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American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Utah records, 1957-1994

Overview of the Collection

Creator
American Civil Liberties Union of Utah
Title
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Utah records
Dates
1957-1994 (inclusive)
Quantity
64.25 linear feet, (118 boxes)
Collection Number
MS 0650
Summary
The American Civil Liberties Union of Utah records (1957-1994) consist of documents concerned with the administrative functions of the local chapter and the civil liberties issues with which the chapter was involved. Though the collection covers the organization since its founding in 1958, the bulk of the collection consists of records from the directorships of James Joy (1974-1976), Shirley Pedler (1976-1987), Robyn Blumner (1987-1989) and Michele Parish (1989-1992). Documents from the early years of the organization, as well as from the directorship of Steve Cook (1972-1974), are also found.
Repository
University of Utah Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library
University of Utah
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT
84112-0860

Telephone: 8015818863
special@library.utah.edu
Access Restrictions

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Languages
English
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Historical Note

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Utah was founded in 1958, joining a growing number of regional and state organizations affiliated with the national American Civil Liberties Union. Organized in New York in 1915 after disputes arising during World War I over first amendment liberties, the parent ACLU is involved in civil liberties issues nationwide and has played a pivotal role in the development of constitutional law in the 20th century.

The Utah affiliate of the ACLU was chartered in 1958 by a group of citizens concerned with the abuse of constitutional rights in the state. The first "director" of the affiliate was Adam Duncan. However, the affiliate did not employ a paid Executive Director until 1972. This person was Steve Cook, who was replaced by James H. Joy in 1974. Issues dealt with by the affiliate through the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s included police practices, school prayer, election issues, minority discrimination, prisoner rights, religious discrimination, and censorship. In the 1970s, ACLU chapters were formed in Ogden and Logan.

In 1976 the organization hired its first full-time Executive Director, Shirley Pedler. As a result of the execution of Gary Gilmore, Pedler's tenure is most memorable for the fight against the death penalty. In addition to other civil liberties problems, the affiliate also contested employment discrimination based on religion (Amos v. L.D.S. Church) during this time. Pedler served until 1987, when she was replaced by Robyn E. Blumner, who was, in turn, succeeded by Michele A. Parish in 1989. This period saw the ACLU of Utah make more and more of an impact on civil liberties issues as a result of expanded public education efforts, increased litigation, and significant increases in membership and funding. Issues in which the affiliate involved itself during these years included capital punishment cases, employment discrimination, AIDS, and polygamy. During this time, the ACLU of Utah also played a significant role in the examination of abuses at the Utah State Penitentiary and county jail facilities throughout the state. The affiliate also stepped into the national spotlight while litigating against the practice of school prayer and battling restrictions on abortions in Jane L. v. Bangerter.

At the end of 1992, Parish was succeeded by Carole Gnade as Executive Director of the ACLU of Utah.

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Content Description

The American Civil Liberties Union of Utah records (1957-1994) consist of documents concerned with the administrative functions of the local chapter and the civil liberties issues which the chapter was involved. Though the collection covers the organization since its founding, the bulk of the collection consists of records from the directorships of James Joy (1974-1976), Shirley Pedler (1976-1987), Robyn Blumner (1987-1989) and Michele Parish (1989-1992). Documents from the early years of the organization, as well as from the directorship of Steve Cook (1972-1974), are also found. Materials dealing with the ACLU of Utah in the mid-1960s are rare in this collection.

The collection is divided into seven sections. The first two sections are concerned with the administrative activities of the Utah chapter and the national ACLU office. Items concerned with the functions of the ACLU of Utah can be found in Section I. These include correspondence; Board of Directors' records; Legal Panel records; fund raising and membership documents; financial reports; personnel, cooperating attorneys, and intern/volunteer information; documents concerned with the Bicentennial of the Bill of Rights; and miscellaneous office documents. Items produced by the national office that are concerned with its administrative activities, yet do not explicitly mention the ACLU of Utah, are filed in Section II. These include correspondence; National Board of Directors' records; policy documents; Biennial Conference documents; and other records. Neither of these sections contain items pertaining directly to civil liberties issues, except for items concerned with national ACLU policy in boxes 24-26.

Items directly concerned with civil liberties issues are located in Section III of the collection. These documents are categorized by the pertinent civil liberties subject, and further divided by document type and date. In addition to correspondence involving the local and national offices, these documents include reports, articles, legislation, press releases, information circulars, newsletters, and brochures. Court documents concerned with actual cases argued in Utah courts make up a large portion of each subject category. Information concerning the activities of organizations associated with each issue can also be found, as well as news clippings.

Newsletters produced by ACLU affiliates (including the Utah affiliate), and the ACLU national office can be found in Section IV. These are organized by affiliate, and consist of just one or two issues per affiliate. The Utah affiliate newsletters and the national ACLU newsletter, however, comprise nearly complete runs reflecting the time span of the collection.

Items pertaining to the lobbying activities of the ACLU of Utah at the Utah State Legislature are located in Section V, and consist of committee meeting agendas and minutes, as well as summaries of legislation for the years 1987-1992. More complete records of these activities may be located through the State of Utah.

Section VI of the collection contains miscellaneous items and an addendum. These include ACLU handbooks, news coverage directories, miscellaneous documents, publications, and artifacts.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library's Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.

Preferred Citation

Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.

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Administrative Information

Acquisition Information

Donated by ACLU (boxes 1-129) in 1993.

Donated by ACLU (box 130) in 1994.

Processing Note

Processed by Mark Jensen in 1993.

Click here to read a statement on harmful language in library records.

Separated Materials

See also the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah photograph collection (P0538) and audio-visual materials (A0350) in the Multimedia Division of Special Collections. Oversize placards used in pro-choice abortion demonstrations and commemorative artwork are located in the Manuscripts Division's map case.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Finding aid prepared by Mark Jensen.
1993 (last modified: 2019)

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