Citizenship Committee, 1940-1972
Scope and Contents note
Series contains materials created within the Citizenship Committee. The files include agenda books from meetings, conference papers, form letter books, reports and publications, Lucille Ellison’s papers and conference planning papers of the National Conference on Citizenship.
These files cover many interesting issues involving the national identity around WWII and how to include patriotism and American civics into the classroom. The National Conference on Citizenship papers illustrate the strong partnership between the U.S. Department of Justice and the NEA in encouraging American studies in the classroom. This subseries provides great source material for studying the intersection of American Patriotism, Civics and education during the 1940s-1950s.
Dates
- 1940-1972
Creator
- From the Fonds: National Education Association of the United States (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research. Some files are restricted. Those files flagged as restricted are subject to review by Special Collections staff before being made available for research. As researchers request materials, a review of the documents will take place. Staff will remove any documents with social security numbers, employee numbers or other sensitive identifying information. Any document found including this information is closed for 90 years from date of creation, or until verifiable proof of a person’s death is given. After these documents are removed the folder will be available for research. In some cases, items may be photocopied and redacted. The redacted copy will then be placed in the publicly available folder. All other materials in a folder will be freely available for immediate use and will be marked as having been reviewed by Special Collections staff. After folders have been reviewed using these procedures and the confidential materials have been removed, the restriction shall be lifted.
Biographical/Historical note
The Citizenship Committee was one of the first committees created by the NEA in 1935. Its initial purpose was to study the requirements for schools in preparing students to be active citizens. Later the committee was involved with introducing voting rights and lowering the voting age to 18.
The committee also co-sponsored an annual conference with the Department of Justice called the National Conference on Citizenship. The committee also encouraged teachers to pursue political causes and to hold office.
From 1963-1970, the committee held regional political clinics throughout the U.S. In 1969, the committee recommended that a national political action committee be formed, but it was initially turned down. In 1970, it was reconsidered, and eventually created in 1972. This sealed the end of the committee.
“The National Education Association: The Power Base for Education” by Allan M. West, 1980.
Extent
26 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement note
Arranged alphabetically by title, and chronologically within the same title.
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Research Center, The George Washington University Repository
