A prosperous family of merchants and landowners, the Brinleys were well ensconced among the social and political elite of colonial New England. Connected by marriage to other elite families in Rhode Island and Massachusetts — the Auchmutys, Craddocks, and Tyngs among them — the Brinleys were refined, highly educated, public spirited, and most often business-minded. Although many members of the family remained loyal to the British cause during the Revolution, the family retained their high social standing in the years following.

The Brinley collection includes business letters, legal and business records, wills, a fragment of a diary, documents relating to slaves, newspaper clippings, and a small number of paintings and artifacts. A descendent, Nancy Brinley, contributed a quantity of genealogical research notes and photocopies of Brinley family documents from other repositories. Of particular note in the collection is a fine nineteenth century copy of a John Smibert portrait of Deborah Brinley (1719), an elegant silver tray passed through the generations, and is a 1713 list of the library of Francis Brinley, which offers a foreshadowing of the remarkable book collection put together in the later nineteenth century by his descendant George Brinley.

Miriam U. Chrisman, 1964

A noted scholar of the social impact of the German Reformation, Miriam Usher Chrisman was born in Ithaca, New York, on May 20, 1920. With degrees from Smith College, American University, and Yale, she served for over thirty years on the faculty of the Department of History at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, becoming a well-loved professor and treasured mentor to a generation of students.

A faithful and colorful correspondent, the bulk of Miriam Chrisman’s papers consist of letters written to family and friends stretching from her college days at Smith through the year before her death. The bulk of the correspondence is with her husband, Donald Chrisman, an orthopedic surgeon who was enrolled at Harvard Medical School during their courtship. Soon after the Chrismans married in November 1943, Donald left for active duty in the Navy on the U.S.S. Baldwin. The couple’s war correspondence is unusually rich, offering insight on everything from the social responsibilities of married couples to their opinions on the progression of the war. Of particular note is a lengthy letter written by Donald during and immediately after D-Day in which he provides Miriam a real-time description of the events and his reactions as they unfold. Later letters document Miriam’s extensive travels including a trip around the world. .

[ A ][ B ][ C ][ D ][ E ][ F ][ G ][ H ][ I, J ][ K ][ L ][ M ][ N ]
[ O ][ P, Q ][ R ][ S ][ T ][ U ][ V ][ W ][ XYZ ]

W

WAGES

see Women’s Admissions and General Support (WAGES) RG-45/40/W6

Wail, Summer School

see Summer School Wail RG-45/00/S10

Walden Learning Center

see Psychology Department RG-25/P8/3

Waltham Experiment Station

see Suburban Experiment Station, Waltham RG-15/9

Waltham Field Station

see Suburban Experiment Station, Waltham RG-15/9

Waltham Suburban Experiment Station

see Suburban Experiment Station, Waltham RG-15/9

Ward Commission

see Massachusetts Commission on Corruption (Ward Commission) RG-36/23

Wareham Agricultural Engineering Laboratory

see Agricultural Engineering Laboratory, Wareham RG-25/M6.1

Wareham Aquacultural Engineering Laboratory

see Aquacultural Engineering Laboratory, Wareham RG-25/M6.1

Washington Irving Literary Society (1867-1892)

RG-45/40/W3

see also Literary Society (1953-1959) RG-40/3/L4

Waste Prevention, National Environmental Technology for

see National Environmental Technology for Waste Prevention Institute (NETI) RG-25/N3

Water Color Paintings (Memorabilia, general)

RG-183/5

Water Crisis, UMass Amherst (Physical Plant) (1980-1989)

RG-36/50/W3

see also Water Supply (Physical Plant) RG-36/50/W4

Water Polo

see Sports, Men’s Water Polo (1992) RG-18/2

Sports, Women’s Water Polo (1995- ) RG-18/2

Water Resources Research Center (WRRC)

RG-25/W2

Water Resources Research Center–Annual Reports (1968, 1970- )

RG-25/W2/00

Water Resources Research Center–Completion Reports (1969-1977)

RG-25/W2/00

Water Resources Research Center–Newsletter (1983-1993)

RG-25/W2/00

Water Resources Research Center–Publications

RG-25/W2/00

Water Resources Research Center–Special Reports

RG-25/W2/00

Water Supply (Physical Plant)

RG-36/50/W4

see also Water Crisis (1980-1989) RG-36/50/W3

Waugh Arboretum (Physical Plant) (1944)

RG-36/104/W3

Waugh Memorial Garden Committee (Faculty Senate, 1980)

RG-40/2/A3

W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies

see Afro-American Studies, W.E.B. Du Bois Department of RG-25/A4

W. E. B. Du Bois Library

see Library Buildings-Tower (University Library/W.E.B. Du Bois Library) (1961- ) RG-8/5/3

W.E.B. Du Bois Petition Coalition (1993-1995)

RG-45/80/W4

Weekly Biff, The (Student Publication) (1910)

RG-45/00/W4

Weekly Bulletin (1971-1985)

see Weekly Bulletin, University Bulletin, and Executive Bulletin RG-5/00/3

Weekly News, The (Student Publication) (1989)

RG-45/00/W5

Weekly Bulletin, University Bulletin, and Executive Bulletin (1912-1985)

RG-5/00/3

see also University Bulletin (newsprint format) RG-5/00/6

Campus Chronicle (newspaper)(1985- ) RG-5/00/10

West Campus Design Proposal (1993) (Physical Plant)

RG-36/104/W4

Western European Area Studies (Program and Committee)

RG-25/W3

Western Massachusetts Latin American Solidarity Committee

see Latin American Solidarity Committee, Western Massachusetts RG-45/80/L3

WFCR of Note (1991- )

RG-60/8

WFCR Program Guide (1966-1991)

RG-60/8

WFCR Radio Station

RG-60/8

WFCR Weekly Classified Music (1993- )

RG-60/8

Wheel (Student Social Action Group) (1986)

RG-45/80/W3

WIG

see Women in German (WIG) (1975- ) RG-40/3/W5

Wilder Times (Landscape Architecture Department) (1972-1993)

RG-25/L2/00

Wildlife Research Unit; Fishery Unit, Massachusetts Cooperative

(College of Food and Natural Resources) RG-15/6

Wildlife Research Unit; Fishery Unit, Massachusetts Cooperative–Contributions (1970-1974)

RG-15/6

Wildlife Research Unit Quarterly Progress Report (Massachusetts Cooperative)

see Massachusetts Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit Quarterly Progress Report (1948-1988) RG-15/6

Winter, Alumni Day

see Mid-Winter Alumni Day (1923-1926) RG-40/2/M5

Winter School

see Summer School, Short Courses RG-6/17

WISPP

see Women in Staff Professional Positions (WISPP) RG-40/5/P7

WMUA (FM Radio Station) (1948- )

RG-45/30/W6

WOCH (Orchard Hill Radio Station) (1987- )

RG-45/30/W7

Women, Advisory Council of

see Advisory Council of Women (1921-1964) available online (Five College Archives Digital Access Project )

see also Advisory Council of Women (Film, ca. 1927) RG-186/100/1

Women and Minority Groups, Associate Provost for

see Provost for Women and Minority Groups, Associate (1968-1981) RG-6/13

see also Affirmative Action Office (1982- ) RG-4/7

Everywoman’s Center RG-7/2

Women, Dean of

see Dean of Women RG-30/3

see also Dean of Women, Helen Curtis (1902-1993) available online (Five College Archives Digital Access Project )

Women in German (WIG) (1975- ) RG-40/3/W5

Women in Staff Professional Positions (WISPP)

RG-40/5/W5

Women, National Organization for

see National Organization for Women (NOW) (1989- ) RG-45/80/N7

Women, New England Council of Land-Grant University

see New England Council of Land-Grant University Women RG-60/1/1

Women of Color Program (1993-1998) /Women of Color Leadership Network (WOCLN) (1998- )

(Everywoman’s Center ) RG-7/2/2/9

see also Third World Women’s Programmer (1979-1989) RG-7/2/2/5

Women, Status of, Committee on (Faculty Senate, 1970- )

RG-40/2/A3

Women, University

see University Women RG-40/7

Women’s Admissions and General Support (WAGES) (1985-1989)

RG-45/40/W6

Women’s Caucus and Vietnam Veterans Against the War (1971-1972)

RG-45/80/W5

Women’s Clubs

see Engineering Faculty Women’s Club (Engineering Wives) RG-40/7/3

New Comer’s Club RG-40/7/2

University Women RG-40/7

Women’s Conference, Five-College

see Five-College Women’s Conference, Valley Women’s Studies Journal RG-60/9

Women’s Educational Equity Project (WEEP)

see Women’s Equity Project RG-7/2/2/1

Women’s Equity Project (1972-1984)

RG-7/2/2/1

Note: Formerly Women’s Educational Equity Project (WEEP)

Women’s Health, Center for Research and Education in

see Center for Research and Education in Women’s Health (CREWH) RG-17/1/2

Women’s Leadership Project (1984-1989)

RG-45/80/W6

Women’s Network, Graduate

see Graduate Women’s Network (1994- ) RG-45/40/G7

Women’s News in the Collegian (Official University Committee) (1978)

RG-40/2/W6

Women’s Physical Education (WOPE)

see Physical Education, Women’s RG-25/P3.2

Women’s Program Development

RG-7/8

Women’s Programmer, Third World

see Third World Women’s Programmer RG-7/2/2/5

Women’s Rights, Progressive Organization of

see Progressive Organization of Women’s Rights (POWER) (1989- ) RG-45/80/P7

Women’s Student Government Association (WSGA)

RG-45/4

see also Women’s Student Government Association Handbooks for Women (1925-1941) available online (Five College Archives Digital Access Project )

Women’s Studies Newsletter (1976- ) RG-25/W5/00

Women’s Studies Program

RG-25/W5

Wood Science and Technology

RG-25/W7

WOPE Department

see Physical Education, Women’s Department (WOPE) RG-25/P3.2

Worcester Medical School

see Medical School, Worcester RG-55/2

Wrestling

see Sports, Men’s Wrestling (1965, 1970-1971) RG-18/2

Writing Program

RG-25/E3/1

see also University Writing Program RG-7/11

Writing Program, ad hoc Committee for (Faculty Senate, 1982- )

RG-40/2/A3

WRRC

see Water Resources Research Center (WRRC) (1970- ) RG-25/W2

WSGA

see Women’s Student Government Association (WSGA) RG-45/4

WSUR (Southwest Radio Station) (1998)

RG-45/30/W8

WSYL (Sylvan Radio Station) (1986)

RG-45/30/W9

William K. Hefner

In 1960, William K. Hefner (1915-1993) became one of the first of new breed of radical pacifists to run for elective office, when he ran as a peace candidate for Congress in the 1st district of Massachusetts. An accountant from Greenfield, Hefner was involved at a national level with movements for peace and civil rights. An early member of SANE, a founder of Political Action for Peace in 1959 (now CPPAX) and the Greenfield Peace Center (1963), and an active member of the American Friends Service Committee, War Resisters League, Turn Toward Peace, and the World Without War Conference, Hefner was an energetic force in the movements for peace and disarmament, civil rights, and a more just economic system. He ran unsuccessfully for office in three elections between 1960 and 1964, and supported peace candidate H. Stuart Hughes in his bid for election to the U.S. Senate in 1962.

The Hefner papers offer a remarkable record of politically-engaged activism for peace and social justice in the early 1960s. With an intensely local focus, Hefner was tied in to the larger movements at the state and national level, corresponding with major figures such as A.J. Muste, Bayard Rustin, Benjamin Spock, and Arthur Springer. The collection includes particularly rich documentation of the early years of Political Action for Peace, which Hefner helped found, with correspondence, minutes of meetings, and publications, as well as equally rich materials on Hefner’s bids for congress in 1960 and 1962.

Union that represented workers at the American Bosch plant in Springfield, Massachusetts, affiliated with the International Union of Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers after 1949.

Records include by-laws, minutes of the Executive Board, General Council, and Membership meetings, correspondence, membership reports, grievance and arbitration records, contract negotiation proposals and counter-proposals, strike materials, and publications documenting the administration, activities, and membership of Local 206. Effects of changing national economy and international trade on workers and union affairs, through time, are evident.

Benjamin Smith Lyman, 1902

A native of Northampton, Massachusetts, Benjamin Smith Lyman was a prominent geologist and mining engineer. At the request of the Meiji government in Japan, Lyman helped introduce modern geological surveying and mining techniques during the 1870s and 1880s, and his papers from that period illuminate aspects of late nineteenth century Japan, New England, and Pennsylvania, as well as the fields of geology and mining exploration and engineering. From his earliest financial records kept as a student at Phillips Exeter Academy through the journal notations of his later days in Philadelphia, Lyman’s meticulous record-keeping provides much detail about his life and work. Correspondents include his classmate, Franklin B. Sanborn, a friend of the Concord Transcendentalists and an active social reformer, abolitionist, and editor.

The papers, 1848-1911, have been organized into nine series: correspondence, financial records, writings, survey notebooks, survey maps, photographs, student notes and notebooks, collections, and miscellaneous (total 25 linear feet). A separate Lyman collection includes over 2,000 books in Japanese and Chinese acquired by Lyman, and in Western languages pertaining to Asia.

Louis M. Lyons

As a journalist with the Boston Globe, a news commentator on WGBH television, and Curator of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard, Louis M. Lyons was an important public figure in the New England media for over fifty years. A 1918 graduate of Massachusetts Agricultural College and later trustee of UMass Amherst, Lyons was an vocal advocate for freedom of the press and a highly regarded commentator on the evolving role of media in American society.

The Lyons Papers contain a selection of correspondence, lectures, and transcripts of broadcasts relating primarily to Lyons’ career in television and radio. From the McCarthy era through the end of American involvement in Vietnam, Lyons addressed topics ranging from local news to international events, and the collection offers insight into transformations in American media following the onset of television and reaction both in the media and the public to events such as the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, the war in Vietnam, and the social and political turmoil of the 1960s.

Founded by Charles Bagli in 1976, the Revolutionary Student Brigade at UMass Amherst (later the Radical Student Union) has been a focal point for organization by politically radical students. RSU members have responded to issues of social justice, addressing both local, regional, and national concerns ranging from militarism to the environment, racism and sexism to globalization.

The RSU records document the history of a particularly long-lived organization of left-leaning student activists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Beginning in the mid-1970s, as students were searching for ways to build upon the legacy of the previous decade, the RSU has been a constant presence on campus, weathering the Reagan years, tough budgetary times, and dramatic changes in the political culture at the national and state levels. The RSU reached its peak during the 1980s with protests against American involvement in Central America, CIA recruitment on campus, American support for the Apartheid regime in South Africa, and government-funded weapons research, but in later years, the organization has continued to adapt, organizing against globalization, sweatshops, the Iraq War, and a host of other issues.

Historian, author, Professor of Russian and Soviet Jewish History at Rutgers University, who helped arrange the escape of Jews from Europe during World War II and was active in several organizations concerned with the emigration of Soviet and Eastern European Jews to Palestine. Papers include biographical materials, correspondence, legal documents, writings, lecture and research materials, statistical data in the world Jewish population before and after World War II, oral history transcripts, pamphlets, newspaper clippings, and four photographs.