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Diana L. Green Papers

An inventory of her papers at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: RMH
Date: 24 May 2023

Biographical History

Diana L. Green is an alumna of Syracuse University and was politically active in the 1970s in a range of feminist and social justice organizations and causes, including the National Organization for an American Revolution (NOAR), Committee on Southern African Liberation (COSAL), Socialist-Feminists of Syracuse, and the Women's INFOrmation Center. She was heavily involved in local social justice issues, such as the Syracuse boycott of Niagara Mohawk (NiMo) power company's rate hike, engaged in different philosophies like Marxism, and kept up to date on liberation movements in many African countries.

NOAR was formed in 1978 by Grace Lee and James Boggs, who co-authored Revolution and Evolution in the Twentieth Century published in 1974 laying out their new evolutionary concept of revolution they developed during the 1960s and early 1970s. "A revolution is not just for the purpose of correcting past injustices," they wrote in their book. "The only justification for a revolution is that it advances the evolution of man/woman." [Information drawn from "A Critical Journal of Black Politics, Culture, and Society," vol. 17, 2015] COSAL was a group of mostly (but not all) Syracuse University students in the Eastern African Studies program that operated independently of the University and was not formally affiliated. In Syracuse, COSAL protested Crucible Steel for its use of imported chrome from Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), fundraised for the Liberation Support Movement (LSM), and hosted speakers from various liberation movements, such as Oliver Tambo of the African National Congress. [Information drawn from African Activist Archive] The Women's Information Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting feminist principles of empowering women regardless of age, race, ability, economic status, religion, or sexual orientation. [Information drawn from their Facebook page, July 2023]

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Diana Green Papers consists of material relating to four social justice groups of which Green was a member: Committee on Southern African Liberation (COSAL), National Organization for an American Revolution (NOAR), Socialist-Feminists of Syracuse, and Women's INFOrmation Center.

Committee on Southern African Liberation (COSAL) contains many periodicals and a small amount of correspondence, printed material, and memorabilia. Some of the journals include The African Communist, Ufahamu, and Women in the Struggle for Liberation with discussions of the liberation movements in various African countries, such as Angola, Namibia, South Africa, Ethiopia, and Rhodesia. The printed material consist of newsletters, flyers, brochures, and clippings of the organization.

National Organization for an American Revolution (NOAR) includes pamphlets published by the organization and by its founders James and Grace Lee Boggs, internal bulletins, and pre-convention papers.

Socialist-Feminists of Syracuse consists of research material and writings by Green as well as some co-written with others. According to Green, this was a "Marxist study group," which the research topics reflect, like capitalism in the Soviet Union, Nicaragua, liberation theology, and China.

Women's INFOrmation Center consists of newsletters discussing topics important to the Syracuse community from 1979-1985, such as community involvement to enact political and community change.

Arrangement of the Collection

The collection is arranged alphabetically by social justice group, then by topic and/or type of material.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Related Material

Also see National Organization for an American Revolution (NOAR), Syracuse Branch, Records.

Subject Headings

Persons

Boggs, Grace Lee.
Boggs, James.
Green, Diana L.

Corporate Bodies

Committee on Southern African Liberation.
Liberation Support Movement
National Anti-Apartheid Movement.
National Organization for an American Revolution.
Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation.
Women's INFOrmation Center (Syracuse, N.Y.)

Subjects

Feminism.
Feminists -- United States.
Marxism.
Radicalism -- United States.
Social justice.
Socialism.
Socialists -- United States.
Women -- Political activity.
Women and socialism.

Places

Angola.
Cabo Verde.
Eritrea.
Ethiopia.
Guinea-Bissau -- History -- Revolution, 1963-1974.
Kenya.
Mozambique.
Namibia.
Rhodesia.
South Africa.
Syracuse (N.Y.)
Zimbabwe.

Genres and Forms

Clippings (information artifacts)
Correspondence.
Journals (periodicals)
Newsletters.
Pamphlets.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Diana L. Green Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Diana L. Green, 2022.

Table of Contents

Committee on Southern African Liberation (COSAL)

National Organization for an American Revolution (NOAR)

Socialist-Feminists of Syracuse

Women's INFOrmation Center

Inventory