Collections

This is a repository of the minutes and records of the local chapter 157 of the Laborers' International Union of North America.

The Leigh Bienen Papers include the records of the New Jersey Proportionality Review Project, the Illinois Capital Punishment Reform Study Commission, and the academic research papers of legal scholar Leigh Bienen. The New Jersey records contain material from New Jersey Public Defender Homicide Study directed by Bienen in the mid-1980s. The collection also includes the records from Bienen's involvement with the New Jersey Proportionality Review Project headed by Special Master David C. Baldus. Also present is material from Leigh Bienen's tenure on the Illinois Capital Punishment Reform Study Commission which resulted in the abolition of the death penalty in that state in 2011. Finally the collection contains Leigh Bienen's scholarly research material during her career teaching at both Princeton University and Northwestern University. Her research focused on proportionality review, the death penalty's monetary costs, and the role of prosecutor discretion.

This collection documents Leona Train Rienow's professional career as a writer. The papers contain a significant number of drafts of Leona Train Rienow's manuscripts, papers concerning her research for her books and articles, and correspondence files.

This collection contains correspondence and materials related to Ludwig Bachhofer's professional interests in and knowledge about Asian art.

This collection contains photocopies of correspondence written by Manfred George to various public figures, original manuscripts of plays composed by George, newspaper clippings of articles George wrote for European and American publications, and audio recordings on his work with the New York based newspaper Aufbau.

The collection contains published and draft writings of Margarete Kollisch, and correspondence with Dr. Albert Einstein and other notables.

The M.C. Lawton Civic and Cultural Club Records showcase the operations of the first black organization in Albany that was actively involved in community service and educational advancement, which was founded in 1919.

The Melvin Urofsky Papers discuss his research and editing of his multi-volume series on the letters of Louis Brandeis. The papers consist of copies of Brandeis' letters, drafts of the volumes co-edited by Urofsky, and several of Urofsky's notebooks.

The majority of the Menands Book Club Records consists of meeting and treasurer notes and program schedules. There also is correspondence, club histories and an information packet of the village of Menands, NY Anniversary.

Michael A. Mello (1957-2008) was an internationally recognized authority on the death penalty and capital punishment issues. He was a lawyer, professor, and author. Michael Mello served as counsel or informal advisor to many significant cases, including Joseph Robert Crazy Joe Spaziano, Theodore Kaczynski, Theodore Bundy, Rolando Cruz, Alvin Ford, Stephen Todd Booker, and Robert Straight.