Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America Records

The Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America (OICA) is a national network of employment and training centers, which serve the poor and unemployed. The community based organization was founded in 1964 by Reverend Leon Howard Sullivan, pastor of Zion Baptist Church in Philadelphia. OICA provides assistance to local affiliates in areas of program development, proposal development, fiscal management, and management information systems.

This collection documents the Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America (OICA) administrative bodies including the Board of Directors, Executive Directors Office, Executive Council, Executive Assembly, National Auxiliary, National Technical Advisory Council and the National Industrial Advisory Committee. Records include correspondence, minutes, reports, publications, proposals, financial statements, program guidelines, memorandums and affiliate agreements. Collection also contains audio-visual materials, including photographs, negatives, slides, audio cassettes and videocassettes. The bulk of the collection describes the job training and economic development activities undertaken by the different OICA departments and program.

The collection is arranged into 8 series as follows:

• Series 1: Administration, 1968-1983, undated
• Subseries 1.1: National Board of Directors, 1967-1981
• Subseries 1.2: National Executive Board, 1971-1981
• Subseries 1.3: National Executive Council, 1973-1981
• Subseries 1.4: Executive Assembly, 1976-1980
• Subseries 1.5: National Auxiliary Board, 1975-1981
• Subseries 1.6: National Industrial Advisory Council, 1970-1983
• Subseries 1.7: National Technical Advisory Committee, 1973-1980
• Subseries 1.8: Executive Director's Office, 1968-1982
• Subseries 1.9: Deputy Director's Office, 1971-1983
• Subseries 1.10: Miscellaneous administrative and program records, and reports, 1968-1982
• Series 2: OICA Departments, 1963-1984, undated
• Subseries 2.1: Division of Special Programs, 1971-1984
• Subseries 2.2: Office of Planning and Development, 1963-1984
• Subseries 2.3: Management Information Systems, 1964-1981
• Subseries 2.4: Office of Religious Resources, 1972-1980
• Subseries 2.5: Government Relations Office, 1970-1981
• Subseries 2.6: Office of Planning and Special Programs, 1968-1973
• Subseries 2.7: National Extension Services, 1964-1971
• Subseries 2.8: Administrative Office, 1971-1981
• Subseries 2.9: Office of Field Operations, 1965-1988
• Subseries 2.10: Office of Field Support, 1968-1972
• Subseries 2.11: Office of Fund Development and Support, 1974-1982
• Subseries 2.12: Economic Development Administration Office, 1970-1979
• Subseries 2.13: Legal Office, 1970-1981
• Series 3: OIC Programs and Projects, 1966-1989
• Subseries 3.1: Adult Armchair Education Program, 1966-1977
• Subseries 3.2: Community Economic Development Program, 1978-1984
• Subseries 3.3: Community Investment Cooperatives Program, 1968-1982
• Subseries 3.4: Developmental Task Force Project, 1976-1977
• Subseries 3.5: Feeder Program, 1968-1976
• Subseries 3.6: Job Corp Center Program, 1979-1981
• Subseries 3.7: Project A.I.M./J.O.Y. (Accelerated Improvement Through Motivation/Job Opportunities for Youth), 1978-1979
• Subseries 3.8: Project PROBE/YES (Project to Rehabilitate Offenders Through Behavior and Education/Youth Exploration Services), 1979-1981
• Subseries 3.9: Special Demonstration Evening Program, 1977-1979
• Subseries 3.10: Youth to Job Transition Program, 1975-1989
• Series 4: OIC Sub-Organizations, 1969-1982
• Subseries 4.1: Executive Directors' Association, 1971-1982
• Subseries 4.2: Mini-University (portions restricted), 1977-1985
• Subseries 4.3: National Progress Association for Economic Development, 1969-1972
• Subseries 4.4: Opportunities Academy of Management Training, 1968-1984
• Subseries 4.5: Opportunities Industrialization Centers International, 1970-1979
• Series 5: Convocations, 1969-1982
• Series 6: Audio-Visual Materials, 1969-1982, undated
• Series 7: Student Files (Restricted), 1980-1981
• Series 8 (PC-51): Photographs, 1960s-1980s

A record for this collection is available in Temple University's online library catalog: https://librarysearch.temple.edu/catalog/991029752539703811

Deposited by Gary Robinson in October 1988, Accession 689. Photographs (PC-51) deposited by Gary O. Robinson in January 1986.

Original audiovisual materials, as well as preservation and duplicating masters, may not be played. Researchers must consult use copies, or if none exist must pay for a use copy. Certain digital files may also be inaccessible. Please contact the Special Collections Research Center for more information.

Finding aid revised according to contemporary archival standards in June 2015 by Patrick Stalter, student worker. Finding aid updated in April 2019 by Courtney Smerz, Collection Management Archivist. Finding aid updated in February 2022 to note restricted materials by Courtney Smerz, Collection Management Archivist.

Opportunities Industrial Centers International Records, Acc 689, Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Use

The Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America Records are in custody of the Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries. Intellectual property rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. Researchers are responsible for determining the identity of rights holders and obtaining their permission for publication and for other purposes where stated.

Preferred Citation

[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America Records, Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Publisher

Temple University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center

Finding aids author

Machine-readable finding aid created by: Rajkumar Natarajan, Sky Global Services India (P) Ltd.

Creator

Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America

Subject

African Americans -- Economic conditions

African Americans -- Employment

African Americans -- Vocational education

Occupational training

Organization

Executive Director's Association

Language

English

Form

Administrative records

Articles of Incorporation

Audiocassettes

Bylaws (administrative records)

Clippings

Correspondence

Directories

Financial records

Legal documents

Mailing lists

Manuscripts

Membership lists

Minutes (administrative records)

Negatives

Newsletters

Periodicals

Photographs

Press releases

Publications (documents)

Reports

School records

Slides

Sound recordings

Speeches (documents)

VHS (TM)

video recordings (physical artifacts)