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Seattle Community Council Federation records, 1945-2014

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Seattle Community Council Federation (Seattle, Wash.)
Title
Seattle Community Council Federation records
Dates
1945-2014
Quantity
53.31 cubic feet
Collection Number
1801
Summary
Records of an umbrella community organization formerly known as the Central Seattle Community Council Federation, and the organizations from which it was formed, Jackson Street Community Council and the Central Area Community Council
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.

Request at UW

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was partially provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Historical Note

The Seattle Community Council Federation (SCCF) was one of the nation’s oldest and most active coalitions of community associations. The organization advocated for a range of causes, including but not limited to highway construction, zoning, land use, and air and noise pollution. The council went on sabbatical in January 2015.

Formerly known as the Central Seattle Community Council Federation, the council was formed by a merger of the Central Area Community Council and the Jackson Street Community Council formally approved in February 1967. The SCCF dropped "Central" from its name to reflect affiliation with Meadowbrook, Lake City, Sunset Hill, Delridge and Seward Park.

The Jackson Street Community Council was formed in 1946 under United Good Neighbors (UGN) sponsorship to serve the needs of Seattle's International Area. It was founded to facilitate resettlement of Seattle’s Japanese American residents who had returned from wartime internment to reclaim their homes and businesses and to help Black veterans coming back from the war.The "self-help" approach of the Jackson Street Community Council, in combination with UGN support, proved to be extremely effective, and as a result of its success, the Jackson Street Community Council received wide national attention as a paradign of this type of organization.

The Central Area Community Council was formed in 1962 as a volunteer organization designed to bring together representatives from all of the neighborhood and service organizations serving the Central District. The Central Area Motivation Program (CAMP) resulted from a proposal submitted to the Office of Economic Opportunity by this organization. The Central Seattle Community Council was formed to combine the area-wide representation of the Central Area Community Council with the intensive staff support of the Jackson Street Community Council.

One cause SCCF supported was in Okeson v. City of Seattle, a lawsuit by Rod Okeson acting through the firm of Lane and Williams, Esq. to stop the city from using City Light revenues from customers for street lighting. The citizens sought moral support from the Federation and supplied it copies of documents. Okeson prevailed in the state supreme court.

Jorgen Bader was newsletter editor for SCCF in the 1980's, president from 1995-1998, and co-president during 1998-1999. He stepped back to secretary for several years thereafter. He was involved in several contributing community councils, including Vice-President of the Ravenna-Bryant Community Association for many years, and regular attendant at meetings of the University District Community Council and its board. He attended meetings in his status as a chair of a committee or a representative of the University District Community Council on various task forces, such as SR 520, parks, and neighborhood planning, and reporting back to its board. In those years, the city promoted a plan for upzoning "urban villages" The plan was supposed to be developed by working with citizens at public meetings and between community meetings at open committee meetings, most commonly at University Heights Center. The city ultimately approved the plan as a guide.

Source: http://seattlefederation.blogspot.com/, Jorden Bader

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Content Description

Correspondence, financial records, reports, subject files, and committee files of the Central Seattle Community Council Federation (1958-1984), the Jackson Street Coummunity Council (1945-1969), and the Seattle Community Council Federation (1990-2014). Major corresondents include the National Health & Welfare Retirement Association, the Seattle Urban Renewal Enterprise, Community Chest and Council of Seattle and King County, Health and Welfare Council of Seattle and King County, Neighborhood House Inc., and the National Federation of Settlements and Neighborhood Centers. Major projects include the SR 520 Bridge Replacement, Montlake Bridge repair, downtown library design, parks management, land use in Discovery Park, Seattle City Light lawsuit, and urban noise pollution.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Some restrictions exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections for more information.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Organized into 5 accessions.

  • Accession No. 1801-001, Central Seattle Community Council Federation records, 1945-1971
  • Accession No. 1801-003, Central Seattle Community Council Federation records, 1967-1984
  • Accession No. 1801-004, Central Seattle Community Council Federation microfilmed scrapbook, 1946-1952
  • Accession No. 1801-005, Central Seattle Community Council Federation records, circa 1970s-1980s
  • Accession No. 1801-006, Seattle Community Council Federation records, 1990-2014

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Detailed Description of the Collection

 

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • African Americans--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Chinese Americans--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • City planning--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • City planning--Washington (State)--Seattle--Societies, etc
  • Civic improvement--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Civic improvement--Washington (State)--Seattle--Societies, etc
  • Ethnic neighborhoods--Washington (State)--Seattle--Societies, etc
  • Japanese Americans--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Neighborhood planning--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)

Corporate Names

  • Central Seattle Community Council Federation (Seattle, Wash.)--Archives
  • Community Chest and Council of Seattle and King County
  • Health and Welfare Council of Seattle and King County
  • Jackson Street Community Council (Seattle, Wash.)
  • National Federation of Settlements and Neighborhood Centers
  • National Health & Welfare Retirement Association
  • Neighborhood House Inc. (Seattle, Wash.)
  • Seattle Urban Renewal Enterprise (Seattle, Wash.)

Geographical Names

  • Central District (Seattle, Wash.)--Economic conditions
  • Central District (Seattle, Wash.)--Ethnic relations
  • Central District (Seattle, Wash.)--Race relations
  • Central District (Seattle, Wash.)--Social conditions
  • International District (Seattle, Wash.)--Economic conditions
  • International District (Seattle, Wash.)--Ethnic relations
  • International District (Seattle, Wash.)--Race relations
  • International District (Seattle, Wash.)--Social conditions


2007 (Last modified: 4/21/2023)

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