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Osmond K. Fraenkel Diaries
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Held at: Princeton University Library: Public Policy Papers [Contact Us]
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Princeton University Library: Public Policy Papers. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
Osmond K. Fraenkel (1888-1983) was a New York City lawyer who first became involved with the American Civil Liberties Union in 1933 and joined the board of directors in 1935. He also served as one of its general counsel from 1954 to 1977. He took on several cases for the Union during his long association with them, and also served on the New York Civil Liberties Union board.
This collection contains typed extracts taken from his diary that pertain to his work with the ACLU. These excerpts, arranged chronologically, consist primarily of his notes on ACLU meetings, monthly luncheons, conferences, and court cases. Fraenkel details the conversations and opinions of Roger Baldwin, Arthur Garfield Hays, Patrick Malin, and others.
All excerpts are dated and contain both factual information and editorial comments by Fraenkel. Some entries are retrospective, though most were recorded shortly after events occurred. Also included in this collection is a chronological appendix of the court cases Fraenkel handled or worked on for the ACLU. The appendix details the outcomes of each case and Fraenkel's opinion of its significance. Issues Fraenkel was involved with include post office censorship; civil liberties during World War II, including Japanese-American forced removal; anti-communism, sedition, loyalty and security issues during the McCarthy era; due process; and religious freedom. Two noteworthy events in which he participated include U.S. v. Miller, a case which went to the U.S. Supreme Court and involved freedom of expression and the burning of draft cards, and the Bertrand Russell controversy, in which Russell was dismissed from his professor's position because of ideas expressed in his publications.
The papers in this collection are arranged chronologically.
This collection consists of excerpts were taken from Fraenkel's full diaries which are held at Harvard University's Law School Library. The full diary is closed until 2023.
Fraenkel transcribed portions of his diaries that consisted of matters related to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). He donated these transcripts to Princeton in 1965. The accession number associated with this material is AM 18814.
For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.
This collection was processed by Dan Santamaria in March 4, 2008. A collection-level description was created at this time.
In 2022, narrative description was edited to more accurately describe the forced removal and incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.
No information about appraisal is available for this collection.
People
- Baldwin, Roger N. (Roger Nash), 1884-1981 (1884-1981)
- Hays, Arthur Garfield, 1881-1954
- Malin, Patrick Murphy, 1903-1964
- Russell, Bertrand, 1872-1970.
Organization
Subject
- Academic freedom -- United States -- 20th century
- Anti-Communist movements -- United States -- 20th century
- Censorship -- Postal service -- United States -- 20th century
- Censorship -- United States -- 20th century
- Civil rights -- United States -- 20th century
- Conscientious objectors -- United States -- 20th century
- Draft resisters -- United States -- 20th century
- Due process of law -- United States -- 20th century
- Japanese Americans -- Forced removal and internment, 1942-1945
- Law -- United States -- Cases -- 20th century
- Freedom of speech -- United States -- 20th century
- Loyalty oaths -- United States -- 20th century
- Political rights -- United States -- 20th century
- Freedom of religion -- United States -- 20th century
- Publisher
- Public Policy Papers
- Finding Aid Date
- 1997
- Access Restrictions
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Collection is open for research use.
- Use Restrictions
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Collection Inventory
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