Committee of Concerned Scientists papers
Scope and Contents
The notes, articles, papers, and possessions of Dr. Melvin Pomerantz span his tenure at the Committee of Concerned Scientists from its beginnings in 1972 up to 1994. Pomerantz has served as co-chair of the C.C.S. and therefore was quite involved in all of the affairs of this organization. The emphasis of the collection revolves around his notes, clippings, background, correspondence, office memos, and official organizational communiqués like the C.C.S. newsletters and information on the status of scientists of particular concern (e.g. Soviet émigrés). The organization of the collection has not moved beyond an initial survey of this poorly organized material. Loose material was place in folders and the folder titles tended to note the nature of the contents in broad general categories like correspondence, meetings, specific cases, and background information. Due to the focus of the C.C.S. on the plight of Soviet scientists, this collection overlaps interests with Soviet Jewry organizations.
Dates
- Creation: 1972 - 1994
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for access.
Copyright Statement
The University Libraries do not own the copyright to this collection. Researchers are responsible for contacting the copyright holder(s) for this material and obtaining permission to publish or broadcast. The University Libraries will not grant permission to publish or broadcast this material and are not responsible for copyright violations resulting from such use.
Biographical / Historical
The organization began as an ad hoc committee in Washington, D.C. and New York City in September 1972. A group of American scientists, physicians and engineers recognized the need to translate into constructive countrywide action their deep concern about colleagues who are denied fundamental scientific and personal rights because of their outspoken political views at variance with the regimes under which they live or their expressed desire to emigrate.
Enlisting the aid and cooperation of associates in the American scientific and academic communities, specific activities (petitions, official statements from learned societies, public meetings and publications) on behalf of oppressed Soviet scholars were undertaken.
The Committee grew in size and scope in response to the severity of problems facing increasing numbers of colleagues in many other countries.
Extent
4.5 linear feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Files contain the papers of Dr. Melvin Pomerantz from his tenure, as a founder, co-chair and member of the Committee for Concerned Scientists (1972-1994). The collection of papers includes a great deal of the Committee for Concerned Scientists’ correspondence, meeting notes, and information on specific cases in which they became involved. The bulk of the collection deals with the significant role C.C.S. played in pursuing the advancement of human rights of scientists in all parts of the world. The initial material focuses on the plight of Soviet scientists and their attempts to emigrate, followed by matters involving incarceration, job loss, and torture.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in the follow series: Series 1: General Background, Cases, Correspondence, and Clippings, 1973-1994
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Organized by: Jim Russell, October 28, 1999 Edited and Reformatted by: Kyle Shurtz, March 2010
- Date
- March 2010
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the University of Colorado Boulder Libraries, Rare and Distinctive Collections Repository
