

WYIN-TV records
Clifford E. Minton papers
Gary Golden Jubilee radio broadcasts
[Civil rights oral history interviews, Gary, Indiana]