Collections : [National Death Penalty Archive]

National Death Penalty Archive

National Death Penalty Archive

Researchers, writers, activists, and records on capital punishment in the United States.
The National Death Penalty Archive (NDPA) is a partnership between the University at Albany Libraries and the Capital Punishment Research Initiative (CPRI) at the University's School of Criminal Justice. In 1999, researchers at the School of Criminal Justice formally established the CPRI. Its overarching goals were research and education -- initiate capital punishment research activities, facilitate collaboration among researchers, and make findings and information available to legal and criminal justice policymakers, practitioners, and the public. One of the original goals of the CPRI was to establish and maintain a collection of archival materials documenting the important history of capital punishment, and to provide resources for historical scholarship. This growing collection of archival materials is housed in the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, which is located in the University's state of the art Science Library. Open since 1999, the new archival repository includes climate-controlled storage for more than 25,000 cubic feet. The following collections have been acquired for the NDPA through the collaborative efforts of the CPRI and the University Libraries; work is continuing to build this important link to the history of capital punishment in the United States.

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Abraham J. Bonowitz Papers, 1977-2015, bulk 1977-2015

86.49 cubic ft.
For more than three decades, Abraham J. Bonowitz has worked to educate the public about human rights problems, in particular the death penalty and the need for alternatives to the death penalty. During this time he served in numerous director, consultant, managerial, and activist roles with leading advocacy and death penalty abolitionist organizations.
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Collection
For more than three decades, Abraham J. Bonowitz has worked to educate the public about human rights problems, in particular the death penalty and the need for alternatives to the death penalty. During this time he served in numerous director, consultant, managerial, and activist roles with leading advocacy and death penalty abolitionist organizations.

Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty Records, 1937-2008

16.65 cubic ft.
This collection contains materials used by Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (VADP) in its efforts to end capital punishment in Virginia.
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Murder Victims' Families for Reconciliation Records, 1977-2007, bulk 1994-2003

13.5 cubic ft.
The Murder Victims' Families for Reconciliation Records document the organization's efforts to abolish the death penalty in all cases. The organization includes family members of both homicide victims and those executed as well as their respective supporter. Included in the collection are handwritten notes, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, brochures, booklets, programs, information packets, photographs, flyers, proofs, drafts, manuscripts, correspondence, memos, transcripts, mailing lists, schedules, meeting agenda, meeting minutes, meeting summaries, by-laws, manuals, checklists, worksheets, evaluation forms, resumes, applications, forms, financial summaries, budgets, contracts, court proceedings, legislative bills, amici curiae, memorabilia, audio/video materials.
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Folder

Series 1 contains documents relating to the internal procedures and finances of Murder Victims' Families for reconciliation. While there are a few documents that provide evidence of how the organization was set up, the majority of documents focus on hiring, day to day finances, and committee meetings. There are also materials related to strategic planning and the creation of by-laws and organizational procedure. Although the series contains materials from 1977 to 2005, the bulk of the material is from 1996 to 2004. Contained in this series are meeting agendas, meeting minutes, meeting summaries, correspondence, annual reports, ballots, evaluation forms, applications, newsletters, fliers, budgets, financial reports, manuals, by-laws, pamphlets, drafts, notes, reports, contracts, forms, resumes, proofs, floppy disks, and cassettes.

Collection
The Murder Victims' Families for Reconciliation Records document the organization's efforts to abolish the death penalty in all cases. The organization includes family members of both homicide victims and those executed as well as their respective supporter. Included in the collection are handwritten notes, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, brochures, booklets, programs, information packets, photographs, flyers, proofs, drafts, manuscripts, correspondence, memos, transcripts, mailing lists, schedules, meeting agenda, meeting minutes, meeting summaries, by-laws, manuals, checklists, worksheets, evaluation forms, resumes, applications, forms, financial summaries, budgets, contracts, court proceedings, legislative bills, amici curiae, memorabilia, audio/video materials.

David Von Drehle Papers, 1897-2003

7.5 cubic ft.
The David Von Drehle Papers contain information on the death penalty, primarily in Florida. Von Drehle compiled the materials while researching his 1995 book Among the Lowest of the Dead: Inside Death Row.
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Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty Records, 1963-2011

0.6 cubic ft.
The Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (ICADP) formed in 1976 as the Illinois Coalition Against the Death Penalty by Mary Alice Rankin and other activist groups and organizations to try to prevent passage of capital punishment legislation in Illinois. After the state adopted the death penalty in 1977, ICADP expanded its grassroots legislative, education, and communication activities to try to inform the public about flaws and injustices in the Illinois capital punishment system and promote humane alternatives to the death penalty.
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Collection
Online
The Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (ICADP) formed in 1976 as the Illinois Coalition Against the Death Penalty by Mary Alice Rankin and other activist groups and organizations to try to prevent passage of capital punishment legislation in Illinois. After the state adopted the death penalty in 1977, ICADP expanded its grassroots legislative, education, and communication activities to try to inform the public about flaws and injustices in the Illinois capital punishment system and promote humane alternatives to the death penalty.

Steven King Ainsworth Papers, 1993-2018

.33 cubic ft.
The Steven King Ainsworth Papers contain his artwork and writings, including "Heads Up" bulletins written by Ainsworth for prison inmates sentenced to life, life without parole, and their advocates.
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Bill Babbitt Collection, 1967-2016

4.82 cubic ft.
The Bill Babbitt Collection documents nearly ten years of legal efforts to spare Manny Babbitt's life from execution, and two decades of advocacy activities to try to abolish the death penalty.
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Folder

The majority of this series consists of court records from Manny Babbitt's case. There are materials from the District Court for the Eastern District of California, Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, California Supreme Court, and U.S. Supreme Court. The series also contains other legal documents, such as Manny Babbitt's last will and testament, and legal correspondence.

Bill Pelke Papers, 1965-2007, Undated

18.32 cubic feet
Bill Pelke is a leader in the national death penalty abolition movement. This collection documents Bill Pelke's involvement with Journey of Hope...from Violence to Healing, Murder Victims' Families for Reconciliation (MVFR), National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (NCADP), Amnesty International, and other organizations committed to ending capital punishment in the United States.
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Collection
Online
Bill Pelke is a leader in the national death penalty abolition movement. This collection documents Bill Pelke's involvement with Journey of Hope...from Violence to Healing, Murder Victims' Families for Reconciliation (MVFR), National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (NCADP), Amnesty International, and other organizations committed to ending capital punishment in the United States.
Folder

This series contains the correspondence directed to Bill Pelke, as well as a small amount of correspondence from Bill Pelke. This includes correspondence from death row inmates and fellow activists. Correspondence from activist groups is included in the Activism series; however researchers should note that because of the nature of activist groups, one individual may be involved in many groups. In the event of one individual with correspondence from many groups the correspondence has been assembled together under the activists name.

Ernest Van Den Haag Papers, 1935-2000

11.45 cubic ft.
This collection is predominantly composed of Ernest van den Haag's publications from 1950-2000, including articles in published form, drafts, and related correspondence.
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Folder

Biographical, 1950-1998 0.17 cubic ft.

This series contains two large bibliographies of Ernest van den Haag's writings. The first bibliography covers his works from 1950-1982. The second includes his writings up to 1998. These bibliographies organize his writings alphabetically by topic and each publication includes an assigned number. These numbers do not reflect a strict, but rather general chronological order (i.e. number one was published in 1968 while number two was published in 1954). The numbering system probably reflects the order in which the articles were begun. Some were published quickly while others took longer. This series also contains van den Haag's curriculum vitae from 1973-1998 as well as short biographies from 1973-1989.

David Baldus Papers, 1965-2011

192.3 cubic ft.
The David C. Baldus Papers document the distinguished legal research career of David C. Baldus, which includes the most sophisticated challenges to capital punishment in the United States since the reinstatement of the Death Penalty in 1976. Included is material from the Georgia Charging & Sentencing Study, which was used as evidence in the McCleskey v. Kemp (1987) decision. Similar studies involving capital sentencing in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Military are also detailed, as is Baldus's formal reports to the supreme courts of a number of other states. Also present is material documenting Baldus's long career as the Joseph B. Tye Professor of Law at the University of Iowa Law School. This includes teaching material, presentations, publications, and material documenting faculty service.
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Collection
Online
The David C. Baldus Papers document the distinguished legal research career of David C. Baldus, which includes the most sophisticated challenges to capital punishment in the United States since the reinstatement of the Death Penalty in 1976. Included is material from the Georgia Charging & Sentencing Study, which was used as evidence in the McCleskey v. Kemp (1987) decision. Similar studies involving capital sentencing in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Military are also detailed, as is Baldus's formal reports to the supreme courts of a number of other states. Also present is material documenting Baldus's long career as the Joseph B. Tye Professor of Law at the University of Iowa Law School. This includes teaching material, presentations, publications, and material documenting faculty service.