Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Lyle Mercer papers, 1963-2011
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Mercer, Lyle, 1921-2014
- Title
- Lyle Mercer papers
- Dates
- 1963-2011 (inclusive)19632011
- Quantity
- 19.55 cubic feet (19 boxes)
- Collection Number
- 5147
- Summary
- Papers of a political activist, Seattle.
- 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.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Lyle Freeman Mercer (1921-2014) was a socialist activist who organized opposition to the House Un-American Activities Committee, fought for universal health care coverage, and was part of a diverse number of peace, freedom, and economic justice groups including the Arab American Anti-Discrimination League, the Center for Constitutional Rights, and Veterans for Peace.
Mercer was born in Bellingham, Washington on July 11, 1921 and grew up in Burien, Washington. He attended Burien’s Highline High School and was chosen as one of 20 high school students for a Seattle Post Intelligencer history contest which included tickets to FDR’s second inauguration and tours of Congress, the White House, and other sites in Washington, D.C.
He attended Central Washington University for two years in the early 1940s before enlisting in the Army Air Corps after his brother Dean was wounded in the Pearl Harbor attack. As a student pilot at Central, he wanted to continue his training but was washed out of flying early. He served instead as an administrative officer and trained as a paratrooper during two years of service in Europe. However, he did not partake in any combat duty. In 1943, he met Lt. Barbara Evans, a flight nurse, at a Nebraska heavy bomber base and they were married at her Paris base in 1945.
In 1946, the two returned to the states and settled in Seattle. Financed by the GI Bill, both entered the University of Washington. Lyle received a B.A. in political science and trained to be a teacher while Barbara received her B.S.N. Politicized by his wartime experiences, Lyle served on the board of the state Young Democrats until he was expelled for criticizing President Truman’s emerging Cold War politics. After, he joined Henry Wallace’s Progressive Party as the head of the state arm and, in 1948, chaired the state Young Progressives and was a candidate for state insurance commissioner.
In 1948, Mercer helped organize the Student Organization for Academic Freedom (SOAR) to protest State Representative Albert Canwell’s Joint Legislative Fact-Finding Committee on Un-American Activities which targeted UW professors alleged to hold communist sympathies. In the 1960s, he organized opposition to the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), which began hearings in Washington State in the mid-1950s. He staffed the Northwest chapter of the National Committee to Abolish HUAC and was elected to the state board of the American Civil Liberties Union, chairing its anti-HUAC committee.
While a socialist, he never joined the Communist or the Socialist Parties. However, he suffered constant FBI surveillance and job harassment. The FBI amassed a 350 page file on his activities. He was blackballed from teaching by the UW Education Department and fired from other jobs due to his political activities. Despite the surveillance and harassment, Mercer remained active in various peace, freedom, and economic justice groups including the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) where his wife Barbara also worked on housing discrimination.
Mercer was also passionate about universal health care coverage since the 1960s. He worked to help enact the Health Security Act (Kennedy-Corman bill), was elected as a trustee of the Group Health Cooperative for 21 years, and served two years on the board of the Cooperative League of the USA. He also served as the director of the People’s Memorial Association, the nation’s oldest and largest funeral services cooperative, until his 1987 retirement. Mercer died on March 27, 2014 at the age of 92 years old after choosing death with dignity.
Sources: UW Seattle Civil Rights & Labor History Project, obituary written by Lyle Mercer
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Correspondence and related materials from his service as Executive Secretary for the Washington Committee to Abolish HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee) together with posters from his and his wife's peace activism; 1966-1987.
Articles, correspondence, board and committee materials, calendars, photographs, and other ephemera related to the life and career of Lyle Mercer including his involvement in the Washington Committee to Abolish House Un-American Activities Committee, Group Health Cooperative, Veterans for Peace, and the ACLU.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Organized into 2 accessions.
- Accession No. 5147-001, Lyle Mercer papers, 1966-1987
- Accession No. 5147-002, Lyle Mercer papers, 1963-2013
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Accession No. 5147-001: Lyle Mercer papers, 1966-1987Return to Top
Scope and Content: Correspondence and related materials from his service as Executive Secretary for the Washington Committee to Abolish HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee), together with posters from his and his wife's peace activism; 1966-1987.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Acquisition Info: Donated by Lyle Mercer, 5/7/1999
- Series 1, Washington Committee to Abolish House Unamerican Activities Committee
- Series 2, Posters
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Series 1: Washington Committee to Abolish
House Unamerican Activities Committee |
|||
Box/Folder | Accession | ||
1/1 | 5147-001 | Finances: Current Bills, Expenses |
1968 |
1/2 | 5147-001 | Finances: Current Statements |
1968 |
1/3 | 5147-001 | Meeting Materials |
undated |
1/4 | 5147-001 | Pamphlets |
undated |
1/5 | 5147-001 | Receipt Book |
1966-1967 |
1/6 | 5147-001 | Finances: Bills, Receipts, Records |
1967 |
1/7 | 5147-001 | Finances |
1967 |
1/8 | 5147-001 | Correspondence Reader File |
1967 |
1/9 | 5147-001 | Donna Allen Tour (NW) |
1967 |
1/10 | 5147-001 | Crane, Sylvia, Org. Liason |
undated |
1/11 | 5147-001 | Seattle HUAC Hearings |
1954-1955 |
1/12 | 5147-001 | HUAC Civil Rights Hearing |
undated |
1/13 | 5147-001 | Ku Klux Klan Hearings |
undated |
1/14 | 5147-001 | Frank Wilkerson Correspondence |
1966-1967 |
1/15 | 5147-001 | Sustainer and Contributor Forms |
1967 |
1/16 | 5147-001 | National Committee Periodicals and Reports |
undated |
1/17 | 5147-001 | Donna Allen Tour |
1965 |
1/18 | 5147-001 | Allen-Mercer Tour-Western Region |
1967 |
1/19 | 5147-001 | Correspondence Reader File |
1966 |
1/20 | 5147-001 | Washington Committee to Abolish HUAC |
1064-1965 |
1/21 | 5147-001 | NCAHUAC |
Prior to 1966 |
1/22 | 5147-001 | Wilkinson Washington Tour |
1967 |
1/23 | 5147-001 | NCAHUAC Meeting, Chicago |
1965 |
1/24 | 5147-001 | NCAHAUC National Committee Meeting,
Chicago |
1966 |
1/25 | 5147-001 | NCHAUAC-WRO Correspondence |
1965-1966 |
1/26 | 5147-001 | Correspondence |
undated |
1/27 | 5147-001 | Methodist Federation for Social Action |
undated |
1/28 | 5147-001 | MFSA Peace Workshop, Portland |
1967 |
1/29 | 5147-001 | Form Letters |
1966 |
1/30 | 5147-001 | HUAC Bill (H.R. 15678) |
undated |
1/31 | 5147-001 | "I Was There and I Saw It Happen" |
undated |
1/32 | 5147-001 | Abolish the House Committee on Unamerican
Activities |
undated |
1/33 | 5147-001 | "Whack HUAC" |
undated |
1/34 | 5147-001 | Dear Friend-December 28, 1966 |
1966 |
1/35 | 5147-001 | Dear Friend December 9, 1966 |
1966 |
1/36 | 5147-001 | Dear Friend-Resolution #19 |
undated |
1/37 | 5147-001 | Newsclippings |
undated |
1/38 | 5147-001 | News Letter #1 |
undated |
1/39 | 5147-001 | News Letter #2 |
undated |
1/40 | 5147-001 | News Letter #3 |
undated |
1/41 | 5147-001 | News Letter #4 |
undated |
1/42 | 5147-001 | News Letter #5 |
undated |
1/43 | 5147-001 | News Letter #6 |
undated |
1/44 | 5147-001 | News Letter #7 |
undated |
1/45 | 5147-001 | News Letter #8 |
undated |
1/46 | 5147-001 | August 26, 1968 |
1968 |
1/47 | 5147-001 | Fellow Guardian Reader-November 1968 |
1968 |
2/1 | 5147-001 | Abolition News File |
1967-1968 |
2/2 | 5147-001 | Allen, Donna, NCAHUAC, Washington, D.C. |
1965-1968 |
2/3 | 5147-001 | ACLU of Washington-HUAC |
1967-1968 |
2/4 | 5147-001 | Chris Buchanan Reports |
1969 |
2/5 | 5147-001 | WCAHUAC Correspondence |
1968 |
2/6 | 5147-001 | Canwell Committee |
1967 |
2/7 | 5147-001 | Churches and HUAC |
1966-1968 |
2/8 | 5147-001 | Criley, Dick, Midwest Office |
1967-1969 |
2/9 | 5147-001 | Emerson Mailing |
1969 |
2/10 | 5147-001 | False Witness-Rader |
1969 |
2/11 | 5147-001 | "Happy New HUAC" Mailing (plus negative
comment) |
1969 |
2/12 | 5147-001 | HUAC Challenge (Stamler) |
undated |
2/13 | 5147-001 | Clippings on HUAC |
1968 |
2/14 | 5147-001 | HUAC Clips-Congressional Record, National Guardian,
etc. |
1966-1968 |
2/15 | 5147-001 | HUAC: Personnel, Releases, etc. |
undated |
2/16 | 5147-001 | NCAHUAC-Abolition News |
1968 |
2/17 | 5147-001 | NCAHUAC National Mailings |
undated |
2/18 | 5147-001 | NCAHUAC Report Back Meets |
1969 |
2/19 | 5147-001 | New England Office |
1967-1968 |
2/20 | 5147-001 | News Releases |
1967-1968 |
2/21 | 5147-001 | Northern Californians to Abolish HUAC |
1966-1968 |
2/22 | 5147-001 | Civil Rights Groups |
1967 |
2/23 | 5147-001 | NW Comm. Correspondence |
1969 |
2/24 | 5147-001 | NCAHUAC Correspondence |
1968 |
2/25 | 5147-001 | WCAHUAC: Officers, Sponsors |
1967-1968 |
2/26 | 5147-001 | WCAHUAC: Sustainers, Contributors |
1968 |
2/27 | 5147-001 | O'Connor, Harvey, Chairman |
1966 |
2/28 | 5147-001 | O'Connor, Harvey, Seattle |
1969 |
2/29 | 5147-001 | O'Connor Western Tour |
1968 |
2/30 | 5147-001 | Northwest Committee to Abolish HUAC |
1967-1969 |
2/31 | 5147-001 | Oregon Congressmen |
1969 |
2/32 | 5147-001 | S.2988 et al |
1968 |
2/33 | 5147-001 | Southern Californians to Abolish HUAC |
1966-1968 |
2/34 | 5147-001 | Southern Regional Office |
1967-1969 |
2/35 | 5147-001 | Washington Congressment |
1969 |
2/36 | 5147-001 | Wilkinson Northwest Tour |
1968 |
2/37 | 5147-001 | FW NW Tour |
1969 |
2/38 | 5147-001 | Dr. Quentin Young |
1968 |
2/39 | 5147-001 | NWCAHAUC Finances, Receipts, National
Office |
1970 |
2/40 | 5147-001 | NWCAHAUC Finances, Expenses, Receipts |
1970 |
2/41 | 5147-001 | NWCAHAUC Finances, Statements |
1969 |
2/42 | 5147-001 | NWCAHAUC Finances, Expenses, Receipts |
1969 |
2/43 | 5147-001 | NWCAHAUC Finances, Receipts, NCAHUAC |
1969 |
2/44 | 5147-001 | Brock Adams-Shape Up Campaign |
1971 |
2/45 | 5147-001 | HISC-Vote for Funds |
1972 |
2/46 | 5147-001 | NW Committee Finances Monthly Statements |
1972 |
2/47 | 5147-001 | Wilkinson Correspondence |
1972 |
2/48 | 5147-001 | Wilkinson Correspondence |
1972 |
2/49 | 5147-001 | WCARL and NCARL Paid Bills |
|
2/50 | 5147-001 | Northwest Committee Letters |
1972 |
2/51 | 5147-001 | Northwest Committee Letters |
1972 |
2/52 | 5147-001 | Correspondence |
|
2/53 | 5147-001 | NCARL |
1987 |
2/54 | 5147-001 | NCARL National and Regioal |
1974 |
2/55 | 5147-001 | Correspondence |
|
Series 2: Posters |
|||
Box/Folder | Accession | ||
3/1 | 5147-001 | Silk-screened calendar by late Dick Lord, Yakima
Junior College math teacher, artist |
1971 |
3/2 | 5147-001 | Silk-screened poster showing screaming woman holding
baby and reading "Vietnam Summer 1967" |
1967 |
3/3 | 5147-001 | Silk-screened poster written in Greek, with hands
reaching up to a globe and doves |
1982 |
3/4 | 5147-001 | Silk-screened poster written in Russian showing
smiling female nurse with hands above her head. Written on verso: "the health
of the human is the [intelligible] of the nation" |
1982 |
3/5 | 5147-001 | Event poster entitled "Medical Consequences of Nuclear
Weapons in Society." Hosted by the Office of Medical Education, Group Health
Services, Puget Sound. |
1982 |
3/6 | 5147-001 | Silk-screened poster written in Russian showing a
woman playing a guitar and singing with a young boy. There are several
country's flags on the neck of the guitar. |
undated |
3/7 | 5147-001 | Poster published by "Women Strike for Peace" with a
cartoon drawing of a girl picking daisies next to a photograph of an atomic
bomb exploding. Text below reads "The Choice is Clear!" and text above is a
quote from Lyndon B. Johnson. |
undated |
3/8 | 5147-001 | Event poster for a Veteran's March for Peace and
Justice in Seattle. |
undated |
3/9 | 5147-001 | Poster reading "Vote for Peace, End the
War" |
undated |
3/10 | 5147-001 | Event poster for a Nicaragua Peace Day ceremony in
Seattle |
undated |
3/11 | 5147-001 | Event poster for a benefit concert for Refugee
Churches and Central American Immigrants in Seattle |
undated |
3/12 | 5147-001 | Poster advertising "A Six Part Radio Series:
Experiments in Democracy" on KRAB 107.7 FM |
undated |
3/13 | 5147-001 | Poster reading "Stop the War," published by the
Seattle Coalition for Peace in the Middle East |
undated |
3/14 | 5147-001 | Poster written in Spanish showing a cowboy and readign
"Muerte al imperalismo" |
undated |
3/15 | 5147-001 | Poster for a concert at the University of Washington
featuring Holly Near and Ronnie Gilbert |
undated |
3/16 | 5147-001 | Poster for Ansar: The Play shown at the Broadway
Performance Hall in Seattle by Al-Masrah for Palestinian Culture and
Art |
1991 |
3/17 | 5147-001 | Poster reading "Healthcare is for People Not for
Profit" (undated) |
|
3/18 | 5147-001 | Poster written in Spanish showing three hands holding
up weapons and reading "En el Plan 83" and "Mas productivos, mas combativos,
por la defensa de la Revolucion!" |
undated |
3/19 | 5147-001 | Poster for a rally celebrating the twentieth
anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington |
1983 |
3/20 | 5147-001 | Poster reading "Stop the Euro Missiles!" with a
cartoon drawing of several people pushing missiles away |
1983 |
3/21 | 5147-001 | Poster writtten in Russian showing three smiling boys
(Asian, white, and black) sitting on an arm that is pushing away a dark cloud
with missiles raining down |
undated |
3/22 | 5147-001 | Poster written in Spanish showing a group of smiling
men and reading "cincuentenario de la guerra espanola homenaje a las brigadas
internacionales" |
1986 |
3/23 | 5147-001 | Poster showing a man holding up a young boy with a
graveyard in the background and reading "Spain 1936: Fifty Years: A Civil War
Retrospective" |
1986 |
Accession No. 5147-002: Lyle Mercer papers, 1963-2013Return to Top
Scope and Content: Articles, correspondence, board and committee materials, calendars, photographs, and other ephemera related to the life and career of Lyle Mercer including his involvement in the Washington Committee to Abolish House Un-American Activities Committee, Group Health Cooperative, Veterans for Peace, and the ACLU.
Restrictions on Access: No restrictions on access.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.
Acquisition Info: Donated by Jack Mercer on May 8, 2019. The boxes were collected from the home of Lyle Mercer in May 2019.
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | Accession | ||
1 | 5147-002 | Correspondence |
|
2 | 5147-002 | Correspondence, WA-SPAN, CLWSA, ACLU-W, GHC,
WCNHP |
|
3 | 5147-002 | GHC, AFL-CIO, miscellaneous |
|
4 | 5147-002 | Correspondence |
|
5 | 5147-002 | GHC, correspondence, conferences, miscellaneous
coalitions |
|
6 | 5147-002 | Correspondence |
|
7 | 5147-002 | GHC, NAG, Washington Coalition for National Health
Program, miscellaneous, correspondence, articles, |
|
8 | 5147-002 | GHC, FBI file, peace movement,
correspondence |
|
9 | 5147-002 | Correspondence, WCNHP, Washington Coalition for a
National Health Program |
|
10 | 5147-002 | Correspondence, articles, Veterans for Peace, Starbucks,
GHC, ACLU, miscellaneous causes and organizations |
|
11 | 5147-002 | Correspondence, articles |
|
12 | 5147-002 | "Bobby's Story, Flight Nurse Association,
correspondence, 69-91" |
|
13 | 5147-002 | Peace freedom party, WCNHP, Washington Single Payer
Action Network, Puget Sound Mycological Society, correspondence, articles,
publications |
|
14 | 5147-002 | WCNHP, Northwest Committee Against Repressive
Legislation, Puget Sound Cooperative League, Washington Church/State Challenge,
correspondence, articles, miscellaneous board materials |
|
15 | 5147-002 | Dick Lord calendar, NCARL, NW Committee- Abolish
HUAC |
|
Box/Folder | |||
16/1 | 5147-002 | Group Health Cooperative Data |
2012 |
16/2 | 5147-002 | Laurell (Dodie) letter |
2012 |
16/3 | 5147-002 | Letter copies |
2005-2006 |
16/4 | 5147-002 | Bobby and Lyle Mercer Records |
1926-1993 |
16/5 | 5147-002 | Real Estate Information |
2012-2013 |
16/6 | 5147-002 | Politics |
2011 |
16/7 | 5147-002 | Copies for Distribution |
1916, 1976 |
16/8 | 5147-002 | Human Rights, Humanitarinism |
undated |
16/9 | 5147-002 | Misc. Papers |
1976-2002 |
16/10 | 5147-002 | Group Health Cooperative |
1976-1978 |
16/11 | 5147-002 | Correspondence |
1995 |
16/12 | 5147-002 | Nuclear Awareness Group of Group Health Cooperative of
Puget Sound |
1983 |
16/13 | 5147-002 | Misc |
1966-1991 |
16/14 | 5147-002 | Published Documents, Not by Mercer |
2013 |
16/15-17 | 5147-002 | Newspaper clippings |
2011-2013 |
16/18 | 5147-002 | Misc. clippings, magazine artciles, journals |
1993-2013 |
16/19 | 5147-002 | NCARL |
1965 |
16/20 | 5147-002 | Correspondence - copies |
1964-1968 |
16/21 | 5147-002 | Northwest Committee - Letters |
1971 |
16/22 | 5147-002 | John Abt - Washington |
1967 |
16/23 | 5147-002 | Misc. Correspondence and notes |
1968-1969 |
16/24 | 5147-002 | Northwest Committee - Letters |
1970 |
16/25 | 5147-002 | Wilkinson Correspondence |
1971 |
16/26 | 5147-002 | Title II Repeal Campaign |
1970 |
16/27-28 | 5147-002 | Harvey O'Connor NW Tour |
1971-1972 |
16/29 | 5147-002 | FW Tour - E. Wahington-Idaho |
1972 |
16/30 | 5147-002 | Northwest Committee - Letters |
1970-1971 |
16/31 | 5147-002 | Wilkinson Correspondence |
1970 |
16/32 | 5147-002 | Various Correspondence - Peace, Palestine, and Civil
Rights |
1999-2000s |
16/33-44 | 5147-002 | Correspondence |
2000-2004 |
16/45 | 5147-002 | Mercer donation records on index cards |
1984-2013 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Peace movements
- Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
- Political activists
Personal Names
- Mercer, Lyle--Archives
- Mercer, Lyle--Archives
Corporate Names
- United States. Congress. House. Committee on Un-American Activities--History--Sources
Other Creators
-
Corporate Names
- Northwest Committee Against Repressive Legislation (creator)
- Northwest Committee to Abolish the House Un-American Activities Committee (creator)
- Washington Committee to Abolish the House Un-American Activities Committee (creator)