Sheldon Herman Ramsdell papers, 1955-1996.
Collection Number: 7714

Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Cornell University Library


DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
Sheldon Herman Ramsdell papers, 1955-1996.
Repository:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Collection Number:
7714
Abstract:
Files from Ramsdell's work with Vietnam Veterans Against the War. Plus, correspondence mainly with his parents; photographs from his career.
Creator:
Ramsdell, Sheldon, 1935-1996.
Quanitities:
2.4 cubic feet.
Language:
Collection material in English

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Photojournalist Sheldon (Shelly) Ramsdell, born on August 31, 1935 in Maine, served in the Navy, flying photograph missions over Indochina ca. 1955-58. He was honorably discharged in 1958. In 1967, he was one of the founders of Vietnam Veterans Against the War, one of the most influential anti-war groups of the era. In addition to photographing celebrities, Ramsdell served as chief press aide for Senator Eugene J. McCarthy's 1968 presidential bid, as well as for New York Congresswoman Bella Abzug. His photographs were published in periodicals including the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Esquire, and Time. He was also an activist in the Democratic Party on labor union issues. Since the early 1980s, Ramsdell was an activist on behalf of people with AIDS, gay men and lesbians, and veterans. He died March 25, 1996 in San Francisco after a long battle with AIDS.

COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

Files from Ramsdell's work with Vietnam Veterans Against the War. Also, correspondence mainly with his parents; photographs from his career, including photos of Bette Midler and a photo of Herbert Hoover's headstone decorated with a pink triangle; a scrapbook of clippings, press releases, and press badges from his time on the McCarthy campaign, including flyers stating McCarthy's support for civil rights and clippings about the assassinations of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Senator Robert F. Kennedy in 1968. Framed photographs of Norman Mailer (when he was running for mayor of New York City in 1969), Helena Rubenstein, and Joel Grey in makeup for the stage production of Cabaret.

RELATED MATERIALS

The "Stacewicz, Richard VVAW interviews, 1992-1995" at the Wisconsin Historical Society contain a tape-recorded interview with Sheldon conducted by Richard Stacewicz in preparation for his book, "Winter Soldiers: An Oral History of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War" (1997). State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Archives Division, 816 State Street, Madison, Wis. 53706.
Related collection: Ramsdell, Sheldon Papers, (#1996-28). Files of his AIDS activism during his 12 years living in San Francisco are at the GLBT Historical Society, 657 Mission Street #300, San Francisco, CA 94105 Phone: 415.777.5455. Email: info@glbthistory.org
NOTES

Collecting Program: Human Sexuality Collection.


INFORMATION FOR USERS

Cite As:

Sheldon Herman Ramsdell papers, #7714. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.

SUBJECTS

Names:
McCarthy, Eugene J., 1916-2005.
Midler, Bette.
Mailer, Norman -- : Pictorial works.
Rubenstein, Helena -- : Pictorial works.
Grey, Joel, 1932- -- : Pictorial works.
Vietnam Veterans Against the War
Williams, Tennessee, 1911-1983
Subjects:
Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Protest movements.
Veterans.
Photographers.
Gay military personnel.
Form and Genre Terms:
Photographs.

CONTAINER LIST
Container
Description
Date
Series I. Personal Materials
Box 1 Folder 1
Personal correspondence,
1968
Box 1 Folder 2
Correspondence with FBI, including copy of FBI file on Ramsdell,
1989
Box 1 Folder 3
Misc. correspondence,
1958-1996
Box 1 Folder 4
Misc. correspondence,
1973-1996
Box 1 Folder 5
Misc. personal correspondence,
1992
Box 1 Folder 6
Misc. personal materials, including news clippings, correspondence, etc.
Box 1 Folder 7
Sheldon Ramsdell obituaries,
1996
Box 1 Folder 8
Correspondence regarding Ramsdell's death,
1996
Box 1 Folder 9
Trolley Tour Guides
Box 1 Folder 10
Postcards
Box 1 Folder 11
What Does a Photographer Do?, by T.E. Mergendahl Jr. & Sheldon Ramsdell,
1965
Box 5 Folder 1
Gaysweek/Miami Heald Newspaper clippings
1972-1981
Scope and Contents
Contains articles by Ramsdell
Box 5 Folder 2
Correspondence, Articles on Ramsdell, Club and business cards
1968-1982
Box 5 Folder 3
Misc. Artwork
1971
Box 5 Folder 4
Correspondence, Newspaper Clippings
1992-1996
Box 5 Folder 5
Key West Materials and Stories about Key West by Ramsdell
1977-1980
Box 5 Folder 6
Material Relating to Key West
1978-1982
Scope and Contents
Contains material relating to Tennessee Williams
Box 5 Folder 7
Key West Magazines and Brochures
1976-1978
Box 5 Folder 8
Articles regarding Ramsdell's death and memorial
1996-03-1996-04
Box 5 Folder 9
Marginal Way Memorial
1993-07
Box 5 Folder 10
Notes, Unlabeled Writings
Undated
Box 5 Folder 11
Newspaper Clippings, Correspondence relating to Politics
1981-1992
Box 5 Folder 12
Newspaper Clippings Relating to 1992 Election
1992
Box 5 Folder 13
Personal Correspondence
1981-1992
Box 5 Folder 14
Correspondence with, Play by Robert Patrick
1979-1980
Box 5 Folder 15
Newspaper Article: Phyllis Schlafly's Son Gay
1992-09-18
Box 5 Folder 16
Correspondence with Shirley and Charles Suglia, Folder 1 of 2
1989-1992
Box 5 Folder 17
Correspondence with Shirley and Charles Suglia, Folder 2 of 2
1990-1992
Box 5 Folder 18
Oricha: Book with note to Ramsdell
1981
Box 5 Folder 19
Newspaper: Everard Fire
1977-06
Box 5
McCarthy Staff Photo Stamps
Undated
Series II. Military Service and Anti-War Work
Box 1 Folder 12
Military materials from Bainbridge, MD, including ID card and "Welcome Aboard" packet
Box 1 Folder 13
Navy publications, including "Rights and Benefits of Navymen and their Dependents", "Going Back to Civilian Life", etc.
Box 1 Folder 14
2 issues of the US Navy's Desert News, sent by Ramsdell to his parents,
1956
Box 1 Folder 15
Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) info packet
Box 1 Folder 16
VVAW publications, newsletters, flyers, etc.
Box 1 Folder 17
VVAW 25th Anniversary materials
Box 1 Folder 18
Sheldon Ramsdell letter to the editor re: Nixon and the War
Box 5 Folder 21
Newspaper clips relating to Vietnam War
1992
Series III. McCarthy Materials
Box 1 Folder 19
Correspondence from McCarthy campaing
Box 2
McCarthy scrapbook
Box 5 Folder 20
The Stone's at the bottom of the Hill - Jack Newfield
1968-06-13
Series IV. AIDS Work
Box 1 Folder 20
Correspondence and misc. materials regarding San Francisco CAN (Community Aids Network) and Prop 64,
1986
Box 5 Folder 22
Newspaper clippings and announcements relating to AIDS work
1992
Box 5 Folder 23
Correspondence relating to AIDS work
1981-1992
Series V. Photographs/slides/negatives
Box 1 Folder 21
Photograph list labels
Box 1 Folder 22
Hoover gravesite photo
Box 1 Folder 23
Hoover gravesite photos
Box 1 Folder 24
Misc. photos
Box 1 Folder 25
Misc. photos and negatives
Box 1 Folder 26
Les Brown
Box 1 Folder 27
Misc.
Box 1 Folder 28
Navy
Box 1 Folder 29
Misc.
Box 1 Folder 30
Misc. scenic
Box 1 Folder 31
Misc. Navy photos/negatives
Box 1 Folder 32
Bette Midler
Box 1 Folder 33
AIDS Memorial photos from Dio de los Muertos (?)
Box 1 Folder 34
Navy
Box 1 Folder 35
Singing/dancing girls
Box 1 Folder 36
Car crash
Box 1 Folder 37
Poolside speaker
Box 1 Folder 38
Poolside speakers
Box 1 Folder 39
Girls walking around pool
Box 1 Folder 40
Swimsuit girls
Box 1 Folder 41
Advertisement photos (?)
Box 2
"Highest Quality Metals" advertisement photo, by Ramsdell
Box 2
Abbie Hoffman photo by Ramsdell, New York City
1969
Box 3 Folder 1
Unlabeled
Box 3 Folder 2
Belfast City; Dock, Maine
August 1983
Box 3 Folder 3
Sheldon in San Francisco and Mexico
1992
Box 3 Folder 4
March with sign "Colin Powell is Afraid of Me!" and Harvey Milk memorial plaque design.
Box 3 Folder 5
San Francisco and DC, military contingent at a march, Vietnam memorial, ACT UP poster "Honoring AIDS activists murdered by Reagan-Bush 1980-92"
Box 3 Folder 6
Graves of Audre Lorde and Glyde Anderson Tolson
Box 3 Folder 7
Leonard Matlovich grave, Congressional Cemetery, Washington DC
Box 3 Folder 8
Graves including Hoover
Box 3 Folder 9
Benefit? Restaurant kitchen.
Box 3 Folder 10
Babies, Sheldon
Box 3 Folder 11
Sheldon's parents?, Slides of Sheldon's parents?, Sheldon's Cannabis Buyers' Club card, San Francisco
Box 4
Framed photographs by Ramsdell of Mme. Helena Rubinstein in her home 625 Park Ave., NYC; Author, Norman Mailor, NYC 1969, "Running for Mayor of NYC"; Joel Grey Cabaret.
Box 5 Folder 24
"Tough" Ansonia '73 NYC
Summer
Box 5 Folder 25
"Abby" Hoffman at News Conference at [illegible] (Chicago 8) NYC
1969-09-27
Box 5 Folder 26
NYC Lincoln Center Park for Sen. Eugene McCarthy
1969
Box 5 Folder 27
Photograph of NYC
Undated
Box 5 Folder 28
Key West Photographs
1973-1980
Box 5 Folder 29
Photographs of Sheldon Ramsdell
Undated
Box 5 Folder 30
Unlabeled Photographs
Undated
Box 5 Folder 31
Photographs of Sheldon Ramsdell
1956-1969
Box 5 Folder 32
Unlabeled Photo by Ramsdell
Undated
Box 5 Folder 33
Unlabeled Negatives Undated
Undated
Box 5 Folder 34
Dem. Con. Negatives
Undated
Box 5 Folder 35
Key West Negatives
1973
Box 5 Folder 36
Florida Keys Negatives
Undated
Box 5 Folder 37
Key west Negatives
1978-03
Box 5A
Hong Cong BBC
Undated
Box 5A
Gene McCarthy
Undated
Box 5A
Chicago, ILL, Sen. McCarthy, V.P. Humphrey, Sen. McGovern, Larry O'Brien, Jeff [illegible]
1968-08-01
Box 5A
Keywest [illegible] gallery, Albert [illegible]
1979-03
Box 5B
Unlabeled Slides
Undated