Wilhelmina A. Leigh papers, 1966-1969
Collection Number: 37-5-4954
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Cornell University Library
Container
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Description
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Date
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Series I. General Documents
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Box 1 | Folder 2 |
Copy of Leigh's transcript
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1970 |
Box 1 | Folder 2 |
Student ID Card
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1966 |
Box 1 | Folder 2 |
Biography of Wilhelmina Leigh, along with documents related to Phi Beta Kappa membership
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1970 |
Box 1 | Folder 3 |
Letter to the Editor of the Cornell Daily Sun, entitled "Cornell & Dr. King"
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1968 |
Scope and Contents
D. Typed, draft copy of a Letter to the Editor (entitled "Cornell and Dr. King") written
by Wilhelmina Leigh and published in the Cornell Daily Sun shortly after the assassination
of Dr. King.
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Series II. Freshman Year
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1966-1967 | ||
Subseries IIa. Course Papers from English 135: Logic and Rhetoric of Expression
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Box 1 | Folder 4 |
"The Early Morning Military"
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1966 |
Scope and Contents
Paper describes the droves of young ladies who daily crossed the "Bridge" to get from
their dorms to classroom buildings on the Quad.
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Box 1 | Folder 4 |
"A Sketch of Me"
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1966 |
Scope and Contents
Brief biography of Wilhelmina Leigh.
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Box 1 | Folder 4 |
"The Special Centerpiece"
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1966 |
Scope and Contents
Paper describes some of the items in Leigh's shared dorm room.
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Box 1 | Folder 4 |
"The Feeling of the Arts Quad"
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1966 |
Box 1 | Folder 4 |
"Homage to a System of Revolutions"
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1966-10-10 |
Scope and Contents
Paper is about a record player in a dorm room.
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Box 1 | Folder 4 |
"The Friday Night Mixer"
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1966-10-22 |
Scope and Contents
Paper describes this recurring college student get-together.
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Box 1 | Folder 4 |
"The Organization Meeting"
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1966-10-22 |
Scope and Contents
Paper describes the organizing meeting of Cornell's Afro-American Society.
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Box 1 | Folder 4 |
"The Cornell University Forum: Black Power"
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1966-10-30 |
Scope and Contents
Paper describes the audience response to the presentation made at Cornell University
by John Wilson, who was affiliated with the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee
(SNCC)
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Box 1 | Folder 4 |
"Introducing Miss Betty Mai
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1966-11 |
Scope and Contents
This paper describes Elizabeth (Betty) Mai, Leigh's freshman year roommate.
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Box 1 | Folder 4 |
"The Fall Blackout"
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1966-11-15 |
Scope and Contents
Paper describes the effect in various areas of the campus of a university-wide blackout.
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Box 1 | Folder 4 |
"Opportunities for the Extra-Curricular Development of the Cornell Student"
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1966-11-20 |
Box 1 | Folder 4 |
"The Telephone Conversation"
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1966-11-29 |
Scope and Contents
Paper centers around a conversation between Leigh and a high-school classmate during
her Thanksgiving weekend visit to her hometown of Washington, DC.
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Box 1 | Folder 5 |
"Considerations of the Acceptance of the Negro Student by Cornell's White Community"
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1966-12-08 |
Box 1 | Folder 5 |
"My Reply to some of the Comments Made on the Paper 'Considerations of the Acceptance
of the Negro Student by Cornell's White Community'"
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1966-12-17 |
Box 1 | Folder 5 |
"The Effect of the Predominantly White College Environment on a Negro's Social Acceptability
with Consideration Given to the Disparity Between Pre-College, College, and Post-College
Situations"
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1966-12-17 |
Box 1 | Folder 5 |
"The Ideal University"
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1967-01-10 |
Box 1 | Folder 5 |
"How Have I Changed?"
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Subseries IIb. Course Papers from English 131: Experience and Expression
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Box 1 | Folder 6 |
Untitled
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1967 |
Scope and Contents
Paper was about choosing to attend a predominantly white institution instead of an
historically black college or university.
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Box 1 | Folder 6 |
Untitled
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1967 |
Scope and Contents
Paper describes the situation when Leigh was asked by a Cornell student who was an
Asian Indian if she also was from India.
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Box 1 | Folder 6 |
Untitled
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1967 |
Scope and Contents
Topic was "playing white."
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Box 1 | Folder 6 |
Untitled
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1967 |
Scope and Contents
Paper written about the IFC (Inter Fraternity Council) "Soul of Blackness" Week.
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Box 1 | Folder 7 |
"It's A Question of Right"
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1967-02-13 |
Scope and Contents
Paper is about matching people for dates on a weekend.
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Box 1 | Folder 7 |
"After A Point" and "Religion"
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1967-02-28 |
Scope and Contents
Each of these is a poem.
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Box 1 | Folder 7 |
"We Just Couldn't Do It"
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1967-02-28 |
Scope and Contents
Story is about a futile attempt to avoid missing the curfew for returning to the girls'
dormitory.
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Box 1 | Folder 7 |
Untitled
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1967-03-07 |
Scope and Contents
Story is about interacting with a weekend guest who was the friend of Leigh's roommate.
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Box 1 | Folder 7 |
Untitled
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1967-03-23 |
Scope and Contents
Paper examines some of the ways I changed during my freshman year.
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Box 1 | Folder 7 |
Untitled
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1967-04-08 |
Scope and Contents
Paper is about agnosticism.
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Box 1 | Folder 7 |
Untitled
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1967-04-17 |
Scope and Contents
Item is in poem format and without a title.
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Box 1 | Folder 7 |
Untitled
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1967-05-01 |
Scope and Contents
Paper is about college students juggling their course requirements.
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Box 1 | Folder 7 |
Untitled
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1967-05-01 |
Scope and Contents
Paper is about the reactions of Negro students in an audience who are watching Negro
performers.
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Box 1 | Folder 7 |
"Cut-Out," from An American Dream, by Norman Mailer
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1967-05-13 |
Box 1 | Folder 7 |
"The Negro and the Media"
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1967-05-16 |
Subseries IIc. Items Related to IFC (Inter-Fraternity Council) Week at Cornell University
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Scope and Contents
Theme of the 1967 IFC Week was "Soul of Blackness."
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Box 1 | Folder 8 |
Program booklet for IFC Week activities
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1967-02-26-1967-03-03 |
Scope and Contents
Note from Leigh: "On the next-to-last interior page of the booklet, I am on the list
of persons acknowledged for … "outstanding work" … that made the program book possible.
My name appears on the list of acknowledgments as "Billie Leigh," because that was
the name by which I was known at Cornell. I acquired the nickname "Billie" because
I wrote it on the button that freshman were required to wear during their first week
(or so) on campus. I realized that my entire first name ("Wilhelmina") would not
fit on the button and substituted "Billie" for it."
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Subseries IId. General Semester Documents
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Box 1 | Folder 9 |
1970 Freshman Register
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1966 |
Scope and Contents
This booklet, colloquially known as "the pig book," provides photos (and local contact
information) for the incoming freshman entering Cornell University in the fall semester
1966. These students were expected to graduate at the end of spring semester 1970.
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Manuscript Box |
Photograph of sixth floor residents of Mary Donlon Hall
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1966-12 | |
Scope and Contents
During freshman year, Wilhelmina Leigh shared room 605 in Mary Donlon Hall with roommate
Elizabeth (Betty) Mai.
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Series III. Sophomore Year
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1967-1968 | ||
Subseries IIa. The Society for the Humanities seminars (numbered 405 and 406)
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Scope and Contents
The Society for the Humanities seminars (numbered 405 and 406) entitled "Negro
Writers of the 20th Century" were led in Fall semester 1967 and Spring semester
1968 by Julian Mayfield, an author and actor who was at that time a fellow at Cornell
University.
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Box 1 | Folder 11 |
"Negro Digest" issue
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Scope and Contents
June 1968, vol. XVII, No. 8, pp. 10-24 features an article by Julian Mayfield, "A
Challenge to A Bestseller – Crisis or Crusade" – Julian Mayfield's bio associated
with the review mentions that he is … "currently a fellow at Cornell University" (p.
24).
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Box 1 | Folder 11 |
"The Negro in America: What Must Be Done – A Program for Action"
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1967-10-20 |
Scope and Contents
This issue of Newsweek magazine was among the assigned reading for the seminar.
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Box 1 | Folder 12 |
"An Analysis of the Standards of Equality for the African Slave in America"
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1967-11-13 |
Scope and Contents
Paper submitted during fall semester of 1967 for Seminar 405. Paper is 20 typewritten
pages plus footnotes and bibliography on three additional pages.
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Box 1 | Folder 13 |
Two letters sent to Wilhelmina Leigh by Julian Mayfield
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1968-1969 |
Scope and Contents
a. First Letter: An undated letter from Julian Mayfield addressed to Wilhelmina Leigh
and typed on New York University letterhead – This letter mentions Leigh's planned
trip to Africa in the coming year. Thus, the letter was likely dated and sent in 1968.
[Note from Leigh: I traveled to Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) in summer of 1969 as
a research assistant for Professor Ian Pool (then a faculty member in the Department
of Sociology at Cornell University). Dr. Pool and his assistants conducted a survey
for the United Nations Population Council before a family planning program was implemented
in Upper Volta.]
The description of the rigors of movie making provided in this letter is based on
Mayfield's experience while playing the role of Tank in the motion picture "Uptight."
The film was released in either 1968 or 1969.
b. Second Letter: A letter from Julian Mayfield addressed to Wilhelmina Leigh, dated
May 2, 1969 (and typed on New York University letterhead) – The first part of the
letter included suggestions for Leigh's travel in Africa.
In the last two sentences of the last paragraph of this letter, Mr. Mayfield makes
reference to the 1969 Willard Straight takeover by Afro American students. He also
suggests that the takeover at Cornell may have influenced students at Vorhees to do
something similar:
"Voorhees University is a small, private, historically black university in Denmark,
SC. It is affiliated with the Episcopal Church and accredited by the Southern Association
of Colleges and Schools. In 1969, 75 students in the predominantly Black student body
organized a two-day armed occupation of the college to demand the following: more
Black study programs, the hiring of Black faculty, and outreach to assist the local,
low-income community of Denmark with college scholarships. The protesters surrendered,
but were subsequently arrested. Many were also suspended from the school." [Note from
Leigh: When I first searched on the Internet for information about Voorhees University,
I found details about the 1969 student occupation in the local newspaper. I did not
find any information about the 1969 student rebellion on the website of the school.
When I searched again for the relevant information a few days later, I was able to
access it only if I paid to subscribe to the local newspaper. I did not subscribe
to the local newspaper.]
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Box 1 | Folder 13 |
An unsigned letter typed on the letterhead of the Cornell University Society for the
Humanities
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1968-02-05 |
Scope and Contents
Letter provides comments about paper prepared during fall semester 1967.
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Box 1 | Folder 14 |
Two articles about the death of Julian Mayfield
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1984 |
Scope and Contents
One appeared in the Washington Post (October 23, 1984), and the other appeared in
the student newspaper of Howard University, known as the Hill Rag (December 14, 1984).
Both articles mentioned the fellowship of Mr. Mayfield at Cornell University. Prior
to his death in 1984, Mayfield was a writer-in-residence at Howard University.
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Subseries IIIb. Correspondence and other documents
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Box 1 | Folder 13 |
Invitation Letter from then-President James A. Perkins to participate in a day-long
discussion on May 2, 1968, as part of the program "Cornell in Perspective"
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1968-04-22 |
Scope and Contents
The program was initiated in the spring of 1967. Notes taken at the May 2, 1968 meeting
appear on a page tagged with a post-it labeled "D" in the Cornell Campus Store spiral
notebook in Box 1, Folder 1.
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Box 1 | Folder 15 |
Cornell Alumni News
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1968-06 |
Scope and Contents
"Cornell's Black Student: A Report from the Inside," by Gloria Joseph and Barbara
Newsom – This article was circulated as a 6-page reprint from the June 1968 issue
of the Cornell Alumni News.
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Box 1 | Folder 15 |
Empty folio from the first Cornell Alumni University
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1968-07-21-1968-08-03 |
Box 1 | Folder 16 |
Two letters regarding Cuba
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1968-08-26-1968-09-04 |
Scope and Contents
Note from Leigh: While attending Cornell Alumni University, I asked Professor Allan
Feldt how I could get believable information about the situation in Communist Cuba.
In response, he gave me contact information for the two gentlemen named below, and
I subsequently sent letters to these gentlemen. I do not have copies of the letters
sent to them, but I received reply letters dated as indicated below:
a. Professor Eduardo Montoulieu – August 26, 1968
(associated with the Puerto Rico Urban Renewal and Housing Corp.)
b. Luis V. Manrara – Sept 4, 1968
(associated with The Truth About Cuba Committee, Inc.)
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Series IV. Junior Year
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1968-1969 | ||
Box 1 | Folder 17 |
"Internat" magazine, vol. 1, no. 1
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1968-09 |
Scope and Contents
Internat (vol. 1, no. 1) was a magazine first published by international students
at Cornell University in September 1968.
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Box 1 | Folder 17 |
"Internat" letters and documents
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1968-11 |
Scope and Contents
The inaugural issue of Internat featured an article entitled "Foreign Students and
Marginality." In response to this article, Leigh wrote a Letter to the Editor that
appeared in the November 1968 issue of Internat (vol. 1, no. 2).
Included is a copy of the Letter to the Editor of Internat; copy of pages 2 and 7
from Internat (vol.1, no. 2), the pages on which Leigh's response to the original
article (entitled "Foreign Students and Marginality") appeared; a letter sent to Leigh
in December 1968 by Donald C.L. Woo, Editor of Internat, thanking her for writing
her letter about marginality and encouraging her to continue to read the magazine
and to submit letters to the editor about issues of interest to her.
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Subseries IVa. HD 500: "Future of Housing and Urban Life Styles"
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Scope and Contents
Note from Leigh: During fall semester of 1968, I took a course entitled "Future of
Housing and Urban Life Styles". The course is referred to as HD 500 in handwritten
references to it (primarily in my written assignments), although the course is designated
HDES 530 on my transcript.
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Box 1 | Folder 18 |
"An Analysis of the Kerner Commission Report" paper
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1968 |
Box 1 | Folder 18 |
"An Evaluation of HD 500" paper
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1968 |
Scope and Contents
Paper evaluates the Ghetto Game played by students during the course and includes
an assessment by Wilhelmina Leigh of the utility of the course to both the black and
white students who participated in it.
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Box 1 | Folder 18 |
Untitled paper
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1968 |
Scope and Contents
Paper by Wilhelmina Leigh in which the role-playing in the Ghetto Game is compared
to the Delphi technique.
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Box 1 | Folder 18 |
"The Afro-American Independence Struggle (1969-1980) Mirrored in the Ghanaian Independence
Process (1946-1957)" paper
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1968 |
Subseries IVb. Econ 373: "Economic Development of the Urban Ghetto."
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Box 1 | Folder 19 |
Notes
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Series V. Cornell University Memorabilia
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Box 1 | Folder 20 |
Postcards
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Scope and Contents
Assorted, unused, individual postcards featuring views of the Cornell campus and buildings;
Postcard featuring Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge, Ithaca, NY; Folio with 14 views of
Cornell University campus, copyright MCMLXIII (1963) by Curt Teich and Co. Inc., Chicago,
IL.
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Box 1 | Folder 21 |
Program booklets for two Motown Groups (The Four Tops and the Temptations)
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1967-1969 |
Scope and Contents
Each of these two groups performed separately at Cornell U between 1967 and 1969.
Note from Leigh: I attended the separate performances of these two groups on campus.
I was able to get an autograph from Levi Stubbs, one of the members of the Four Tops,
inside their program booklet. (See the sixth interior page of that booklet.)
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Box 1 | Folder 22 |
"Now and Then: Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of The Willard Straight Hall Takeover,"
produced by Students of Color Coordinating Committee
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1989-04 |