Call Number:

DG.172

Repository:

Swarthmore College Peace Collection

Extent:

10.83 linear ft. (10.83 linear ft.)

Preferred Citation:

Cite as: [Identification of item], in the Edward P. Gottlieb Papers (DG 172), Swarthmore College Peace Collection

Date:

1929-2000 (inclusive)

Creator:

Gottlieb, Edward P.

Abstract:

Edward Gottlieb was an educator, civil rights activist, peace activist, and poet. He was the chairman of the War Resisters in the 1960s.

Edward P. Gottlieb was born on May 15, 1929 in New York City to Sarah Goldman Gottlieb and Benjamin (Beryl) Gottlieb. His mother emigrated from Poland in 1894. Edward Gottlieb earned a B.S. at City College in New York City in 1925, a J.D. from New York University in 1928, and further graduate study at New York School for Social Research and at the Teachers College. His interests in peace, civil rights, and education led him into a long list of involvements and actions. He worked as a teacher during the 1940s, and served as the principal of two public schools in New York City from 1952-1967. From 1952-1960 he was the Chair of the Metropolitan Board for Conscientious Objectors, and of the War Resisters League from 1960-1968. Gottlieb also served as an educational consultant in the 1960s and 1970s, and as an adjunct association professor at the City College and at Long Island University from 1967-1971. He participated in fasting against the Vietnam War and for school integration, and lobbied throughout his life for various reforms. Gottlieb was active as a speaker and writer; his particular love was poetry and he wrote hundreds of poems himself.

In his later years, Gottlieb's viewpoints became more conservative and his correspondence, in particular, details much of what he believed. He had many links within the Jewish community in New York City and beyond, though he considered himself to be an atheist. Gottlieb became legally blind as he grew elderly, but he did not let this stop him from written communication. He learned Braille and also used a machine that could recognize his voice and write his letters for him.

Edward Gottlieb was married to Marian Halperin and they they had two daughters. Gottlieb died in 2003.

The Gottlieb material arrived at the Peace Collection in consider disarray. Student assistants worked numerous times to sort Edward Gottlieb's poetry. It was found in 2014 that there were a great many photocopies of his correspondence and other material mixed within the originals, so much additional sorting was necessary. What was kept has been arranged into five series: Series A: Biographical and Family Information Series B: Involvements / Actions Series C: Writings and Speeches Series D: Correspondence Series E: Reference Material