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Chris Oakley collection of alternative press

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Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]181 South College Avenue, Newark, DE 19717-5267

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the University of Delaware Library Special Collections. 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

Chris Oakley was a longtime resident of Newark, Delaware and a community organizer. She was a strong advocate for media democracy. In an effort to insure that her community received diverse viewpoints concerning local, national, and international issues, Ms. Oakley was actively involved in journalism. She contributed and subscribed to numerous alternative newspaper publications and literary magazines. Some of these publications featured local commercial advertisements and entertainment news, while others featured issues of social justice. She served as a staff writer for

The Delaware Alternative Press, Delaware Free Press, Delaware Independent Advertiser, Dreamstreets, The Heterodoxical Voice, On the Other Side, Tangent, and Taproot. As a community organizer, Ms. Oakley lent her support to many causes including racial, gender, environmental, and global justice. In 1993 she relocated to Charlottesville, Virginia.

Information derived from the collection.

The Chris Oakley collection of alternative press was donated by Ms. Oakley in 1993. The Collection consists of eight series. The first series consists of alternative newspapers from local to international communities. The second series consists of various newsletters and ephemera pertaining to women's activism in Delaware. The third series consists of local community newsletters. The fourth series consists of nonfiction magazines. The fifth series consists of literary magazines featuring local writers. The sixth series consists of editorial and production papers. The seventh series consists of financial statements. The eighth series consists of miscellaneous notes, art work, and photos. Issues are organized in chronological order. If dates are not provided, issues are arranged in order of volume number.

  1. Box 1: Shelved in SPEC MSS record center cartons
  2. Boxes 2-3: Shelved in SPEC MSS oversize boxes (24 inches)

Gift of Chris Oakley, September and October 1993

Procesed by Arica L. Coleman, June 2003. Additional encoding by John Caldwell, January 2019.

Publisher
University of Delaware Library Special Collections
Finding Aid Author
University of Delaware Library, Special Collections
Finding Aid Date
2019 January 11
Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Use of materials from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use and Educational Use clauses of the U.S. Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. Please contact Special Collections Department, University of Delaware Library, https://library.udel.edu/static/purl.php?askspec

Collection Inventory

Scope and Contents

Includes a fragmented collection of a variety of alternative newspapers from 1968 – 1992. Most of the series is composed of Delaware newspapers; however, national and international papers are also a part of this series. The newspapers cover local, national, and international politics from a progressive viewpoint. Some also feature local entertainment and commercial advertising.

Delaware Alternative Press, 1979-1982.
Box 3 Folder 1
Delaware Valley Star, 1981-1982.
Box 3 Folder 2
Heterodoxical Voice, 1968.
Box 3 Folder 3
The People, 1981-1982.
Box 3 Folder 4
Tangent, 1981.
Box 3 Folder 5
Tangent, 1982.
Box 3 Folder 6
Taproot, 1985-1986.
Box 2 Folder 7
Miscellaneous Delaware newspapers.
Box 2 Folder 8
Scope and Contents

Includes various issues of alternative newsletters that were published and distributed in Delaware. This folder contains copies of

The Delaware Free Press, The Delaware Spectator, The Paper, The Viewpoint and The Weekly Post.
Miscellaneous national and international newspapers.
Box 2 Folder 9
Scope and Contents

Includes various issues of national alternative newsletters from San Francisco to New York. Also includes 2 papers from the Communist Party of Cuba. Folder contains issues

The Ally, The Black Panther Community News, The Bicentennial of What?, The Bond: The Serviceman's Newspaper, The Catholic Worker, Citizen's Voice, Civil Liberties, Community: Philadelphia's Progressive Paper, Cuba for Beginners, Direct Action for a Nonviolent World, Gramma: The Communist party of Cuba, Guardian, Harry, Hundred Flowers, The Liberated Guardian, National Black Monitor, Rail Strike, Scope, and The Village Voice.

Women's issues in Delaware.
Box 2 Folder 1
Scope and Contents

Includes various newsletters and ephemera pertaining to women's activism in Delaware, a letter from the Pro-Choice Coalition, several letters "to the editor."

Pauline Young, 1981, undated.
Box 2 Folder 2
Scope and Contents

Ms. Young was a longtime Delaware resident and niece of Alice Dunbar-Nelson (author, educator, activist and former wife of African American poet Paul Lawrence Dunbar). This folder includes an original charcoal portrait of Ms. Young, a featured article published in the May 1981 edition of the Tangent, a draft of the May '81 article, and a letter from Ms. Young to Chris Oakley.

Brooksider Newsletter, 1978-1979.
Box 1 Folder 1
Coalition for Nuclear Power Postponement Newsletter, 1977-1981.
Box 1 Folder 2
Delaware Independent Advertiser.
Box 1 Folder 3
Emergency Illustrated.
Box 1 Folder 4
Liberation News Service.
Box 1 Folder 5
On the Other Side.
Box 1 Folder 6
Out: University of Delaware Gay Student Union Newsletter, 1981-1982.
Box 1 Folder 7
Pacem in Terris.
Box 1 Folder 8
Peace publications.
Box 1 Folder 9
Scope and Contents

Includes national newsletter which focused on anti-Vietnam activities.

To Alter or Abolish.
Box 1 Folder 10

A Directory of the Liberated Church of America.
Box 1 Folder 1
The New International Youth Radicalization.
Box 1 Folder 2
The Resister.
Box 1 Folder 3
Youth Yellow Pages.
Box 1 Folder 4

Miscellaneous literary magazines.
Box 1 Folder 1
Dreamstreets.
Box 1 Folder 2
Dreamstreets.
Box 1 Folder 3
Goblets.
Box 1 Folder 4
Miscellaneous poetry.
Box 1 Folder 5
Purgatory Swamp Press.
Box 1 Folder 6
St. John's Bread.
Box 1 Folder 7
Venture.
Box 1 Folder 8

Delaware Alternative Press.
Box 1 Folder 1
Scope and Contents

Includes newsletter layouts and typed draft.

Delaware Free Press.
Box 1 Folder 2
Scope and Contents

Includes miscellaneous notes, drafts, and letters pertaining to the DFP newsletter.

Handwritten notes.
Box 1 Folder 3
Miscellaneous drafts and layouts.
Box 1 Folder 4
Pacem in Terris drafts and layouts.
Box 1 Folder 5
Tangent drafts.
Box 1 Folder 6
Tangentlayouts.
Box 1 Folder 7
Taproot drafts.
Box 1 Folder 8

Tangent bank statements, 1981-1982.
Box 1 Folder 1
Scope and Contents

Includes bank statements from Delaware Trust Bank, 1981-1982.

Tangent bank statements, 1982.
Box 1 Folder 2
Scope and Contents

Includes bank statements from Girard Bank, 1982. cancelled checks and deposits slips.

Financial statements and notes.
Box 1 Folder 3

Artwork.
Box 1 Folder 1
Ephemeral.
Box 1 Folder 2
Photos.
Box 1 Folder 3

Print, Suggest