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Archives and Special Collections
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Archives and Special Collections Finding Aids |
Printable Finding Aid. Back to Browsing Version. |
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| Collection Overview | |||||||||
| Title: | Sara R. Ehrmann papers | ||||||||
| Dates: | 1845-1993 (bulk 1924-1988) | ||||||||
| Location: | 65/1-2, 66/3-4, FF5/D8 | ||||||||
| Call Number: | M39 | ||||||||
| Volume: | 43.80 cubic ft. (49 boxes) | ||||||||
| Scope and Content Abstract: | The collection documents capital punishment in the United States in the twentieth century, the activities of the American League to Abolish Capital Punishment and the Massachusetts Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty, and Sara Ehrmann's work opposing capital punishment. It includes case files of prisoners (mainly those condemned to death), material related to the American League and Massachusetts Council, files documenting capital punishment in each state, and collected published and unpublished material on capital punishment and related subjects. The collection also includes a limited amount of biographical information on Sara Ehrmann. | ||||||||
| Historical Abstract: | Sara R. Ehrmann (1895-1993) was a Boston-area civic leader best known for her work as an opponent of capital punishment. Ehrmann's career as a capital punishment abolitionist began in 1925 when her husband Herbert B. Ehrmann became an associate counsel for Sacco and Vanzetti, two Italian immigrant anarchists convicted of murder and condemned to death. Sara Ehrmann was a key leader of the Massachusetts Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty (1928-1969) and the American League to Abolish Capital Punishment (1949-1969). She was also active in organizations serving prisoners, notably the United Prison Association and Friends of Framingham. In addition, she was active in Jewish and women's organizations and in civic life in the Town of Brookline, Massachusetts. | ||||||||
| Arrangement: | Insert arrangement statement Organized into 6 series: 1. Geographical Files; 2. Subject Files; 3. Case Files; 4. Organizations; 5. Personal Files; and 6. Audio/Visual Materials. | ||||||||
| Subjects and Contributors: |
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| Restrictions: | The collection is unrestricted. | ||||||||
| Processor: | Finding aid prepared by Jane McCavitt, September 1982 | ||||||||
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Scope and Content Note |
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The collection documents capital punishment in the United States in the twentieth century, the activities of the American League to Abolish Capital Punishment and the Massachusetts Council to Abolish the Death Penalty, and also Sara R. Ehrmann's work opposing capital punishment. It includes case files of prisoners (mainly those condemned to death), material related to the American League to Abolish Capital Punishment and the Massachusetts Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty, files documenting state-specific abolition activity, and collected published and unpublished information about capital punishment, crime, criminal justice, prisons and prisoners. The collection also includes biographical information on Ehrmann, including correspondence, notes, and a limited amount of information related to her activities in Jewish and women's organizations. Researchers should be aware that there is overlap between some of the series in the collection, in particular Series 1 (Geographical Files) and Series 2 (Subject Files). Correspondence to or from Ehrmann, the American League to Abolish Capital Punishment, or the Massachusetts Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty is concentrated in Series 4 and 5, but it can also be found in other series, particularly in series 2, subseries B and series 3. More detailed information on overlap can be found in the series summaries.
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Historical Note |
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Sara R. Ehrmann was a Boston-area civic leader who for many years led the battle to abolish and then prevent the return of capital punishment in Massachusetts. Her efforts also extended nationwide. Her career as a capital punishment abolitionist began in 1925 when her husband Herbert B. Ehrmann became an associate counsel for Sacco and Vanzetti, two Italian immigrant anarchists convicted of murder and condemned to death. Ehrmann reacted to the perceived injustice of the Sacco and Vanzetti case by waging a single-minded campaign to abolish capital punishment. The Massachusetts Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty was founded in 1927 in the wake of the Sacco and Vanzetti case. Ehrmann joined its board in 1928 and was a key leader of the organization for 40 years. The Council occupied several locations in Boston before eventually moving to an office in Brookline. In 1967 an urban renewal project forced the Council to leave its Brookline office and temporarily relocate to Ehrmann's home. The Massachusetts Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty was renamed Massachusetts Citizens Against the Death Penalty in 1981. A nominally separate fund-raising organization, the Massachusetts Citizens Against the Death Penalty Fund was created in 1983. The American League to Abolish Capital Punishment was founded in 1925 and was originally headquartered in New York City. Vivian Pierce, Clarence Darrow, and Lewis Lawes were among its principal organizers. In addition to its work advocating the abolition of capital punishment, the League spearheaded the establishment of state abolition groups. In 1949 Sara R. Ehrmann assumed leadership of the League when it relocated to the Boston area and shared office space with the Massachusetts Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty. The American League to Abolish Capital Punishment ceased functioning sometime around 1969. Ehrmann also advocated for prisoners. From the 1920s until 1988 she visited and assisted prisoners and their families through organizations including Friends of Framingham and the Norfolk Lifers Group. She also served on the board of directors of the United Prison Association of Massachusetts, which was formed in 1939 as a result of the merger of the John Howard Society, Friends of Prisoners, Inc., and the Massachusetts Prison Association. The United Prison Association's activities included providing legal aid and educational assistance to prisoners and ex-prisoners. In addition, the organization lobbied legislators and provided information to scholars, students and the general public. The United Prison Association of Massachusetts was renamed the Massachusetts Correctional Council in the late 1960s. Throughout her career, Sara R. Ehrmann published articles, gave legislative testimony, spoke publicly, worked on individual capital cases, and remained active in criminal justice issues into her mid-90s. Other organizations Ehrmann was associated with include: the American Academy of Political and Social Science, the American Correctional Association, the American Society of Criminology, Citizens Against Legalized Murder (member, Advisory Committee), Correctional Council (organizer), the John Howard Society (Board of Directors), the Massachusetts Campaign Against the Restoration of the Death Penalty (honorary chair), and the Massachusetts Civic League. Sara R. Ehrmann's activism extended beyond criminal justice reform. She was a member of a number of local civic organizations, including the Beth Israel Hospital Women's Auxiliary, the Boston YWCA, the Brookline Community Council (which she founded), and the USO Greater Boston Soldiers and Sailors Committee. Jewish organizations Ehrmann was a member of include: the American Jewish Committee (national membership chair), the Associated Jewish Philanthropies (board of trustees), the Combined Jewish Appeal of Boston (chaired the Women's Division), Combined Jewish Philanthropies, Council of Jewish Women, Joint Defense Appeal, and the United Jewish Campaign (executive chair, Women's Division). Ehrmann was also active in a number of women's organizations, including: the Brookline Women's Club, the League of Women Voters (including its Brookline chapter, which she founded), the National Organization for Women, and the Women's City Club of Boston. In recognition of her work, Ehrmann received numerous awards, including: the Boston Chapter of the American Jewish Committee's Norman J. Rabbi Merit Award (1971), the Paulist Center's Hecker Award (1981), the Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts' Abraham T. Alper Award (1982), the Community Church of Boston's Sacco and Vanzetti Memorial Award (1982), and an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Northeastern University (1992). A longtime resident of Brookline, Massachusetts, Ehrmann died in 1993 at the age of 97.
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| Chronology | |||||||||
| 1895 | Birth of Sara R. Ehrmann in Bowling Green, Kentucky. | ||||||||
| 1917 | Ehrmann receives her bachelor's degree from the University of Rochester, having also taken courses at Smith College. She marries Herbert B. Ehrmann, attorney and founder of the Greater Boston Chapter of the American Jewish Committee. | ||||||||
| 1921-1922 | Ehrmann attends postgraduate courses at Radcliffe College. | ||||||||
| 1925 | American League to Abolish Capital Punishment is organized. | ||||||||
| 1925 | Herbert B. Ehrmann becomes associate counsel for Sacco and Vanzetti. Sara R. Ehrmann begins career as capital punishment abolitionist as a result of her husband's involvement in the case. | ||||||||
| 1927 | Execution of Sacco and Vanzetti despite worldwide protests. Founding of the Massachusetts Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty. | ||||||||
| 1928 | Sara R. Ehrmann joins the Massachusetts Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty, becoming a member of its board and playing an active role in its leadership for the next forty years. | ||||||||
| 1937 | Sara R. Ehrmann organizes the Correctional Council of Massachusetts. | ||||||||
| 1937-1939 | Sara R. Ehrmann attends postgraduate courses at Boston University. | ||||||||
| 1939 | Sara R. Ehrmann helps to organize the United Prison Association of Massachusetts. | ||||||||
| 1942 | Sara R. Ehrmann is a founder of the Brookline, Massachusetts Chapter of the League of Women Voters and serves as its first president. | ||||||||
| 1947 | Last execution in Massachusetts to date. | ||||||||
| 1949 | The American League to Abolish Capital Punishment relocates from New York City to Sara R. Ehrmann's Brookline office, a location shared with the Massachusetts Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty. Ehrmann assumes the League's leadership. | ||||||||
| 1951 | Enactment of the "mercy bill," abolishing the mandatory death penalty in Massachusetts, giving juries the right to choose between the death sentence and life imprisonment in capital cases. | ||||||||
| 1963 | By a narrow margin the Massachusetts legislature defeats a bill abolishing capital punishment. | ||||||||
| 1967 | An urban renewal project forces the closure of Ehrmann's Brookline office, the shared headquarters of the American League to Abolish Capital Punishment and the Massachusetts Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty. The Sara R. Ehrmann Collection on Capital Punishment is established at Northeastern University. Ehrmann retires from active leadership of the American League to Abolish Capital Punishment and the Massachusetts Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty. | ||||||||
| 1968 | In a referendum, Massachusetts voters approve retention of capital punishment. | ||||||||
| 1970 | Death of Sara R. Ehrmann's husband, Herbert B. Ehrmann. | ||||||||
| 1972 | U.S. Supreme Court invalidates existing state and federal death penalty laws. In subsequent years, new death penalty statues were enacted and executions resumed. | ||||||||
| 1977 | Sacco and Vanzetti receive a posthumous pardon from Massachusetts Governor Michael S. Dukakis. | ||||||||
| 1979 | Massachusetts reinstates capital punishment as a penalty for first degree murder. | ||||||||
| 1981 | The Massachusetts Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty is renamed Massachusetts Citizens Against the Death Penalty. | ||||||||
| 1982 | Massachusetts constitution amended to permit capital punishment. | ||||||||
| 1984 | The Massachusetts Supreme Court blocks enforcement of capital punishment laws. | ||||||||
| 1985 | Massachusetts Citizens Against the Death Penalty Fund establishes the annual Herbert and Sara Ehrmann Award. | ||||||||
| 1985 | On June 15, the day after Sara R. Ehrmann's birthday, the Massachusetts legislature proclaims Sara Ehrmann Day. | ||||||||
| 1988 | Sara R. Ehrmann makes her last visits to prisoners and their families. | ||||||||
| 1992 | Sara R. Ehrmann receives and honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Northeastern University. | ||||||||
| 1993 | Death of Sara R. Ehrmann at the age of 97. | ||||||||
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Series: |
1. Geographical Files, 1845-1992 (bulk dates 1925-1969) |
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| Volume: | 7.8 cubic ft. | ||||||||
| Arrangement: |
Alphabetically by state; foreign countries follow |
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| Summary: |
This series documents capital punishment in the United States (with the exception of Wyoming) and in a small number of foreign countries. Coverage of Massachusetts is extensive. Topics covered include capital punishment, civil rights, crime and justice, government, government officials, and individuals and organizations opposed to capital punishment. Researchers should be aware that there is some overlap between this series and Series 2. This series contains sparse correspondence with some individuals documented in Series 2, Subseries B. Series 2, Subseries C contains material largely related to Massachusetts. Files on the United Prison Association and the Massachusetts Correctional Association are located in Series 2, Subseries A. Audiotapes relating to the Norfolk Lifers Group (7 cassettes) and Radio Free Norfolk (2 cassettes) can be found in Series 6. Although correspondence and publications generated by the American League to Abolish Capital Punishment and the Massachusetts Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty are concentrated in Series 4, small amounts also appear in this series and in Series 2. |
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| Box | Title | Date | |||||||
| United States | |||||||||
| 1-2 | Alabama – Delaware | ||||||||
| 2, 47 | District of Columbia | ||||||||
| 2 | Florida – Maryland | ||||||||
| Massachusetts | |||||||||
| 2 | General | ||||||||
| 2-3 | Subjects, A-Z | ||||||||
| 3, FF5/D8 | Organizations, A-Z | ||||||||
| Government | |||||||||
| 3 | Executive | ||||||||
| 3 | Judicial | ||||||||
| 3-5, 47 | Legislative | ||||||||
| 5-6 | Michigan | ||||||||
| 6 | Minnesota – New York | ||||||||
| 7 | North Carolina – Wisconsin | ||||||||
| 7 | Puerto Rico | ||||||||
| Foreign Countries | |||||||||
| 7 | Algeria – Canada | ||||||||
| 8 | Ceylon - Venezuela | ||||||||
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Series: |
2. Subject Files, 1849-1991 (bulk dates 1925-1980) |
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| Volume: | 13.9 cubic ft. | ||||||||
| Arrangement: |
Organized alphabetically into 3 subseries: A.) Subjects; B.) Individuals; and C.) Newspaper Clippings |
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| Summary: |
This series documents topics related to capital punishment and criminal justice. It also documents individual opponents and supporters of capital punishment as well as other prominent individuals. Researchers should be aware that there is some overlap between this series and Series 1. Sparse correspondence with some individuals documented Subseries B. can also be found in Series 1 under the appropriate state. Although correspondence and publications generated by the American League to Abolish Capital Punishment and the Massachusetts Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty are concentrated in Series 4, a small amount can be found in this series and in Series 1. Subseries A documents capital punishment, efforts to abolish it, and other related topics. Topics of special interest include: cartoons, crime, criminal justice, death row, executions and executioners, innocence, kidnapping, legislation and legislators, lifers, prisons and prisoners, religious organizations, the Sacco and Vanzetti case, and crime statistics. In addition there are files on organizations opposed to capital punishment such as the Anti-Capital Punishment League, Citizens Against Legalized Murder, and the United Prison Association (later renamed Massachusetts Correctional Association, but filed under United Prison Association). Researchers should be aware that information on some of these organizations may also be found in Series 1 under the appropriate state. There are also two audiocassettes and one videotape concerning the Sacco and Vanzetti case in Series 6. The Norfolk Lifers Group is found in Series 1 under Massachusetts (box 2, folder 71 and box 3, folders 1-2). There are also seven audiocassettes related to the Norfolk Lifers Group and two audiocassettes related to Radio Free Norfolk in Series 6. Subseries B consists of folders on individuals, which contain correspondence and/or collected information such as articles, editorials and newspaper clippings. The individuals documented in this series include: state and federal officials, proponents and opponents of capital punishment, and other prominent individuals. Also included are contributors, members, and officers of the American League to Abolish Capital Punishment and of the Massachusetts Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty. Some of the more well-known individuals include: Hugo Bedau, Herbert Cobin, Clarence Darrow, Crosby Forbes, Victor Friend, Arthur Garfield Hays, Sumner Kaplan, Lewis Lawes, Donal MacNamara, Herbert Parsons, Vivian Pierce, Thorsten Sellen, and Miriam van Waters. Sparse correspondence and collected information exists on a number of prominent individuals, notably: James M. Curley, Michael Dukakis, Henry Ford, Felix Frankfurter, William Randolph Hearst, J. Edgar Hoover, and Karl Menninger. Subseries C consists of newspaper clippings mainly from Boston- area newspapers organized into three broad topics: capital punishment, murder cases, and other subjects. The bulk of this material relates to Massachusetts. |
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| Box | Title | Date | |||||||
| Subseries A: Subjects | |||||||||
| 8 | A – Ant | ||||||||
| 9, 47 | Att – Con | ||||||||
| 10 | Cor – H | ||||||||
| 11 | I – Mag | ||||||||
| 12, 47 | Med – Pre | ||||||||
| 13 | Pre – Rel | ||||||||
| 14 | Rel – Sac | ||||||||
| 15 | Sac – Uni | ||||||||
| 16 | Uni – Y | ||||||||
| Subseries B: Individuals | |||||||||
| 16 | A – Doy | ||||||||
| 17 | Dri – K | ||||||||
| 18 | L – Ran | ||||||||
| 19 | Rea – Z | ||||||||
| Subseries C: Newspaper Clippings | |||||||||
| 41 | Capital Punishment | ||||||||
| 42 | Murder Cases | ||||||||
| 41-42 | Other Subjects | ||||||||
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Series: |
3. Case Files, ca. 1857-1992 (bulk dates 1924-1980) |
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| Volume: | 12.0 cubic ft. | ||||||||
| Arrangement: |
Alphabetically by state, then by case name. |
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| Summary: |
This series consists of information on prisoners from throughout the United States, with the exception of Alaska. The most common offense for which the prisoners were sentenced is murder, but other crimes are represented, notably rape. Cases for which there is only a small amount of information have been grouped alphabetically into general folders under each state. Cases in which multiple persons were involved are filed under the name of the person whose name comes first alphabetically. This series consists mainly of newspaper clippings; however, there are also pamphlets, flyers, informational cards and correspondence from the American League to Abolish Capital Punishment and the Massachusetts Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty. Correspondence between Sara R. Ehrmann and various prisoners can be found in this series and in the Norfolk Lifers Group folders filed under Massachusetts in Series 1 (box 2, folder 71 and box 3, folders 1-2), and in Series 5. Researchers should also be aware that some material pertaining to individual cases may be found in Series 2, Subseries C; these are mainly Massachusetts cases from the 1970s and 1980s. Documentation of the Sacco and Vanzetti case is found in Series 2 (box 14, folders 8-35 and box 15, folders 1-12). There are also two audiocassettes and one videotape concerning the Sacco and Vanzetti case in Series 6. |
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| Box | Title | Date | |||||||
| 20 | Alabama – Arkansas | ||||||||
| California | |||||||||
| 20 | A – Moo | ||||||||
| 21 | Mor – Z | ||||||||
| 21 | Colorado – Florida | ||||||||
| Georgia | |||||||||
| 21 | A – F | ||||||||
| 22 | H – W | ||||||||
| 22 | Hawaii – Louisiana | ||||||||
| 23 | Maine – Maryland | ||||||||
| Massachusetts | |||||||||
| 23 | A - Bon | ||||||||
| 24 | Bon – Coo | ||||||||
| 25 | Cot – Ker | ||||||||
| 26 | Ker – Nik | ||||||||
| 27 | Nob – Y | ||||||||
| 28 | Michigan – New Mexico | ||||||||
| New York | |||||||||
| 28 | A – C | ||||||||
| 29 | C- Z | ||||||||
| 29 | North Carolina – Oklahoma | ||||||||
| 30 | Oregon – Rhode Island | ||||||||
| 31 | South Carolina – Wyoming | ||||||||
| 31 | State Unknown | ||||||||
| 31 | Federal Cases | ||||||||
| 31 | Military Cases | ||||||||
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Series: |
4. Organizations, ca. 1890-1992 (bulk dates 1969) |
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| Volume: | 6.4 cubic ft. | ||||||||
| Arrangement: |
Organized alphabetically into 3 subseries: A.) American League to Abolish Capital Punishment; B.) Massachusetts Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty; and C.) Combined American League/Massachusetts Council. |
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| Summary: |
This series documents two distinct organizations that eventually worked together in the same location under the direction of Sara R. Ehrmann. The series includes: annual reports, bibliographies, bylaws, correspondence, financial and fund-raising records, flyers, informational cards, minutes and other information about meetings, membership lists, letters requesting information, and speaker's notes. There are also collected publications, publications produced by the two organizations, and reprints of articles that appeared in the press. Subseries C consists of informational cards, other organizations' publications, and reprints produced by either the American League and the Massachusetts Council. The bulk of material in this collection relating to and generated by the American League to Abolish Capital Punishment and Massachusetts Council to Abolish the Death Penalty is concentrated in this series. However, researchers should be aware that correspondence, publications, and press reprints generated by the two organizations can also be found elsewhere in the collection. Throughout Series 1, there is sparse correspondence between the two organizations and other organizations and individuals opposed to capital punishment. Information on and correspondence with officers and supporters of the two organizations can also be found in Series 2, Subseries B (boxes 16- 19). Sparse material documenting the two organizations' work on individual capital cases may be found in Series 3. |
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| Box | Title | Date | |||||||
| Subseries A: American League to Abolish Capital Punishment | |||||||||
| 32 | Active States | 1953 | |||||||
| 32 | Annual Meetings (3 folders) | 1937-1947 | |||||||
| 32 | Annual Reports | 1930-1971 | |||||||
| 32 | Audit Correspondence | 1939-1941 | |||||||
| 32 | Audits (13 folders) | 1925-1944 | |||||||
| 32 | Bank Resolutions | 1945 | |||||||
| 32 | Bequests | n.d., 1933-1948, 1964 | |||||||
| 32 | Bibliographies | 1956, 1968 | |||||||
| 32 | Board Contributions | 1955-1956 | |||||||
| 32 | Board of Directors Meeting Minutes (23 folders) | 1925-1960 | |||||||
| Card Files | |||||||||
| 43 | Members | n.d. | |||||||
| 43 | Officers | n.d. | |||||||
| 32 | Clemency Appeals | n.d., 1955-1969 | |||||||
| 32 | Constitution and Bylaws | 1936 | |||||||
| 32 | Correctional Council Minutes | 1937-1969 | |||||||
| 32 | Correspondence (3 folders) | 1927-1976 | |||||||
| 32 | Finance (14 folders) | n.d., 1930-1971 | |||||||
| 32 | Fundraisers and Lists | n.d., 1952-1964 | |||||||
| 32 | Fund-raising (4 folders) | 1938-1968 | |||||||
| 32 | History | 1940 | |||||||
| 32 | Hoffman, Frederick L. | 1928-1939 | |||||||
| 32 | Incorporation | n.d., 1929, 1952 | |||||||
| 32 | Individuals Against the Death Penalty | 1939-1941 | |||||||
| 32 | Legislative Committee | n.d., 1941 | |||||||
| 32 | Letterhead | n.d. | |||||||
| 32 | "A Look at Capital Punishment" (Conference Papers) | 1956 | |||||||
| 32 | Mailing Analysis | 1953 | |||||||
| 32 | Mailing List | 1970 | |||||||
| 32 | Meetings (5 folders) | n.d., 1925-1969 | |||||||
| 32 | Members, Membership (6 folders) | 1943-1970 | |||||||
| 33 | Miscellaneous (4 folders) | n.d., 1938-1982 | |||||||
| 33 | Move to Massachusetts | 1949 | |||||||
| 33 | New York | n.d. | |||||||
| 33 | New York Charitable Foundations Registration | 1967 | |||||||
| 33 | New York: Proposal for New York National Office: Correspondence | 1966 | |||||||
| 33 | Officers (2 folders) | 1950-1958 | |||||||
| 33 | Orders for Material | 1932-1939, 1952-1968 | |||||||
| 33 | Organization of Local Committees | n.d., 1953-1959 | |||||||
| 33 | Publications | n.d., [1920]-1971 | |||||||
| 33 | Reorganization | n.d., 1951-1953 | |||||||
| 33 | Reports and Press Releases | 1928-1932 | |||||||
| 33 | Requests for Material and Information (15 folders) | n.d., 1931-1965 | |||||||
| 33 | Resumes and Applications | 1950-1966 | |||||||
| 49 | Seal | ca. 1929 | |||||||
| 33 | Speakers | n.d., 1931-1966 | |||||||
| 33 | Speakers Notes | n.d., 1927-1945 | |||||||
| 33 | State Abolition Groups | n.d., 1963-1969 | |||||||
| 33 | State Committees | 1969-1971 | |||||||
| 33 | Taxes (2 folders) | 1930-1963 | |||||||
| 33 | Treasurer's Reports (7 folders) | 1951-1965 | |||||||
| 33 | Victory Meeting (2 folders) | 1965 | |||||||
| 33 | von Roosehlaub, Ruth | 1936-1938 | |||||||
| 33 | Western Council | 1948 | |||||||
| Subseries B: Massachusetts Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty | |||||||||
| 34 | Administrative Records (2 folders) | n.d., 1937-1969 | |||||||
| 34 | Advisory Council | 1928, 1930 | |||||||
| 34 | Authorities (3 folders) | n.d., 1931-1967 | |||||||
| 34 | Board of Directors | n.d., 1967-1976 | |||||||
| 34 | Board of Governors (12 folders) | 1956-1968 | |||||||
| 34 | Board Meetings | 1967-1969 | |||||||
| 34 | Brookline Redevelopment Authority | 1966-1967 | |||||||
| 34 | Bylaws | 1930-1947 | |||||||
| Card Files | |||||||||
| 44 | Members | n.d. | |||||||
| 44 | Officers | n.d. | |||||||
| 34 | Community Action Committee | n.d., 1965-1968 | |||||||
| 34 | Contacts | n.d., 1947-1949 | |||||||
| 34 | Contacts - Constituents | n.d., 1961-1977 | |||||||
| 34-35 | Correspondence (31 folders) | n.d., 1927-1982 | |||||||
| 35 | Deaths | n.d., 1952-1957, 1985 | |||||||
| 35 | Endorsements (5 folders) | n.d., 1929-1953, 1963-1965 | |||||||
| 35 | Executive Committee | 1968 | |||||||
| 35 | Executive Secretary's Reports | 1929-1933 | |||||||
| 35 | Finance (7 folders) | n.d., 1938-1970 | |||||||
| 35 | Finance Appeals | n.d., 1931-1959 | |||||||
| 35 | Finance Audit | 1941 | |||||||
| 35 | Finance Campaign | 1948 | |||||||
| 35 | Finance Committee (2 folders) | n.d., 1947-1950, 1956, 1966 | |||||||
| 35 | Finance – Lobbying Costs | 1956 | |||||||
| 35 | Finance Reports (4 folders) | 1940-1966 | |||||||
| 35 | Fund-Raising | n.d., 1940-1969 | |||||||
| 35 | Hearings (4 folders) | 1941-1962 | |||||||
| 35 | History | n.d., 1943-1990 | |||||||
| 35 | Incorporation | 1947-1949 | |||||||
| 35 | Interdenominational Committee | n.d., 1964 | |||||||
| 35 | Interfaith Clergy Committee | 1967 | |||||||
| 35 | Key Names (3 folders) | n.d., 1935-1963 | |||||||
| 35 | Leading Spokesmen Quotes | n.d., 1953-1966 | |||||||
| 35 | Ledger | 1930-1932 | |||||||
| 35 | Legacies | n.d., 1951-1959 | |||||||
| 35 | Legislative Campaign Printing and Publicity | 1941 | |||||||
| 35 | Legislators (2 folders) | n.d., 1943-1962 | |||||||
| 35 | Letters to the Editor | 1931-1969 | |||||||
| 35 | Lobbying (3 folders) | n.d., 1931-1975 | |||||||
| 35 | Mailings to Membership | 1968-1970 | |||||||
| Massachusetts Citizens Against the Death Penalty | |||||||||
| 35 | Board Meetings | 1983-1991 | |||||||
| 35 | General | n.d., 1983-1992 | |||||||
| Massachusetts Citizens Against the Death Penalty Fund | |||||||||
| 35 | Board Meetings | 1985-199? | |||||||
| 35 | General | n.d., 1985-1991 | |||||||
| 35 | Herbert and Sara Ehrmann Award | 1985-1991 | |||||||
| 36 | Meetings (4 folders) | n.d., 1932, 1940-1975 | |||||||
| 36 | Membership | n.d., 1956-1975 | |||||||
| 36 | Miscellaneous (2 folders) | n.d., 1929-1966 | |||||||
| 36 | Office Space | n.d., 1949-1967 | |||||||
| 36 | Officers | 1939-1941, 1967 | |||||||
| 36 | Organizational Material for Brochure/Letterhead | 1968-1969 | |||||||
| FF5/D8 | Poster | 1941 | |||||||
| 36 | Publications (3 folders) | n.d., 1928-1969 | |||||||
| 36 | Publicity | n.d., 1955-1957 | |||||||
| 36 | Research | n.d., ca. 1930-1963 | |||||||
| 36 | Sample Letters, etc. | 1969 | |||||||
| 36 | Speakers Notes | n.d. | |||||||
| 36 | Sponsor Lists | n.d. | |||||||
| 36 | Taxes | n.d., 1956-1966 | |||||||
| 36 | Treasurer's Reports | 1946-1948 | |||||||
| 36 | Women's Committee | n.d., 1941, 1956-1965 | |||||||
| Subseries C: Combined American League/Massachusetts Council | |||||||||
| 45 | Informational Cards | n.d. | |||||||
| 36 | Collected Publications: Other Organizations | ca. 1890-1970 | |||||||
| 36-37 | Reprints (11 folders) | ca. 1890-1970 | |||||||
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Series: |
5. Personal Files, 1906-1993 (bulk dates 1950-1990) |
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| Volume: | 3.4 cubic ft. | ||||||||
| Arrangement: |
Alphabetical |
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| Summary: |
This series contains information on Sara R. Ehrmann and her community activism, including work on behalf of Jewish and women's organizations. Materials include: awards, biographical information, correspondence (including cards and letters from prisoners), interviews, photographs and slides, and some of Ehrmann's writings. Researchers should note that correspondence between Sara R. Ehrmann and prisoners can also be found in the Norfolk Lifers Group folders filed under Massachusetts in Series 1 (box 2, folder 71 and box 3, folders 1-2) and scattered throughout Series 3. Audiotaped and videotaped interviews with Ehrmann, an audiocassette of a Boston University Law School panel in which she participated, and an audiocassette related to the Community Church of Boston's Sacco and Vanzetti Award given to Ehrmann in 1982 can be found in Series 6. The audiotaped interviews in Series 6 are different from the printed interviews found in this series. |
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| Box | Title | Date | |||||||
| 37, 47 | American Jewish Committee | n.d., 1947-1991 | |||||||
| 37 | American Jewish Congress | 1982, 1985 | |||||||
| 37 | American Jewish Historical Society | n.d., 1977 | |||||||
| 37 | American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee | n.d., 1941 | |||||||
| 37 | American Society of Criminology | 1961-1984 | |||||||
| 37 | Articles | n.d., ca. 1931-1963 | |||||||
| 37 | Associated Jewish Philanthropies | n.d., 1940-1947 | |||||||
| Awards and Citations | |||||||||
| 37 | Abraham T. Alper Award | 1982, 1984 | |||||||
| FF5/D8 | Abraham T. Alper Award Certificate | 1982 | |||||||
| Commonwealth of Massachusetts | |||||||||
| 37 | Sara R. Ehrmann Day Proclamation | 1985 | |||||||
| 37 | State Senate Citation | 1985 | |||||||
| 37 | Fannie R. Bigelow Award | n.d., 1931, 1952-1955 | |||||||
| 37 | Hecker Award | 1981 | |||||||
| FF5/D8 | Hecker Award Certificate | 1981 | |||||||
| 37 | Lane Bryant Award | n.d., 1966-1971 | |||||||
| FF5/D8 | Massachusetts Citizens Against the Death Penalty | 1993 | |||||||
| 37 | Miscellaneous | ca. 1940, 1971-1977 | |||||||
| 37 | Norman S. Rabb Merit Award | 1970-1971 | |||||||
| 49 | Norman S. Rabb Trophy | 1971 | |||||||
| 37 | Sacco-Vanzetti Memorial Award | 1982 | |||||||
| FF5/D8 | Sacco-Vanzetti Award Certificate | 1982 | |||||||
| 37 | Badges | n.d. | |||||||
| 37 | Beth Israel Hospital Volunteer Service | n.d., 1942, 1951 | |||||||
| 37 | Billy Sunday Manuscript | 1976 | |||||||
| 37 | Biographical (4 folders) | n.d., ca. 1912-1990 | |||||||
| 37 | Brookline | n.d., 1950-1991 | |||||||
| 37 | Brookline Selectman | 1946, 1960 | |||||||
| 37 | "Capital Punishment Today – Why?" | n.d., 1958-1960 | |||||||
| Card Files | |||||||||
| 45 | Bibliography | n.d. | |||||||
| 45-46 | Contacts | n.d. | |||||||
| 46 | Notes | n.d. | |||||||
| 37 | Charities | n.d., 1971-1989 | |||||||
| 37 | Combined Jewish Philanthropies | 1965, 1978, 1983-1993 | |||||||
| 37-38 | Correspondence (11 folders) | n.d., 1915-1993 | |||||||
| 38, FF5/D8 | Correspondence with Prisoners | n.d., 1940, 1952, 1967-1992 | |||||||
| 38 | Education | 1908-1937, 1982 | |||||||
| 38 | Ehrmann Family | n.d., 1948-1991 | |||||||
| 38 | Ehrmann, Herbert B. (5 folders) | n.d., 1914-1972 | |||||||
| 38 | "For Whom the Chair Waits" (3 folders) | n.d., 1957, 1961-1962 | |||||||
| 47 | Harvard Agreement | 1971 | |||||||
| 38 | Inaugural Invitation | 1977 | |||||||
| 38 | Interviews (2 folders) | n.d., 1977-1990 | |||||||
| 39 | Jewish Community Council | 1975-1977 | |||||||
| 39 | League of Women Voters | n.d., 1944-1992 | |||||||
| 39 | Legislative Testimony | 1953-1966 | |||||||
| 39 | Mailing Lists | n.d., 1960-1970 | |||||||
| 39 | National Refugee Service | 1941 | |||||||
| 39 | Northeastern University (4 folders) | n.d., 1967-1992 | |||||||
| 39 | Notes (9 folders) | n.d. | |||||||
| 39-40 | Notepads and Address Books (6 folders) | n.d., 1930-1986 | |||||||
| 40 | Obituaries and Memorial Services | n.d., 1944-1990 | |||||||
| 40 | Other (3 folders) | n.d. | |||||||
| 40 | Photographs (2 folders) | n.d., 1942-1987 | |||||||
| 40 | Public Appearances | n.d., 1935-1968 | |||||||
| 40 | Slides | 1981 | |||||||
| 40 | Rosenfeld, Roy | n.d., 1906-1981 | |||||||
| 40 | Sara R. Ehrmann Foundation | n.d., 1971-1985 | |||||||
| 40 | Sharon, Massachusetts High School | 1977, 1986 | |||||||
| 40 | Slides | 1981 | |||||||
| 40 | Speeches (4 folders) | n.d., 1939-1990 | |||||||
| 40 | Star Island Conferences | n.d., 1972-1978 | |||||||
| 40 | Theater | n.d., 1924, 1935 | |||||||
| 40 | United Jewish Campaign | n.d., 1938-1978 | |||||||
| 40 | United Nations Conference | 1970 | |||||||
| 40 | U.S.O. Greater Boston Soldiers and Sailors Committee | 1944-1945 | |||||||
| 40 | University of Rochester | n.d., 1917-1953 | |||||||
| 40 | Will | n.d., 1975-1984 | |||||||
| 40 | Woman's Organizations, Various | n.d., 1973 | |||||||
| 40 | Writing | n.d., 1939-1982 | |||||||
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Series: |
6. Audio/Visual Materials, n.d., 1967-1990 |
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| Volume: | 0.3 cubic ft. | ||||||||
| Arrangement: |
Alphabetical by medium. |
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| Summary: |
This series consists of audio and video tapes, including interviews with Sara R. Ehrmann , prisoners, and others. There is also a VHS tape of a television program on the Sacco and Vanzetti case. Additional documentation of the Sacco and Vanzetti case is found in Series 2 (box 14, folders 8-35 and box 15, folders 1-12). Additional documentation of the Norfolk Lifers Group can be found in Series 1 (box 2, folder 71 and box 3, folders 1-2). |
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| Box | Title | Date | |||||||
| Audiocassettes | |||||||||
| 48 | Boston University School of Law Panel, including Hugo Bedau, William Homans, Joseph Ingle, and Sara R. Ehrmann | n.d. | |||||||
| 48 | Community Church of Boston, Sacco and Vanzetti Award to Sara R. Ehrmann, address by Max Stern | 18 April 1982 | |||||||
| 48 | Norfolk Lifers Group (7 cassettes) | n.d. | |||||||
| Radio Free Norfolk | |||||||||
| 48 | Interview with Hugo Bedau | 31 October 1979 | |||||||
| 48 | "John Kerrigan: Villain or Victim" | 19 July 1979 | |||||||
| 48 | Sacco and Vanzetti, Dukakis Proclamation | 22 August 1977 | |||||||
| Sara R. Ehrmann Interviews | |||||||||
| 48 | 12 August 1990 | ||||||||
| 48 | On Sacco and Vanzetti | n.d. | |||||||
| 48 | With Dr. William Alberts (2 cassettes) | 11 March 1982 | |||||||
| 48 | With Michael Sussmann (6 cassettes) | 1978 | |||||||
| Open Reel Audiotape | |||||||||
| 48 | Unidentified | December 1967 | |||||||
| VHS Tapes | |||||||||
| 48 | Sacco and Vanzetti "Chronicle" Program | 12 March 1986 | |||||||
| 48 | Sara R. Ehrmann Interview with Alan Stoskopf of Brookline High School | 24 June 1986 | |||||||
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