Table of Contents
Labor organization and unionization
University culture and policy activism
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Syracuse University Student Activism Collection
An inventory of the collection at the Syracuse University Archives
Summary |
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| Creator: | Syracuse University. |
| Title: | Syracuse University Student Activism Collection |
| Dates: | 1896-2023 |
| Size: | 1.5 linear feet |
| Abstract: | Memorabilia, fliers, handbills, reports, and other printed materials concerning student activism at Syracuse University |
| Language: | English |
| Repository: |
University Archives, Special Collections Research Center Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Ave., Suite 600 Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center/university-archives |
Historical Note
The history of student activism at Syracuse University reflects much of the history of student protest in the United States. Some of the earliest records of student organizing at Syracuse University date back to the late 19th century and document students' desire for greater involvement and self-determination in University decisions regarding class schedules and breaks. Student involvement in activism across the country reached a peak in the 1960s and 1970s as students rallied in support of causes such as the Civil Rights Movement and in opposition to the draft and the Vietnam War. Many student movements around this time, including those at Syracuse University, placed an emphasis on nonviolent protest and civil disobedience, which took the form of national boycotts, sit-ins and strikes. Student activism at Syracuse University has also included labor organization and unionization, political causes and campaigns, as well as concerns specific to University operations, policy and culture.
This collection contains materials that users may find objectionable due to racist imagery. The representations contained in this collection were conventional at the time of their creation, although no less harmful and inaccurate than they are today. The collection is preserved and presented for its historic and research value.
Scope and Content Note
The Syracuse University Student Activism Collection comprises materials concerning student organizing, protest, and activism. The collection includes materials created by student activists, as well as items documenting or responding to student organizing. The collection consists of five series:
The Antiracist activism series contains material from the 1940s to the 1990s and consists of fliers for protests and events addressing racism and racist violence.
The Anti-war activism series contains materials from the 1930s to the 1970s and consists of memorabilia, fliers, handbills, pamphlets, reports, court documents, and other printed materials concerning student organizing against the Vietnam War, the draft, and the presence of the military and affiliated institutions on campus.
The Labor organization and unionization series consists of correspondence, resolutions, agreements and reporting on the formation of Syracuse Graduate Employees United, a union representing graduate student teaching assistants and workers in 2023.
The Political activism series consists of materials from the 1930s to the 1990s concerning national, state and local political campaigns and causes, including promotional materials for presidential, senatorial, and mayoral campaigns, as well as materials concerning broader political causes, such as reproductive rights and educational funding. These items include memorabilia, fliers, handbills and other printed materials.
The University culture and policy activism series contains materials from the 1890s to the 2000s which relate to issues specific to Syracuse University, including concerns over the University course calendar, commencement speakers, campus social and cultural life, student governance, and availability of books and educational materials. These materials include handbills, petitions, fliers, correspondence and other printed materials.
Restrictions
Access Restrictions
Please note that the collection is housed off-site, and advance notice is required to allow time to have the materials brought to the Reading Room on campus.
Due to its fragile condition, the item "Petition to keep the start of winter break on December 18" in Oversize 1 is restricted and not available for research. Please consult with an archivist if you are interested in this item.
Use Restrictions
Written permission must be obtained from the Syracuse University Archives and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.
Related Material
Further information on student activism at Syracuse University can be found in the Syracuse University Clipping Files, the Syracuse University Poster Collection, the Syracuse University Photograph Collection, the Syracuse University Student Publications Collection and the Syracuse University Yearbook Collection. The University Archives also holds collections for larger student protests and movements, notably the 1970 Student Strike at Syracuse University Collection, the #NotAgainSU Collection, the Syracuse 8 Collection, and THE General Body Collection.
Selected Search Terms
Names
Subjects
Types of material
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
Syracuse University Student Activism Collection,
University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries
Acquisition Information
The materials in this collection were previously part of the Syracuse University Student Activities Reference Collection and the Syracuse University Memorabilia Collection and were gathered by the University Archives from various sources, including student organizations and alumni.
Processing Information
Materials were placed in acid-free folders in an acid-free box. Memorabilia was housed in acid-free tissue paper in an acid-free box.
Finding Aid Information
Created by: Anna E. Shuff
Date: 2025
Revision history:
Inventory
| Anti-racist activism | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | "Strange fruit" anti-lynching Youth for Progress meeting flier circa 1940s | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Protest against the administration's racial policies circa 1980s-1990s | ||||||||||
| Labor organization and unionization | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | Syracuse Graduate Employees United 2023 | ||||||||||