Group Research Inc. records, 1955-1996
Summary Information
At a Glance
- Bib ID:
- 5010936 View CLIO record
- Creator(s):
- Group Research, Inc
- Repository:
- Rare Book and Manuscript Library
- Physical Description:
- 215 linear feet (512 document boxes; 1 map case; 1 flat box)
- Language(s):
- English .
- Access:
- 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.
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This collection has no restrictions.
The following boxes are located off-site: 1-512. You will need to request this material from the Rare Book and Manuscript Library at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
Several items in this collection contain language that can be considered offensive or harmful, including expressions of antisemitism, racism, and other bigoted sentiments. These materials were compiled and made available by Group Research, Inc. as a political research tool for opponents of right-wing extremism during the 1960s-1980s.
Unique time-based media items have been reformatted and are available onsite via links in the container list. Commercial materials are not routinely digitized.
Description
Scope and Contents
Wesley McCune founded Group Research Inc. in 1962 after a successful career as a journalist for such magazines as "Newsweek", "Time", "Life", and "Changing Times. Group Research Inc. was based in Washington DC until ceasing operations in the mid-1990s. The organization collected materials that focus on the right-wing and span four decades. The archive includes information about and by right-wing organizations and activists in the form of publications, correspondence, pamphlets, reports, the newspaper "Congressional Record," and magazine clippings and other ephemera. McCune and his small staff also published an initially bi-monthly but in later years monthly newsletter Group Research Report which kept its subscribers abreast of the latest views and actions of right-wingers.
McCune and his staff catalogued the collection to operate as a fully accessible library, and their organization, including their folder labels, has been maintained as much as possible. Most of the materials are arranged alphabetically by topic (rather than, for example, chronologically) and have been divided into three separate series. Four other series contain volumes of Group Research Report, larger printed works, audio-visual materials, and the Group Research Directory.
The collection is thoroughly cross-referenced and also contains the Group Research Directory which, dating mostly from the 1960s, provides brief histories of prominent people organizations and publications associated with the right wing. The Group Research Directory can be found in Series VII.
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Series VII: Group Research Directory
The Group Research Directory, dating mostly from the 1960s, provides brief histories of prominent people organizations and publications associated with the right wing.
Cross references in the finding aid for the Group Research Directory point to either the Group Research Directory (Box 434) or to the Group Research Directory - Special Reports (Box 435).
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This is a series of 48 boxes of cards in three sub-series--Personal Names, Organizations, and States--which index and cross-reference the Group research Archives. The cards contain additional information not found in the files. This series has been fully microfilmed. Researchers are requested to use the microfilm rather than the original cards.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged into 15 series.
- Series I: Topical Files, 1955-1996
- Series II: Topical Files, 1955-1996
- Series III: States, 1955-1996
- Series IV: Group Research Report, 1962-1996
- Series V: Printed Materials, 1960-1985
- Series VI: Audio/Visual Materials
- Subseries VI.1: Phonograph Records, 1961-1972
- Subseries VI.2: Audio Reels, 1963-1973
- Subseries VI.3: Cassette Tapes, 1973-1985
- Subseries VI.4: Film Strips
- Subseries VI.5: VHS Tapes, 1967-1988
- Series VII: Group Research Directory
- Series VIII: Card Files
- Series IX: Publications
- Series X: Correspondence
- Series XI: Manuscripts
- Series XII: 1996 CPAC
- Series XIII: Clippings
- Series XIV: Bumper Stickers
- Series XV: Manuscript Files on Audio/Visual Material
Using the Collection
Restrictions on Access
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 has no restrictions.
The following boxes are located off-site: 1-512. You will need to request this material from the Rare Book and Manuscript Library at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
Several items in this collection contain language that can be considered offensive or harmful, including expressions of antisemitism, racism, and other bigoted sentiments. These materials were compiled and made available by Group Research, Inc. as a political research tool for opponents of right-wing extremism during the 1960s-1980s.
Unique time-based media items have been reformatted and are available onsite via links in the container list. Commercial materials are not routinely digitized.
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction
Reproductions may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish material from the collection must be requested from the Curator of Manuscripts, Rare Book and Manuscript Library (RBML). The RBML approves permission to publish that which it physically owns; the responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.
Preferred Citation
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Group Research Records; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.
Online exhibit
Choosing Sides: Right-Wing Icons in the Group Research Records. Columbia University Libraries.
Accruals
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.
Existence and Location of Copies
The Card File is on microfilm.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Source of acquisition--[source of acquisition]. Method of acquisition--Purchase; Date of acquisition--1996.
About the Finding Aid / Processing Information
Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Processing Information
Processed by Patrick Lawlor as GA assistants; addition processed by Alyssa Nicole Meyers 2005.
Revision Description
2010-01-29 Legacy finding aid created from Pro Cite.
2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.
2020-01-20 Combined AV series
2020-11-23 Revised collection description to include additional collection information that was previously only in the Biographical History. Added list of special reports to Series VII.
2021-02-04 Added links to batch 2 of digitized AV materials. kws
Biographical / Historical
Wesley McCune founded Group Research Inc. in 1962 after a successful career as a journalist for such magazines as "Newsweek", "Time", "Life", and "Changing Times". In addition, McCune worked as well as a staff member of several government agencies and government-related organizations. Based in Washington DC until ceasing operations in the mid-1990s Group Research Inc. collected materials that focus on the right-wing and span four decades. The resulting Group Research archive includes information about and by right-wing organizations and activists in the form of publications correspondence pamphlets reports newspaper "Congressional Record" and magazine clippings and other ephemera. The collection is thoroughly cross-referenced and contains the Group Research Directory which, dating mostly from the 1960s, provides brief histories of prominent people organizations and publications associated with the right wing. McCune and his small staff also published an initially bi-monthly but in later years monthly newsletter Group Research Report which kept its subscribers abreast of the latest views and actions of right-wingers.
Subject Headings
The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches for other collections at Columbia University, through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, and through ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.
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