Clayton Van Lydegraf papers, 1944-1991

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Van Lydegraf, Clayton
Title
Clayton Van Lydegraf papers
Dates
1944-1991 (inclusive)
1964-1983 (bulk)
Quantity
approximately 47.74 linear feet, including 2 sound cassettes
Collection Number
1341
Summary
Personal papers and papers related to political activism of a radical activist of Washington state
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

Open to all users, but access to portions of the collection is restricted. Contact Special Collections for details.

Access to archival recordings: Due to the fragility of archival tape recordings, potential users may be required to arrange for transfer to digital format before the material can be accessed. Please contact Special Collections for further information.

Some material stored offsite; advance notice required for use.

Request at UW

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Clayton Van Lydegraf (1915-1992) was a Pacific Northwest-based political activist whose career as a writer, theorist, and organizer spanned sixty years and a wide spectrum of radical organizations. Born in Salem, Oregon, Van Lydegraf joined the Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA) in 1933 and participated in the momentous San Francisco General Strike of the following year. During the Second World War, he served as a pilot for the U.S. Air Corps in India in 1944-1945, earning the rank of First Lieutenant and receiving both the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal.

Upon returning to the Seattle area, Van Lydegraf secured a job as a machinist at Boeing and membership in International Association of Machinists (IAF) lodge 79. His continued affiliation with the CPUSA, however, led to his expulsion from the IAF and the loss of his position at Boeing in 1947. He further committed himself to the CPUSA, rising to the office of State Secretary for the Northwest District. In 1956, Van Lydegraf was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), where he was accused of being a CPUSA saboteur and trainer for the Communist Hukbalahap uprising in the postwar Philippines. He eventually left the CPUSA in the late 1950s over ideological differences, and became a founding member of the Progressive Labor (PL) Party, a revisionist Marxist-Leninist group, in 1961. Van Lydegraf played a prominent role in the Washington State PL until 1967, when he was expelled from the group over arguments in the organization’s political direction.

Van Lydegraf soon began developing contacts and relationships among the various activist groups affiliated with the “New Left” movement then burgeoning in Seattle and Western Washington. To groups like Draft Resistance–Seattle, Peace and Freedom Party, and Students for a Democratic Society, Van Lydegraf served as an ideological link to the “Old Left” of the CPUSA and the PL, a resource of ideological militancy and practical experience gained from decades of activism, available at a time when most of Van Lydegraf’s contemporaries had retired from active agitation. He also became a prodigious and well-respected writer of political works, covering such subjects as Marxism-Leninism, Maoism, black militancy, and revolutionary tactics. He also maintained a correspondence throughout this time with notable Communist thinkers around the world, such as Anna Louise Strong and Rewi Alley. His most notable writings - U.S. Imperialism and the Fascist Danger (1967), The Object is to Win (1967), and The Movement and the Workers (1969) – all date from this period.

By the mid-1970s, Van Lydegraf’s increasingly strident avocation of direct and violent revolutionary action against the American political establishment placed him on the fringes of the radical left, where he affiliated himself with the Weather Underground Organization (WUO). In 1974, he co-founded and led the Prairie Fire Organizing Committee (PFOC), an above-ground support arm of the WUO which specialized in publishing, communications, and providing supplies to WUO members in hiding. In 1977, Van Lydegraf, along with four other radicals connected to the PFOC, was arrested for the planned bombing of the offices of conservative California State Senator John Briggs. The “L.A. five,” as they were known in press coverage, received a prominent trial, in which Lydegraf pleaded no contest to charges of conspiracy and possession of explosives. He would spend a total of two years in prison.

Following his release in 1980, Van Lydegraf ceased active participation in revolutionary activities, though he remained involved in activism for various causes, such as Native American rights. He died of cancer in 1992 in Oakland, CA.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

This collection documents the public life of Clayton Van Lydegraf. One of the largest accessions, 1341-001 is composed of personal files once held by Van Lydegraf, and includes materials that reflect Van Lydegraf’s political activities within a span of organizational affiliations over several decades, both in terms of his personal initiatives and his interests in the wider community of political activism. 1341-002 contains correspondence from prominent journalist and activist Anna Louise Strong, who was then living in exile in China. 1341-003 contains Van Lydegraf’s correspondence with New Zealand-born writer and activist Rewi Alley, including poems by Alley from which Van Lydegraf selected for publication. 1341-004 is composed of personal files once held by Van Lydegraf, with a similar organization and composition to 1341-001. The greatest portion of the accession is made up of legal materials dealing with several criminal trials, including FBI surveillance reports focused on Van Lydegraf and his political associates. 1341-005 concerns manuscripts for a number of Van Lydegraf’s writing projects, including essays, poetry, and testimony transcripts. 1341-006 is a very small accession comprised of some late writings, poetry, correspondence, academic transcripts, and a newspaper clipping. 1341-007 is a series of letters Van Lydegraf wrote to his then-wife from Second World War-era India, where he was stationed as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Corps. Some of his commentary is about the Indian independence movement. 1341-008 and 1341-009 are recordings of two 1991 interviews of Van Lydegraf by activist George Lippman, the latter of which includes a transcript. For further clarification, consult the scope and content information for each of the accessions list below.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Organized into 10 accessions.

  • Accession No. 1341-001, Clayton Van Lydegraf personal records and ephemera, 1940-1970
  • Accession No. 1341-002, Correspondence with Anna Louise Strong, 1967-1970
  • Accession No. 1341-003, Correspondence with Rewi Alley, 1967-1983
  • Accession No. 1341-004, Legal and personal records, 1941-1980
  • Accession No. 1341-005, Manuscripts by Van Lydegraf, 1973-1984
  • Accession No. 1341-006, Writings, poems, correspondence and academic transcripts, 1971-1988
  • Accession No. 1341-007, Correspondence with Mary Ann Nichols, 1944-1945, 1986-1987
  • Accession No. 1341-008, Tape-recorded interview conducted by George Lippman, 11/3/91
  • Accession No. 1341-009, Tape-recorded interview conducted by George Lippman, with transcript, 12/8/91
  • Accession No. 1341-010, Clayton Van Lydegraf papers, 1946-1980

Each accession is arranged into series according to their creator, format, or function. Subseries are subdivided similarly. Within each subseries, files are arranged chronologically, with the exception of ephemera files and publications, which are both arranged alphabetically. There is significant overlap in subject between accessions. 1341-004, Series III, “Manuscript Materials,” concerns items very similar to those found in 1341-005, “Manuscripts by Van Lydegraf.” Due to the lack of organization and mis-identification of some of the original records, furthermore, there is also some overlap between series. For example, ‘Personal Materials’ may contain items that might pertain better to ‘Manuscript Materials,’ had the collection been in a more intelligible original order.

Processing Note

Archivist Jonathan King processed, arranged, re-foldered and re-boxed the collection in acid free containers in the Spring and Summer of 2012. He then created a finding aid. During the processing, items that had been individually foldered were consolidated with like items to reduce bulk, most metal fasteners were removed, and the collection was housed in archival-quality containers. Newspaper clippings that were judged to be particularly acidic were either interleaved with acid-free paper or removed and photocopied. These photocopies were then integrated into their original folders. All efforts were made to adhere to the papers’ original order, though the arrangement of large portions was altered in order to improve coherence and access.

Bibliography

Barber, DavidA Hard Rain Fell: SDS and Why It Failed. Oxford, MS: University of Mississippi Press, 2008.

Berger, DanOutlaws of America: The Weather Underground and the Politics of Solidarity. Oakland, CA: AK Press, 2005.

http://www.sds-1960s.org/ “Clayton Van Lydegraf (1915 - 1992)” http://www.sds-1960s.org/ Accessed April 15, 2012.

Jacobs, RonThe Way the Wind Blew: A History of the Weather Underground. New York: Verso, 1997.

Rudd, MarkUnderground: My Life with SDS and the Weathermen. New York: Harper Collins, 2010.

Van Lydegraf, ClaytonU.S. imperialism and the fascist danger. Seattle, WA: Committees of Correspondence, 1969.

Van Lydegraf, ClaytonThe movement and the workers. Eugene, Or: Communications Co., 1972.

Related Materials

The personal papers of John Caughlan, a Seattle-area attorney and civil rights leader, contain two folders concerning Caughlan’s professional dealings with Van Lydegraf.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Accession No. 1341-001: Clayton Van Lydegraf personal records and ephemera, 1940-1970Return to Top

18 linear feet
Arrangement: This accession is divided into five series:
  • SERIES I: POLITICAL MATERIALS, 1940-1969
  • SERIES II: EPHEMERA, 1940-1970
  • SERIES III: PERSONAL MATERIALS, 1947-1969
  • SERIES IV: PAULA VAN LYDEGRAF, 1953-1966
  • SERIES V: PUBLICATIONS, 1953-1969
The first series is arranged by creating political organization, and subseries by subject. The second series is arranged alphabetically by subject or creating body, with minor subjects subsumed into larger folders by letter, such as ‘Ephemera- C.’ The third series is organized by material type, and the fourth by material type or subject. The fifth series is organized alphabetically by title of publication.

Scope and Content: Ephemera, meeting minutes, agendas, reports, memoranda and correspondence from Van Lydegraf’s personal files. A large portion is composed of brochures, handouts, reports, agendas and meeting minutes relating to local organizations, events, and initiatives among Seattle’s activist community, particularly during the late 1960s. The various publications collected by Van Lydegraf are also present in large numbers, most of which concern aspects of radical political thought, such as communism, black nationalism, and labor activism. A portion of the files originate from Van Lydegraf’s ex-wife, Paula Van Lydegraf.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users except for Series IV, “Paula Van Lydegraf, 1953-1966,” which is restricted. Contact repository for details.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Gift of Clayton Van Lydegraf, 3/2/1970.

Container(s) Description Dates
SERIES I: POLITICAL MATERIALS
1940-1969
SUBSERIES A: COMMUNIST PARTY
1946-1969
Box/Folder Accession
11/3-5 1341-001
Communist Party- Reports and Ephemera
1946-1967
11/1 1341-001
Communist Party- Incoming Correspondence
1950-1968
11/2 1341-001
Communist Party- Outgoing Correspondence
1950-1968
12/3 1341-001
Communist Party- Newspapers
1954-1959
12/1-2 1341-001
Communist Party- Speeches and Writings
1954-1964
11/7 1341-001
Communist Party- General Correspondence
1959-1967
11/6 1341-001
Communist Party- "Ad Hoc Bulletin (Marxist-Leninist)"
1967-1969
12/4 1341-001
Communist Party- Ephemera (Annotated)
1966-1969
SUBSERIES B: PROGRESSIVE LABOR PARTY
1960-1969
Box/Folder Accession
9/9 1341-001
Progressive Labor Party- Trade Union Program
1960-1966
9/4 1341-001
Progressive Labor Party- Reports
1964-1968
9/10 1341-001
Progressive Labor Party- Trade Union Program (Annotated)
circa 1966
9/11 1341-001
Progressive Labor Party- Trade Union Resolution
circa 1966
9/6 1341-001
Progressive Labor Party- Incoming Correspondence
1966
9/7 1341-001
Progressive Labor Party- Ephemera
1966-1967
9/5 1341-001
Progressive Labor Party- Outgoing Correspondence
1966-1967
9/12-13 1341-001
Progressive Labor Party- Meeting Materials
1966-1969
9/8 1341-001
Progressive Labor Party- Speeches and Writings
1969
SUBSERIES C: PEACE AND FREEDOM PARTY
1964-1968
Box/Folder Accession
4/1 1341-001
Peace and Freedom Party- Meeting Materials
1964-1968
4/2 1341-001
Peace and Freedom Party- Election and Organizational Materials
1966-1968
4/4 1341-001
Peace and Freedom Party- Newsletters
1967-1968
4/3 1341-001
Peace and Freedom Party- Correspondence
1968
4/5 1341-001
Peace and Freedom Party- Party Newspapers
1968
SUBSERIES D: MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS
1940-1969
Box/Folder Accession
6/2-3 1341-001
Political materials
1940-1969
7/1-3 1341-001
Other People's Writings
1952-1969
6/1 1341-001
Convention and meeting materials
1966-1968
SERIES II: EPHEMERA
1940-1970
Box/Folder Accession
1/1 1341-001
Ephemera- American Friends Service Committee
1967
½ 1341-001
Ephemera- Anti-Fascist Front
1969
1/3 1341-001
Ephemera- Antithesis
1964-1965
1/4 1341-001
Ephemera- A
1964-1969
1/5 1341-001
Ephemera- B
1965-1969
1/6 1341-001
Ephemera- China Books and Periodicals
1961-1967
1/7 1341-001
Ephemera- Clergy and Laymen Concerned About Vietnam
1967
1/8 1341-001
Ephemera- Committee to Free A.A. Fisher
1960
1/9-10 1341-001
Ephemera- C
1962-1968
1/11-12 1341-001
Ephemera- Draft Resistance Organizations
1968-1969
2/1 1341-001
Ephemera- D
circa 1967
2/2 1341-001
Ephemera- Free University of Seattle
1966-1968
2/3 1341-001
Ephemera- F
1960-1969
2/4 1341-001
Ephemera- G
1965-1968
2/6 1341-001
Ephemera- Harlem Incident
1965
2/7 1341-001
Ephemera- I
1964-1965
2/8 1341-001
Ephemera- K
1968
2/9 1341-001
Ephemera- L
1968
2/10 1341-001
Ephemera- M
1967-1968
2/11-12 1341-001
Ephemera- N
1962-1969
3/1 1341-001
Ephemera- O
1968
3/2-3 1341-001
Ephemera- P
1965-1970
3/4 1341-001
Ephemera- R
1968-1969
3/5 1341-001
Ephemera- Seattle Committee to End the War in Vietnam
1967
3/6-7 1341-001
Ephemera- Students for a Democratic Society
1967-1969
5/1 1341-001
Ephemera- Seattle Youth for Peace in Vietnam
circa 1968
5/2 1341-001
Ephemera- Spring Mobilization Committee
1967
5/3-4 1341-001
Ephemera- S
1940-1969
5/5 1341-001
Ephemera- T
1967
5/6 1341-001
Ephemera- U
1967-1969
5/7 1341-001
Ephemera- Vietnam Day Committee
1966
5/8 1341-001
Ephemera- V
1965-1969
5/9 1341-001
Ephemera- Vancouver Student
1968-1969
5/10 1341-001
Ephemera- Washington Progressive Forum
circa 1968
5/11 1341-001
Ephemera- The Worker
1960-1967
5/12-13 1341-001
Ephemera- W
1958-1968
5/14 1341-001
Ephemera- Y
1965-1968
7/4-5, 8/1-2 1341-001
Clippings
1956-1969
SERIES III: PERSONAL MATERIALS
1947-1969
Box/Folder Accession
9/2 1341-001
Incoming Correspondence
1947-1969
6/4 1341-001
Speeches and Writings by Van Lydegraf
1948-1969
9/1 1341-001
Legal Documents
1954-1968
9/3 1341-001
Outgoing Correspondence
1958-1970
8/4-5 1341-001
Personal Notes
circa 1965
8/3 1341-001
Political Materials annotated by Van Lydegraf
1967-1968
SERIES IV: PAULA VAN LYDEGRAF
1953-1966
Box/Folder Accession
10/1-2 1341-001
Paula Van Lydegraf- Ephemera
1953-1963
10/6 1341-001
Paula Van Lydegraf- Correspondence and Writings
1955-1962
10/4 1341-001
Paula Van Lydegraf- International Women's Day
1959-1960
10/3 1341-001
Paula Van Lydegraf- Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
circa 1961
10/5 1341-001
Paula Van Lydegraf- Clippings
1961-1966
SERIES V: PUBLICATIONS
1953-1969
Box/Folder Accession
17/6 1341-001
Anti-U.S. in Vietnam Propaganda, Foreign Languages Press (China)
1965-1966
16/1-3 1341-001
Black Panther Party. 1967. The Black panther. Oakland, Calif: Black Panther Party, Ministry of Information
1968-1971
15/6 1341-001
Committee for GI Rights, and American Servicemen's Union. 1968. The Bond. New York, NY: Committee for GI Rights
1967-1969
16/11 1341-001
Challenge. 1900. Chicago, Ill: Progressive Labor Party
1966-1968
16/12 1341-001
The Bay guardian. 1966. San Francisco, Calif: Roger B. Henkle, ed.
1968
17/5 1341-001
Workers (Communist) Party of America, and Communist Party of the United States of America. 1924. The daily worker. Chicago, Ill: Daily Worker Pub. Co.
1955
15/11 1341-001
International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union. 1944. The Dispatcher. San Francisco, Calif: International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union
1965-1969
15/16 1341-001
Partido Comunista de Cuba. 1965. Gramma. Havana, Cuba: Central Committee, Communist Party of Cuba
1966-1968
14/12-13, 15/1-5 1341-001
Institute for Independent Social Journalism, Inc. (New York, N.Y.). 1968. The Guardian. New York: [s.n.]
1968-1969
17/7-11 1341-001
Helix. 1967. Seattle, Wash: [s.n.].
1967-1969
15/10 1341-001
Independent Socialist Clubs of America. 1967. Independent socialist. New York, N.Y.: New York Independent Socialist Club
1967
16/13 1341-001
International Woodworkers of America. 1942. International woodworker. Seattle, Wash: International Woodworkers of America (CIO)
1955
15/9 1341-001
Strong, Anna Louise. 1963. Letter from China. Peking: [s.n.]
1967-1969
16/17 1341-001
Leviathan. 1969. New York, N.Y.: V.R.-Leviathan Publications
1969
16/16 1341-001
Los Angeles free press. 1964. Los Angeles, Calif: Art Kunkin
1969
15/13 1341-001
Labor-Progressive Party. 1957. Marxist review. Toronto: National Committee of the Labor-Progressive Party
1958
18/2-7 1341-001
Monthly review. 1949. New York: Monthly Review Foundation
1953-1969
16/4-6 1341-001
The Movement. 1960. San Francisco, Calif: Student Nonviolent Coordinating-Committee of California
1967-1969
14/10-11 1341-001
National guardian. 1948. New York, N.Y.: Weekly Guardian Associates
1955-1968
16/7 1341-001
Students for a Democratic Society (U.S.). 1970. New left notes. Boston, Mass: Students for a Democratic Society
1967-1969
15/12 1341-001
National Conference for New Politics, and New Politics Convention for 1968 and Beyond. 1967. New politics news. Convention issue. Chicago, Ill: Convention Steering Committee of the New Politics Convention for 1968 and Beyond
1968
15/14 1341-001
Friends of the Soviet Union (Group). 1932. New world review. New York: N.W.R. Publications, etc.
1961-1963
16/10 1341-001
Northern neighbors. 1956. Gravenhurst, Ont., etc: Northern Neighbors Pub. Association
1962
13/1-16, 14 /1-8 1341-001
Peking review. 1958. Peking: Peking Review
1961-1969
15/17-18 1341-001
People's world. 1938. San Francisco, Calif: World Pub. Co.
1954-1969
17/12-16, 18 /1 1341-001
Communist Party of the United States of America. 1945. Political affairs. New York: New Century Publishers
1948-1968
16/20 1341-001
Peninsula observer. 1968. Palo Alto, Calif: [s.n.]
1969
16/21-24 1341-001
Progressive Workers Movement. 1964. Progressive worker. Vancouver
1964-1969
16/9 1341-001
San Francisco express times. 1968. San Francisco, Ca: Trystero Co.
1968
16/15 1341-001
The San Jose maverick. 1969. San Jose, Calif: [s.n.]
1969
16/19 1341-001
Student Government Association. 1969. The Spectrum. Washington D.C.: Student Government Association
1969
16/8 1341-001
Ta kung pao. 1900. Hong Kong: TA Kung Pao
1968
15/8 1341-001
Vietnam courier. 1964. Hanoi, D.R.V.: [s.n.]
1967-1969
15/7 1341-001
Vietnam GI. 1968. Chicago, Ill: [s.n.]
1968
16/25-27, 17/ 1-4 1341-001
Vietnam information bulletin. 1967. Rangoon: Vietnam News Agency
1966-1968
16/14 1341-001
Democratic State Central Committee of Washington. 1955. Washington democrat. Seattle, Wash: Washington Democrat, Inc.
1955
14/9 1341-001
Western front. 1970. Seattle Wash: Washington State Peace and Freedom Party
1969
16/18 1341-001
Wildcat. 1969. Chicago, Ill: Wildcat Press
1969
15/15 1341-001
World Marxist review. 1958. Toronto: Progress Books
1962-1963

Accession No. 1341-002: Correspondence with Anna Louise Strong, 1967-1970Return to Top

2.5 linear feet (60 items)

Scope and Content: Correspondence with Anna Louise Strong, 1967-1970.

Includes twenty-two letters from Anna Louise Strong to Clayton Van Lydegraf; and thirty-two letters from Van Lydegraf to Anna Louise Strong. Also one writing regarding "I Change Worlds."

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access, contact Special Collections

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Mr. Van Lydegraf, ½7/1984.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder Accession
1/1-3 1341-002
Correspondence with Anna Louise Strong
1967-1970

Accession No. 1341-003: Correspondence with Rewi Alley, 1967-1983Return to Top

circa .16 linear feet

Scope and Content: Correspondence with Rewi Alley, poems of Alley from which Van Lydegraf selected for publication.

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access, contact Special Collections

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Clayton Van Lydegraf, ½7/1983.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder Accession
1/1 1341-003
Correspondence with Rewi Alley
1967-1970
½ 1341-003
Manuscript- "This Way Madness Lies"
circa 1983
1/3-5 1341-003
Poems by Rewi Alley
circa 1967-1970

Accession No. 1341-004: Legal and personal records, 1941-1980Return to Top

21 linear feet
Arrangement: This accession is divided chronologically into seven series:
  • SERIES I: FBI MATERIALS, 1941-1978
  • SERIES II: POLITICAL MATERIALS, 1948-1978
  • SERIES III: MANUSCRIPT MATERIALS, 1950s-1979
  • SERIES IV: PUBLICATIONS, 1964-1975
  • SERIES V: PERSONAL MATERIALS, 1967-1978
  • SERIES VI: COURT CASE MATERIALS, 1970-1980
  • SERIES VII: SMALL PRESS MATERIALS, 1972-1976
The first series, FBI Materials, is organized by material type, and then chronologically. The second series, Political Materials, is divided into subseries by creating body, which are themselves organized chronologically by material type. The third series, Manuscript Materials, is divided into subseries according to creation by Van Lydegraf or another writer, and then arranged by manuscript project. The fourth series, Publications, is organized alphabetically according to title of publication. The fifth series, Personal Materials, is organized by material type. The sixth series, Court Case Materials, is divided chronologically into subseries by court case, and then arranged by material type. The seventh series, Small Press Materials, is organized by material type.

Scope and Content: An accession of materials deriving from Van Lydegraf’s legal and personal records. A large portion is composed of brochures, correspondence, reports, agendas, meeting minutes and published materials relating to Van Lydegraf’s political life, including his written opinions and his association with the Prairie Fire Organizing Committee. A large proportion of the files are composed of affidavits, transcripts, memoranda, and other records originating from Van Lydegraf’s legal troubles, especially his arrest and trial in 1977 for the attempted bombing of a California State Senator’s office. Also present are almost 40 years of FBI investigation files on Van Lydegraf and various associates, including Timothy Leary. The various publications collected by Van Lydegraf are also present in large numbers, most of which concern aspects of radical political thought, such as communism, black nationalism, and labor activism.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Some material stored offsite; advance notice is required for use.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Clayton Van Lydegraf, 1/3/1989.

Container(s) Description Dates
SERIES I: FBI MATERIALS
1941-1978
Box/Folder Accession
3/7-18, 4/1-10 1341-004
FBI file #100-47617
1941-1978
4/14-24, 5/1-3 1341-004
FBI file #100-1715 (Portland file)
1941-1979
3/6, 5/4-16 1341-004
FBI Reports
1965-1982
6/9-17 1341-004
FBI file #40-84731 (Timothy Leary file)
1970-1976
5/17-18, 6/1-5 1341-004
FBI File # 100-13007 (Vision Works file)
1972-1973
1/15-20 1341-004
FBI Infiltrator Reports
1977-1978
6/18-29, 7, 8/1-5 1341-004
Raw notes and lab files (includes FBI material)
1977-1978
6/7 1341-004
FBI Memorandum concerning Van Lydegraf
1978
SERIES II: POLITICAL MATERIALS
1948-1978
Box/Folder Accession
1/1 1341-004
Political statements and reports (not by Van Lydegraf)
1961-1972
12/1 1341-004
Radical fliers and posters
circa 1975-1977
12/2-4 1341-004
Radical newspapers
1969-1977
11/10-14 1341-004
Radical reading material
circa 1968-1977
SUBSERIES A: PRAIRIE FIRE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
1948-1978
Box/Folder Accession
10/1-2 1341-004
Prairie Fire Organizing Committee- FBI Investigation Documents
1948-1977
13/9-14, 14/1-6 1341-004
Prairie Fire Organizing Committee- Internal Documents and Memoranda
1975-1978
13/7-8 1341-004
Prairie Fire Organizing Committee- Notes
circa 1975-1978
13/3-6 1341-004
Prairie Fire Organizing Committee- Ephemera
circa 1977
SUBSERIES B: PROGRESSIVE LABOR PARTY
1967
Box/Folder Accession
½ 1341-004
Progressive Labor Party- Reports and Writings
1967
SUBSERIES C: ACTIVIST ORGANIZATION MATERIALS
1972-1977
Box/Folder Accession
13/1 1341-004
Activism- Ephemera
1972-1977
12/15 1341-004
Philippine activism- Ephemera
circa 1972
12/14 1341-004
African-American activism- Ephemera
1974-1977
12/17-18 1341-004
American Indian activism- Ephemera
circa 1976-1977
12/16 1341-004
Puerto Rican activism- Ephemera
circa 1977
SERIES III: MANUSCRIPT MATERIALS
1950s-1979
SUBSERIES A: MATERIALS WRITTEN BY VAN LYDEGRAF
1950s-1979
Box/Folder Accession
14/11 1341-004
Poetry by Van Lydegraf
circa 1950s
1/4 1341-004
"The Object is to Win"- Manuscript and materials
circa 1967-1970
1/5 1341-004
"Never the Same"- Manuscript and materials
circa 1970
14/12 1341-004
"The Winds that blow from the direction of the Rat"- Manuscript and materials
1970
1/6 1341-004
"Premature Wake"- Manuscript
circa 1971
10/11 1341-004
Paper on US criminal justice- Manuscript and materials
circa 1979
10/12 1341-004
"The Hidden War"- Manuscript and materials
circa 1979
SUBSERIES B: MATERIALS WRITTEN BY OTHER PEOPLE
1972-1977
Box/Folder Accession
13/2 1341-004
"SDS and the New Left: the Search for a New Ideology," by Jonathan Walker Parkes- Manuscript
1972
14/8 1341-004
"The GI Movement," by Bart Lubow and Jennifer Dohrn- Manuscript and materials
circa 1973
14/7 1341-004
"Critique of Community Organizing in Ocean Beach," by Frank Gormile- Manuscript and materials
1977
SERIES IV: PUBLICATIONS
1964-1975
Box/Folder Accession
10/19 1341-004
National Lawyers Guild. 1970. The Conspiracy. San Francisco: Bay Area Regional Office, National Lawyers Guild
1972-1973
14/15 1341-004
New Daily Cardinal Corporation (Madison, Wis.). 1892. The Daily cardinal. Madison, Wis: New Daily Cardinal Corp.
1971
2/6 1341-004
May 2nd Movement. 1965. Free student. New York, N.Y.: May 2nd Movement
1965
14/18-19 1341-004
Good times. 1969. San Francisco, Calif: Trystero Co.
1971
12/5-7 1341-004
Institute for Independent Social Journalism, Inc. (New York, N.Y.). 1968. The Guardian. New York: [s.n.]
1976-1977
14/16 1341-004
Liberated guardian. 1970. New York: Liberated Guardian Worker's Collective
1971
2/1-4 1341-004
Progressive Labor Party. 1962. PL, Progressive labor. Brooklyn, N.Y.: Progressive Labor Party
1965-1969
14/20-21 1341-004
Red Mountain Tribe. 1969. Berkeley tribe. Berkeley, Calif: Red Mountain Tribe
1971
14/17 1341-004
Rising up angry. 1969. [Chicago, Ill.]: Rising Up Angry
1971
2/8 1341-004
Rolling stone. 1967. San Francisco, Calif: Straight Arrow Publishers
1975
14/14 1341-004
Strategic hamlet. 1970. Isla Vista, Calif: [s.n.]
1971
2/5 1341-004
Progressive Labor Party. 1967. World revolution. [New York]: Progressive Labor Party
1967-1968
2/7 1341-004
Miscellaneous Periodicals
1964-1967
SERIES V: PERSONAL MATERIALS
1967-1978
Box/Folder Accession
14/10 1341-004
Correspondence by Van Lydegraf with Ad Hoc Committee (Chicago)
1967-1969
1/3 1341-004
Pamphlets written by Van Lydegraf
circa 1967-1971
14/9 1341-004
Assorted correspondence by Van Lydegraf
1967-1978
14/13 1341-004
Criticism and Van Lydegraf's response
1974
SERIES VI: COURT CASE MATERIALS
1970-1980
SUBSERIES A: SAN FRANCISCO GRAND JURY
1970-1973
Box/Folder Accession
10/14 1341-004
San Francisco Grand Jury- Assorted documents
1970-1973
10/15 1341-004
San Francisco Grand Jury- Writings and correspondence
1972-1973
SUBSERIES B: CALIFORNIA VS CLAYTON VAN LYDEGRAF (APPEAL)
1970-1980
Box/Folder Accession
9/3-15 1341-004
California vs. Clayton Van Lydegraf (Appeal)- Assorted Documents
1970-1979
9/19 1341-004
California vs. Clayton Van Lydegraf (Appeal)- Notes
1972-1980
8/8 1341-004
California vs. Clayton Van Lydegraf (Appeal)- FBI Reports
1975
8/7 1341-004
California vs. Clayton Van Lydegraf (Appeal)- Notes and writings by Van Lydegraf
1975-1980
½1, 10/5-7 1341-004
California vs. Clayton Van Lydegraf (Appeal)- Court Documents
1977-1979
8/6, 9/16 1341-004
California vs. Clayton Van Lydegraf (Appeal)- Correspondence
1978-1983
9/17-18 1341-004
California vs. Clayton Van Lydegraf (Appeal)- Grand Jury Transcript
1978
8/9-15, 9/1-2 1341-004
California vs. Clayton Van Lydegraf (Appeal)- Trial transcript
1979-1980
SUBSERIES C: MISCELLANEOUS COURT CASE MATERIALS
1970-1980
Box/Folder Accession
10/10 1341-004
Notes about court cases
1970-1980
10/4 1341-004
Freedom of Information Act Request Documents
1971-1977
10/16-18 1341-004
Los Angeles case notes
circa 1977-1979
10/3 1341-004
Freedom of Information Act Complaint
1978-1979
10/9 1341-004
Prepared statements and writings for Court appearances
1978-1979
SUBSERIES D: IMPRISONMENT AND PAROLE MATERIALS
1971-1980
Box/Folder Accession
11/1 1341-004
Prison Correspondence
1971-1979
11/4 1341-004
Arrest and Incarceration material
1977-1979
11/3 1341-004
Parole- Correspondence
1977-1980
11/5-9 1341-004
Prison ephemera
circa 1978-1979
11/2 1341-004
Parole- Assorted Documents
1980
10/13 1341-004
Parole request to attend survival gathering
1980
SUBSERIES E: CALIFORNIA VS. JUDITH BISSELL, [CLAYTON VAN LYDEGRAF], ET. AL.
1977-1978
Box/Folder Accession
1/7-14 1341-004
California vs. Judith Bissell [Clayton Van Lydegraf], et. al.- Trial Transcript
1977-1978
3/1-4 1341-004
California vs. Judith Bissell, [Clayton Van Lydegraf], et. al- Court Documents
1978
6/6 1341-004
California vs. Judith Bissell [Clayton Van Lydegraf], et. al.- FBI Declarations
1978
6/8 1341-004
California vs. Judith Bissell [Clayton Van Lydegraf], et. al.- Transcript of Grand Jury proceedings
1978
SUBSERIES F: JUDITH BISSELL, [CLAYTON VAN LYDEGRAF], ET. AL. VS. FBI
1978-1979
Box/Folder Accession
4/11-13 1341-004
Judith Bissell, [Clayton Van Lydegraf], et. al. vs. FBI- Affidavit concerning FBI file #100-47617
1978
3/5 1341-004
Judith Bissell, [Clayton Van Lydegraf], et. al. vs. FBI- Fourth Affidavit
1979
SUBSERIES G: USA VS. CLAYTON VAN LYDEGRAF
1978-1979
Box/Folder Accession
10/8 1341-004
USA vs. Clayton Van Lydegraf- Court Documents
1978-1979
SERIES VII: SMALL PRESS MATERIALS
1972-1976
Box/Folder Accession
12/13 1341-004
Small press correspondence
1972-1974
12/9 1341-004
Committee of Small Magazine Editors and Publishers- Assorted material
1972-1975
12/10-12 1341-004
Small press material
1972-1976
12/8 1341-004
Beyond Baroque- Publications
1974-1976

Accession No. 1341-005: Manuscripts by Van Lydegraf, 1973-1984Return to Top

2.5 linear feet
Arrangement: The first portion of this accession is organized chronologically by manuscript, and the second by material type.

Scope and Content: Writings, most by Van Lydegraf, including "This Way Madness Lies," n.d.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Hazel Wolfe, 9/1/1988.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder Accession
1/1 1341-005
"About Our Constitutional Rights"- Manuscript
1973
1/2 1341-005
"Statement to be read before the San Francisco Grand Jury"- Manuscript
1973
1/3 1341-005
"This Way Madness Lies"- Manuscript
circa 1983
1/4 1341-005
"Schell Versus Schell"- Manuscript
circa 1984
1/5 1341-005
Manuscripts and Correspondence
1985-1987
1/6 1341-005
Poetry
1954-1957
1/7 1341-005
Excerpt from testimony from House Un-American Activities Committee
1956
1/8 1341-005
Writings by other people
1959-1984

Accession No. 1341-006: Writings, poems, correspondence and academic transcripts, 1971-1988Return to Top

circa .08 linear feet

Scope and Content: Writings, 1986-1987; poems, n.d.; correspondence and academic transcripts, 1988; clipping, 1971.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Mr. Van Lydegraf, 4/8/1988, 4/29/1987

Accession No. 1341-007: Correspondence with Mary Ann Nichols, 1944-1945, 1986-1987Return to Top

2.5 linear feet
Arrangement: This accession is organized chronologically.

Scope and Content: Outgoing letters, all to Mary Ann Nichols.

Leftist political leader who wrote home to his wife during 1944, 1945 when he was 5th Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Corps stationed in India. Some of his commentary is about the Indian independence movement.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Restrictions on Use: Some restrictions exist on copying, quotation or publication. Contact Repository for details.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Mary Ann Nichols, 3/9/1987.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder Accession
1/1 1341-007
Letters (September)
1944
1/2 1341-007
Letters (October)
1944
1/3 1341-007
Letters (November)
1944
1/4 1341-007
Letters (December)
1944
1/5 1341-007
Letters (January)
1945
1/6 1341-007
Letters (February)
1945
1/7 1341-007
Letters (March)
1945
1/8 1341-007
Letters (April)
1945
1/9 1341-007
Letters (May)
1945
1/10 1341-007
Letters (Later Period)
1986-1987

Accession No. 1341-008: Tape-recorded interview conducted by George Lippman, 11/3/91Return to Top

1 sound cassette

Scope and Content: Tape-recorded interview conducted by George Lippman, 11/3/91.

This is the first in a series of two interviews. The second one (Accession #1341-9) has been transcribed but this first one has not. This interview contains many digressions but provides biographical information.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Donated by George Lippman, 8/17/1992

Accession No. 1341-009: Tape-recorded interview conducted by George Lippman, with transcript, 12/8/91Return to Top

1 sound cassette plus 1 transcript (36 pages)

Scope and Content: Tape-recorded interview conducted by George Lippman, with transcript, 12/8/91.

In this interview with George Lippman on the day after the fiftieth anniversary of Pearl Harbor, Van Lydegraf interprets the political events of wartime and of postwar U.S.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Bryan Bahl, 3/1/1992.

Accession No. 1341-010: Clayton Van Lydegraf papers, 1946-1980Return to Top

1.28 cubic feet (1 box)

Scope and Content: Materials from a variety of labor and social justice committees such as the Prairie Fire Organizing committee internal retrial correspondence and criticism, social justice and labor publications, Progressive Labor party and Free University of Seattle materials, Native American Social Justice, Big Mountain Support Committee, Black Hills and Leonard Peltier Defense committee materials, Communist and Workers' party publications, and correspondence.

Restrictions on Access: Access to portions of the collection is restricted. Contact University of Washington Libraries Special Collections for details.

Restrictions on Use: Copyrights retained by creator. Contact University of Washington Libraries Special Collections for details.

Acquisition Info: Celia L. Davis, Deputy Director, Data Center

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder Accession
1/1 1341-010
Prairie Fire Organizing Committee (PFOC) Internal Retrial- Letters and Communications
1976
1/2 1341-010
Prairie Fire Organizing Committee (PFOC) Internal Retrial- Self Criticism and Notes
1973-1976
1/3 1341-010
Prairie Fire Organizing Committee (PFOC) Internal Retrial-Toward Rev. Line
1976
1/4 1341-010
Prairie Fire Organizing Committee (PFOC) Internal Retrial-Criticisms of PFOC and John Brown Book Club (KBBC) and Reponses
Restrictions on Access: Restricted
1975-1978
1/5 1341-010
Prairie Fire Organizing Committee (PFOC) Internal Retrial-Drafts and Letters
Restrictions on Access: Restricted
1977-1978
1/6 1341-010
Prairie Fire Organizing Committee (PFOC) Internal Retrial-Los Angeles Five Trial Correspondence
Restrictions on Access: Restricted
1978
1/7 1341-010
Assorted Letters
1975-1977
1/8 1341-010
Los Angeles Five Trial Arrest and Case
1977-1978
1/9 1341-010
Communication to Van Lydegraft
1977-1979
1/10 1341-010
Prairie Fire Organizing Committee (PFOC) Organizational Notes
1973-1975
1/11 1341-010
Social Justice and Labor Publications
1969-1974
1/12 1341-010
Annotated the Communist League-Negro National Council Question
1974
1/13 1341-010
Publications About Social Justice
1972-1980
1/14 1341-010
Communications Company Materials
1972
1/15 1341-010
Progressive Labor Party and Free University of Seattle Anti-War and Anti-Draft Materials
1967
1/16 1341-010
Native American Social Justice, Big Mountain Support Committee, Black Hills, and Leonard Peltier Defense Committee Materials
1975-1980
1/17 1341-010
International Social Justice publications and communications
1954, 1968-1980
1/18 1341-010
Communist Publications
1946, 1960-1980
1/19 1341-010
Workers' Party and Communist Communication
approximately 1972-1973

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • New Left--United States--History--20th century
  • New Left--United States--Periodicals
  • New Left--Washington (State)--History
  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
  • Political activists--United States
  • Political activists--United States--Correspondence
  • Political activists--United States--Periodicals
  • Political activists--Washington (State)
  • Radicalism--United States--History--20th century
  • Radicalism--United States--Periodicals
  • Radicalism--Washington (State)--Seattle--History--20th century
  • Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Draft resisters--United States
  • World War, 1939-1945--Correspondence

Personal Names

  • Bissell, Judith Emily
  • Justesen, Michael
  • Leary, Timothy
  • Mullin, Leslie Ann
  • Scott, John V. (Jack)
  • Strong, Anna Louise, 1885-1970. I change worlds
  • Van Lydegraf, Clayton--Archives

Corporate Names

  • Black Panther Party
  • Communist Party of the United States of America
  • Peace and Freedom Party (U.S.)
  • Prairie Fire Organizing Committee
  • Progressive Labor Party
  • Students For a Democratic Society (U.S.)
  • United States. Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • Weather Underground Organization

Geographical Names

  • India--History--Autonomy and independence movements--Sources

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Alley, Rewi, 1897-1987--Correspondence
    • Lippman, George (interviewer)
    • Nichols, Mary Ann--Correspondence
    • Strong, Anna Louise, 1885-1970--Correspondence