This collection is located off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
This collection has no restrictions.
Letters, documents, clippings, and printed matter related to the work of the Citizens Union of New York, including correspondence, memoranda, and reports which survey, analyze, and criticize bills introduced in the state legislature and city council; 244 boxes of "Who's Who" biographies of candidates for city and state offices; files of campaign and election materials; records of affiliated "good government" organizations in New York City; and extensive financial records.
A biographical file of persons who have campaigned in city and state elections. The file consists mainly of clippings and some correspondence of a routine nature with the exception of F. LaGuardia, J. Hylan, A. Smith and J. Walker, and William J. Schieffelin. This series overlaps with Part AI.
Part B: General Office Files, 1908-1939
Executive correspondence between the Citizens Union's New York City and Albany offices and the Voters Legislative League dealing with the gathering of information on the state legislaure's activities. For additional correspondence, see Part X.
Index to Major Correspondence: Arndt, Walter Tallmadge; Colt, John; Crichton, A. T.; De Lima, Agnes; De Roode, Albert; Doughty, James W.; Eckert, Joseph; Griffin, John C.; Hammitt, Joseph O.; Howard, Clarence V.; Jenks, Helen B.; Kessler, George W.; Loeffler, Herman C.; Lyons, John J.; Mc Gahen, Rufus E.; Moses, Robert; Pedlow, Frank; Platte, A. J.; Porter, Melvin; Schieffelin, William J.; Trevoy, Wilmot V.; Wose, Fred W.; and Youker, Wilfred E.
Part C: Committee on Legislation, 1904-1941
The records of the committee whose task it is to analyze and report on the legislative activities of the state legislature and the city council. Committee on Legislation records for the period 1960-1964 are interfiled with the State Calendars in Part E.
Part D: Legislative Report Papers, 1910-1930
Files relating to Citizens Union's annual analyses and reports of state legislative sessions.
Part E: State Calendars, 1915, 1924-1947, 1960-1964
A file of bills introduced in the state legislature and amendments offerred at the state constitutional conventions of 1915 and 1938. Related Citizens Union correspondence and memoranda are filed with the bill or amendment in question.
Part F: Municipal Assembly Record / City Council Calendar, 1924-1935, 1937-1941, 1945-1948
Annual file of bills introduced in the city council including related Citizens Union correspondence and memoranda.
Records of Citizens Union's activities in New York City campaigns.
Part I: Citizens Non-Partisan Committee, 1936-1939
Records relating to "…the elections of well qualified councilmen and the adoption of the county reorganization amendment…"
Part K: City Committee, 1898-1929
Files of the central governing body of the Citizens Union.
Part M: Committee of 100, 1901-1933
A non-partisan watchdog committee on "..all branches of government and the administration of justice in the city"!
Includes campaign news clippings as well as campaign literature.
Part X: General Correspondence, 1920-1945
Office file copies of general correspondence. These files are incomplete as both the beginning and the end of the alphabet are lacking.
Part Y: City Council Record, 1944-1953
Semi-weekly supplement.
Part AA: City Committee, 1930-1949
Files on the central governing body of the Citizen's Union.
Part AB: Committee Lists, 1912-1939
Lists of names and addresses of Citizen's Union Committee members.
Part AC: City Planning Committee, 1946-1951
Calenders and minutes from the City Planning Committee.
Part AD: Voter's Directory and Citizens Union Newspapers, 1911-1953
The Voter's Directory is a pre-election publication which names, describes and appraises the various candidates for public office of New York City. Part AD also includes Citizen Union news publications.
Part AF: Criticism and Appraisal, 1927-1940
Correspondence between the Citizens Union and the public.
Part AG: Financial Records and Correspondence / Special Fund Drive, 1930-1931, 1942
A biographical file of persons who have campaigned in city and state elections. These dates overlap with the Who's Who files in Part A.
In 2020 Columbia University Libraries began archiving the Citizens Union website as well as the Gotham Gazette. These can be found in CUL's Wayback archive:
Arranged.
You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.
This collection is located off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
This collection has no restrictions.
Reproductions may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Citizens Union of the City of New York records; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.
Gift of the Citizens Union, 1948, 1963 & 1966.
Source of acquisition--Citizens Union. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--1948. Accession number--M-48.
Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Surveyed Christina Hilton Fenn 05/04/89.
2020-05-11 EAD document created by CCR.
2020-11-16 Added link to archived websites. kws