WHORM Human Rights

Human Rights (2.5 l.ft.; Box 1-7)
A primary subject category containing correspondence, memoranda, reports, notes, and copies of bills and proclamations relating to human and civil rights in America and in foreign countries; U.S. foreign policy vis a vis human rightsviolations, most notably Soviet human rights violations in Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, tying U.S. trade and commerce to Soviet human rights policies, and U.S. policy regarding the "Refuseniks;" reports on and support for adherence to the Helsinki Final Act; routine staff reaction to various Congressional resolutions condemning foreign human rights abuses; meetings with Amnesty Internationaland cooperation with two-year anti-torture campaign; U.S. position on the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; requests for assistance with applications for U.S. citizenship, rewarding of posthumous citizenship; reports on applications of the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act; the Congressional "Wednesday Group" proposed overhaul of civil rights federal responsibilities; and consideration of S.2568 - the Civil Rights Act of 1984.

Equality  (5.2 ft, boxes 1-13)
A secondary category containing memorandum, correspondence, reports and papers regarding administration policy concerning civil rights and prohibiting racial, ethnic, religious, sex, and age discrimination, including the application of government rules and regulations prohibiting discrimination in private businesses and local, state, and federal government; discrimination against the handicapped; job and housing discrimination; discrimination by private clubs and organizations, including membership in such clubs by administration officials; affirmative action, reverse discrimination and the use of quotas; the Fair Insurance Practices Act; the Equal Opportunity Act; the Equal Employment Opportunity Act; the Civil Rights Act; application of Title IX; the US Commission on Civil Rights; CETA; and complaints by private citizens and business that their civil rights have been violated and requests for help.

The following Case Files from this Subject Category have been digitized:

Education, Equal   (1.6 ft; boxes 1-4)
A secondary category containing memorandum, correspondence, reports and papers regarding the implementation of Federal civil rights legislation within public schooling or private schools which receive federal aid. Within this category are correspondence and memorandum regarding busing and the administration position regarding busing; court-ordered busing in Chicago, St. Louis,  Lubbock and East Texas, Broward County, FL and Prince Georges County, MD; various anti-busing legislation introduced in Congress, such as S.951, S139, and S.37; correspondence from the National Association for Neighborhood Schools (NANS); proposed changes in P.L. 94-142 regarding handicapped persons access to education; the Adams vs. Bell case and desegregation of public higher education in various states, including Georgia and the question of elimination of the Georgia Regents’ Exam; application of Title IX provisions, implications of the Grove City vs. Bell case, and legislative remedies to correct the Grove City decision; determinations of tax-exempt status for private educational institutions that discriminate (the Bob Jones case); commentary and questions from the United States Commission on Civil Rights;  various reports on the Office of Civil Rights, from the general public stating civil rights grievances with education institutions and comments on school busing. 

Employment, Equal (4.0 l.ft., Boxes 1-11)
A secondary category containing memorandums, correspondence, reports and papers regarding administration policy regarding equal employment and prohibiting racial, ethic, religious, sex, and age discrimination in hiring and employer disciplinary practices, including the application of government rule and regulations prohibiting discrimination in private business and local, state, and federal government; affirmative action; the Equal Employment Occupation Commission; the Equal Employment Occupation Act; comparable worth; application of Title VII; application of Title IX; and complaints by private citizens regarding discrimination by employers and requests for assistance.

Ethnic Origin Groups  (0.2 l.ft.)
This secondary subject category contains material pertaining to the planning of Administration events with various minority groups and organizations, the drafting of Administration talking points on minority issues, Administration review of issues of concern to minorities, reports on minorities and business sent to the White House by outside organizations, copies of articles on minority rights issues, and letters advocating additional Government appointments or awards for minority groups.

Japanese-American Groups  (0.6 l.ft)
A secondary subject category containing memoranda and correspondence relating to the implementation of the recommendations of the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians, H.R. 442 and S. 1009 (Civil Liberties Act) providing for restitution to persons of Japanese ancestry interned during World War II,  personal or family accounts of internment camps by Japanese-Americans, copies of newspaper and magazine articles about the internment, and correspondence, memoranda, and speech drafts relating to the signing ceremony for H.R. 442, the Civil Liberties Act of 1988.  A smaller amount of material regarding this topic can be found in CO078 (Countries-Japan).

Eastern European American (0.2 l.ft.)
A secondary subject category with material pertaining to issues that involved either Eastern European nationalities without their own HU013 subcategory (Romanian, Latvian/Baltic, Ukrainian, Croatian), or Armenians (since Armenia was part of the Soviet Union during the Reagan Administration). Topics include mistreatment of these ethnic groups by the Soviet government, members of these groups who were publicly accused of Nazi war crimes, the Hungarian-Romanian dispute over Transylvania, the dispute over the 1918 Armenian genocide, and requests for Administration messages to organizations representing the various ethnic groups.

Hungarian-American (2 folders)
A secondary subject category pertaining to Administration contacts with Hungarian-American groups on issues of concern to them, such as US-Hungary relations, the treatment of Hungarian minorities in Romania and other European countries, and the 30th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian uprising.

Lithuanian-American (1 folder)
A secondary subject category pertaining to Administration contacts with Lithuanian-American groups, on topics such as treatment of Lithuania by Nazi Germany and the USSR, or the 70th anniversary of the 1918 establishment of an independent Lithuanian state.

Polish-American Groups (0.2 l.ft.)
A secondary subject category with material pertaining to Administration contacts and events involving Polish-American leaders and organizations, discussions with these people and organizations about the situation in Poland, Polish-American endorsement of Reagan Administration policies, and Polish-American representation on the Holocaust Memorial Council.

Russian-American (1 folder)
A secondary subject category pertaining to Administration contacts with Russian-American or Belorussian-American groups on issues of concern to them, such as Voice of America broadcasts, treatment of Russian and Belorussian (Byelorussian) groups in the USSR, and the anniversary of the Federated Russian Orthodox Clubs.

Other Eastern-European American – No Exact Category (1 folder)
All documents have been transferred out of this category to an appropriate HU013 subcategory (mostly HU013-50).

Jewish-American Groups (0.2 l.ft.)
A secondary subject category documenting correspondence and meetings that involved the Reagan Administration and Jewish American organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League, the United Jewish Appeal, and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Most material pertains to issues of particular concern to the American Jewish community, such as US policy toward Israel, US relations with Arab countries and Palestinian groups, the treatment of Jews in the Soviet Union, and the naming of George Shultz to replace Alexander Haig as Secretary of State.

Other Latin American – Hispanics – NEC (No Exact Category)

German-American (3 folders)
This secondary subject category contains material relating to the 300th anniversary of German settlement in America, the German-American Friendship Garden in Washington, DC, and correspondence and publications from German-American organizations.

Housing, Right to  (0.5 l.ft.; boxes 1-2)
A secondary subject category with material pertaining to issues involving discrimination, in buying or renting housing, on the basis of race, religion, or physical handicap,. Specific topics include: federal laws against housing discrimination, such as the legislation proposed in 1983, and the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988; the annual proclaiming of Fair Housing Month; and specific instances of alleged housing discrimination.

Voting Rights (0.9 l.ft.; boxes 1-3)
A secondary subject category containing materials relating to the legislative strategy, background information and enactment of the 1982 Voting Rights Act; support both for and against extension of the Voting Rights Act; Department of Justice guidelines on applying Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act; Department of Justice investigations of possible violations of the Voting Rights Act; reports and support for the voting rights of overseas military personnel; Administration position on the 1984 Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act.

Women (4.6 l.ft.; boxes 1-12)
A secondary category containing memorandums, correspondence, reports and papers regarding administration policy regarding equal employment for women, sex discrimination, sexual harassment, including the application of government rule and regulations prohibiting discrimination in private businesses and local, state, and federal government; affirmative action; the Equal Employment Occupation Commission; the Equal Employment Occupation Act; comparable worth; application of Title IX; complaints by private citizens regarding discrimination by employers and requests for assistance; issues of concern to women; the Fifty States Project; the efforts to increase political support by women and women’s groups for the Reagan Administration; equity in insurance and pensions; and number of women appointed to positions in the Administration.

Genocide (1.4 ft.)
This secondary subject category contains material related to the designation of “genocide” to the killing of Armenians in 1915 by the Ottoman empire with Congressional resolutions; Turkish and Turkish-American objections to this designation; appreciation and associations with the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC; and requests for condemnation and assistance with victims of “genocides” in East Timor, Iran (Baha’is), Sikhs in India; and Cambodia.

The vast majority of material within this secondary subject category relates to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (the Genocide Convention). Material includes support for ratifying the Convention; a large opposition bulk mailing initiated by the Liberty Lobby to Patrick Buchanan; the ratification of the Convention by the Senate in February 1986; implementation of the Convention; and the signing of the ratification of the Geneva Convention on November 5, 1988.