Collection Full View
Archdiocese of Newark, Office of Social Concerns Records (1965 - 1976)
Size15 linear feet
Collection Description
Founded in 1971 as the Archdiocese of Newark Institute of Social Relations this agency had as its goals "to instill an awareness of the needs of the community in the people of the archdiocese" through outreach and education, and, in the words of Institute Director Father John L. Paprocki, to "shatter the myths" surrounding such issues as poverty, racial discrimination, and other urban ills. Its offices were at Essex County Catholic High School, 300 Broadway, Newark. It conducted educational programs, participated in interfaith conferences and projects, provided speakers to churches and organizations, produced a newsletter and other printed material, maintained a library of films and other resources for loan, and provide referrals to those in need of economic assistance, legal services, housing advice, day-care, addiction treatment, consumer protection, and other help.
The High School building was sold by Archdiocese in 1979, by which time the Institute had become the Office of Social Concerns of the Archdiocese of Newark. Later its name was changed again; it is now (2013) known as the Office of Human Concerns and is located in offices at 171 Clifton St., Newark.
The High School building was sold by Archdiocese in 1979, by which time the Institute had become the Office of Social Concerns of the Archdiocese of Newark. Later its name was changed again; it is now (2013) known as the Office of Human Concerns and is located in offices at 171 Clifton St., Newark.
Collection Contents
The bulk of the collection consists of topical files, containing reports, brochures, newsletters, copies of legislation, manuals, clippings, memos, and correspondence relating to various social issues, agencies, and programs. Some administrative files are interspersed throughout, and some material, including a few photographs, is loose in the boxes. Much of the topical material is national, statewide, or regional in origin or scope, but references to Newark are scattered throughout the collection. Examples of Newark-related material to be found in the topical files are as follows:
Box 2, Folder "Employment": memos, reports, and clippings on jobs programs and minority employment issues in Newark (1972-1974), including a lengthy undated report by the Committee of Concern
Box 4: material on the history of the Institute, Institute newsletters and other publications, and a few photographs of a youth event at St. Columba's Church (early 1970s)
Box 5: the Institutes's Focus on Justice Committee files, including material on prison reform and law enforcement-related activities in Newark (1974); Folder "New Jersey Coalition for Fair Broadcasting," with some discussion of inadequate coverage of Newark by WNET-TV (1974-1976); Folder "Newark City - MPDO," with correspondence, reports, articles, and a grant application re: Mayor's Policy and Development Office, Model Cities, and other urban development programs in Newark (1974-1975)
Box 6: contains two undated typescripts on Newark Renaissance House, Inc., an addiction treatment center at 15 Roseville Ave. One is a general description of the center, the other a newsletter, "A Renaissance Voice," produced by residents of the center (1975). Folder "Day Care" includes a clipping on parents' protest against the closing of St. Stephen's Day Care Center in the Tim Still Apartments, 223 Bruce St., by the Mount Carmel Guild
Box 11: Institute newsletters (1972-1973)
Box 16: Folder "Newark Chamber of Commerce," includes minutes of a Greater Newark Chamber of Commerce Land Use Task Force meeting, September 15, 1971, with discussion of Council designation of the Weequahic section as a "blighted area" and a listing of the status of various urban renewal projects
Box 17: Folder "Newark Construction Trades Training Corporation," memos, draft statements, members lists, clippings (1974); "Newark Housing Development and Rehabilitation Corporation," correspondence, program descriptions, applications, and a pamphlet, "Newark: Demographic Happening - Geographic Opportunity," by James J. Mahon (1974); and "Newark Human Rights Commission," background, flyers, poster, annual report for 1971, and a clipping (1971-1972)
Box 18: Folder "Puerto Ricans," clippings on the work of the Church in relation to the Puerto Rican community of Newark, day care centers, Spanish-speaking priests, youth programs, etc., and general reporting on the Puerto Rican community (illustrated), with a clipping and letter on the Puerto Rican Congress of New Jersey (1974); "Neighborhood Stabilization," articles on Stephen Adubato and the North Ward Educational and Cultural Center, and on other Newark communities (1970-1973); "Police-Community Relations," correspondence, clippings, articles, reports, statements, etc., some on Newark law-enforcement issues, civilian review board, the Patrolman Henry Martinez case, etc. (1965-1970)
Box 20: Folder "Metropolitan Ecumenical Ministries, [Newark]," minutes, correspondence, statements, clippings, etc. (1971-1976)
Box 22: "Housing," several files, with many Newark references and separate files on Kawaida Towers and the Stella Wright Housing Project rent strike (1970s)
Box 23: files on the Bicentennial Commission of the Archdiocese of Newark, including material on the "Bicentennial Hearing" on ethnicity and race held at three parishes in Newark, December 4-6, 1975. Many Newark residents presented testimony at the hearings.
Box 27: Folder "Town Meeting '76," minutes of a planning meeting held at 156 Mount Prospect Ave., Newark (March 17, 1976); "United Community Corporation [UCC]," planning material and mission statement, including lists of community leaders and their affiliations (undated)
Box 28: Folder "Welfare - Mr. Palmieri," on a campaign, organized by the Newark Christian Center, for reform of the Essex County Welfare Board (1969)
Box 33: Folder "Metropolitan Ecumenical Ministries [Newark]," history and activities (1968-1974)
Box 34: "Urban Training Institute [UTI]" files. UTI of Essex County, an interfaith program founded in 1968, offered workshops on urban issues, black history, etc. Contents includes a brochure, statement of purpose, a draft proposal for a black history course by Robert Curvin, and results of a survey of participants (ca. 1971.)
Box 2, Folder "Employment": memos, reports, and clippings on jobs programs and minority employment issues in Newark (1972-1974), including a lengthy undated report by the Committee of Concern
Box 4: material on the history of the Institute, Institute newsletters and other publications, and a few photographs of a youth event at St. Columba's Church (early 1970s)
Box 5: the Institutes's Focus on Justice Committee files, including material on prison reform and law enforcement-related activities in Newark (1974); Folder "New Jersey Coalition for Fair Broadcasting," with some discussion of inadequate coverage of Newark by WNET-TV (1974-1976); Folder "Newark City - MPDO," with correspondence, reports, articles, and a grant application re: Mayor's Policy and Development Office, Model Cities, and other urban development programs in Newark (1974-1975)
Box 6: contains two undated typescripts on Newark Renaissance House, Inc., an addiction treatment center at 15 Roseville Ave. One is a general description of the center, the other a newsletter, "A Renaissance Voice," produced by residents of the center (1975). Folder "Day Care" includes a clipping on parents' protest against the closing of St. Stephen's Day Care Center in the Tim Still Apartments, 223 Bruce St., by the Mount Carmel Guild
Box 11: Institute newsletters (1972-1973)
Box 16: Folder "Newark Chamber of Commerce," includes minutes of a Greater Newark Chamber of Commerce Land Use Task Force meeting, September 15, 1971, with discussion of Council designation of the Weequahic section as a "blighted area" and a listing of the status of various urban renewal projects
Box 17: Folder "Newark Construction Trades Training Corporation," memos, draft statements, members lists, clippings (1974); "Newark Housing Development and Rehabilitation Corporation," correspondence, program descriptions, applications, and a pamphlet, "Newark: Demographic Happening - Geographic Opportunity," by James J. Mahon (1974); and "Newark Human Rights Commission," background, flyers, poster, annual report for 1971, and a clipping (1971-1972)
Box 18: Folder "Puerto Ricans," clippings on the work of the Church in relation to the Puerto Rican community of Newark, day care centers, Spanish-speaking priests, youth programs, etc., and general reporting on the Puerto Rican community (illustrated), with a clipping and letter on the Puerto Rican Congress of New Jersey (1974); "Neighborhood Stabilization," articles on Stephen Adubato and the North Ward Educational and Cultural Center, and on other Newark communities (1970-1973); "Police-Community Relations," correspondence, clippings, articles, reports, statements, etc., some on Newark law-enforcement issues, civilian review board, the Patrolman Henry Martinez case, etc. (1965-1970)
Box 20: Folder "Metropolitan Ecumenical Ministries, [Newark]," minutes, correspondence, statements, clippings, etc. (1971-1976)
Box 22: "Housing," several files, with many Newark references and separate files on Kawaida Towers and the Stella Wright Housing Project rent strike (1970s)
Box 23: files on the Bicentennial Commission of the Archdiocese of Newark, including material on the "Bicentennial Hearing" on ethnicity and race held at three parishes in Newark, December 4-6, 1975. Many Newark residents presented testimony at the hearings.
Box 27: Folder "Town Meeting '76," minutes of a planning meeting held at 156 Mount Prospect Ave., Newark (March 17, 1976); "United Community Corporation [UCC]," planning material and mission statement, including lists of community leaders and their affiliations (undated)
Box 28: Folder "Welfare - Mr. Palmieri," on a campaign, organized by the Newark Christian Center, for reform of the Essex County Welfare Board (1969)
Box 33: Folder "Metropolitan Ecumenical Ministries [Newark]," history and activities (1968-1974)
Box 34: "Urban Training Institute [UTI]" files. UTI of Essex County, an interfaith program founded in 1968, offered workshops on urban issues, black history, etc. Contents includes a brochure, statement of purpose, a draft proposal for a black history course by Robert Curvin, and results of a survey of participants (ca. 1971.)
FormatsPhotographic materials; Textual materials
SubjectsEducation; Religion / Churches
Time Period20th Century
LanguageEnglish
Access policyOpen for research
ProcessedNo