James Groppi Papers, 1956-1989


Summary Information
Title: James Groppi Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1956-1989

Creator:
  • Groppi, James, 1930-1985
Call Number: Milwaukee Mss EX; PH 4983; Audio 704A; Milwaukee Tape 5; AE 110; M2001-085; M2004-254

Quantity: 7.7 cubic feet (18 archives boxes), 0.1 cubic feet of photographs (1 folder), 11 audio recordings, and 1 film (16 mm); plus additions of 4.6 cubic feet (2 records center cartons, 2 archives boxes, 1 card box and 2 flat boxes)

Repository:
Archival Locations:
Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)
UW-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives / Milwaukee Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Abstract:
Papers of James Groppi (1930-1985), a Roman Catholic priest and prominent Milwaukee civil rights activist. The collection tends to be more useful for research on public attitudes toward civil rights activism than for a study of Groppi's life and work particularly in the correspondence. However, there are some materials which do offer a glimpse into the life of Father Groppi, particularly an unfinished manuscript of a proposed autobiography, sermons, and appointment books and calendars. Additionally, there are legal materials, which offer much information about his civil rights work; scrapbooks and newspaper clippings; tapes of speeches concerning his views on the church and its role in racial and social issues and various recordings of other people and activities; personal correspondence and other material about Groppi's activities as president of the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 998; papers of his wife, Peggy Rozga, also a civil rights activist; and photographs which include images of civil rights protests and unrest in Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin and photographs relating to Father Groppi's personal life.

Note:

There is a restriction on use of this material; see the Administrative/Restriction Information portion of this finding aid for details.



Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mil000ex
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Biography/History

Father James Edmund Groppi, Roman Catholic priest and civil rights activist, was born in November of 1930 in Milwaukee, one of twelve children of Italian immigrants, Giocondo Groppi and his wife. He attended Mount Calvary Seminary at Mount Calvary, Wisconsin, from 1950 to 1952; and St. Francis Seminary at Milwaukee from 1952 to 1959, and in June of 1959 he was ordained to the priesthood. He began his duties as a priest at St. Veronica Church, Milwaukee, in 1959. In 1963, Father Groppi was transferred to St. Boniface Church, a predominately Black parish in the inner city of Milwaukee. It was while serving at St. Boniface that he received national attention for his work in the area of human rights. After leaving St. Boniface in 1970, Groppi was assigned to the pastoral team of St. Michael Church, Milwaukee. Here he began looking for new outlets for his intellectual energies, applying to graduate schools of political science and law. In 1970 he was accepted at the Antioch School of Law, but dropped out in 1972 with one year of training left; that same year he also left St. Michael Church. From 1975 to 1976 he worked for the Tri-County Voluntary Service Committee where he was responsible for recruiting and supervising VISTA volunteers in Racine, Kenosha and Walworth Counties. He rose again to public attention when he joined Marlon Brando to mediate the clash between the Menominee Indians and the Alexian Brothers at the Alexian Monastery in Gresham, Wisconsin, in 1975.

Groppi's early civil rights activity includes participation in the 1963 “March on Washington,” work with the Council of Federated Organizations (COFO) movement in Mississippi during the summer of 1964, participation in the “Selma Montgomery March” in March of 1965, and work with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference voter registration project led by Martin Luther King Jr. during the summer of 1965. That same year he became the advisor to the Milwaukee chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Youth Council and began protesting segregation in Milwaukee public schools. In his capacity of NAACP advisor he organized an all Black male group called the Milwaukee Commandos. They were formed to help quell violence during the “Freedom Marches” and, with the NAACP Youth Council, mounted a lengthy, continuous demonstration against the city of Milwaukee on behalf of fair housing. Two of the Commandos eventually became bodyguards to Father Groppi. While assistant pastor to Reverend Eugene Bleidorn at St. Boniface, Groppi was also second vice president of Milwaukee United School Integration Committee (1965-1966), advisor to the Milwaukee NAACP Youth Council (1965-1968), and organizer of the “Welfare Mothers' March on Madison” (1969).

The period 1967-1969 saw Father Groppi rise to national notoriety with such actions as his “Freedom Marches,” and picketing the Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, home of circuit court Judge Robert C. Cannon to protest his membership in the white-only Fraternal Order of Eagles. Later Groppi joined demonstrations at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. He received both physical and moral support from such human rights activists as Dick Gregory and Martin Luther King Jr. and, although he was arrested on numerous occasions for standing firm in his beliefs and was often vilified, he was instrumental in dramatizing the segregated housing situation in Milwaukee. This last led to enactment of an open-housing law there; and Groppi could believe that he had raised the consciousness of many to other inequities as well.

On April 22, 1976 Groppi married Margaret Rozga, who had been his secretary while at St. Boniface. Holding a doctorate in English, she was later to teach English at a Milwaukee university. The Groppis' first child, Anna, was born in February 1979. Deprived by the Roman Catholic Church of the right to exercise the functions of the priesthood of that church following his marriage, Groppi attended the Virginia Theological Seminary (Episcopal) in Alexandria, Virginia, during the fall of 1978. Beginning in January 1979 he continued his preparations for the Episcopal priesthood working for St. Andrews Church, an inner-city parish in Detroit, Michigan. Still unsettled in his thoughts and feelings about Roman Catholicism and whether it was spiritually possible for him, because of his lifelong commitment to the Roman Catholic Church, to continue toward conversion to the Episcopal priesthood, Groppi returned to Milwaukee and resumed his former position as a Milwaukee County transit bus driver in the summer of 1979. Father James Groppi died in November of 1985.

Arrangement of the Materials

This collection was received in multiple parts from the donor(s) and is organized into 4 major parts. These materials have not been physically interfiled and researchers might need to consult more than one part to locate similar materials.

Administrative/Restriction Information
Use Restrictions

Literary copyright is retained by James E. Groppi and his heirs.


Acquisition Information

Presented by James E. Groppi, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1978. Additional items presented by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee Archives, 1999. Accession Number: M78-407, M99-048, M2001-085, M2004-254


Processing Information

Original Collection processed by Tony LaValliere, J. Heininger, and Joanne Hohler, May-November 1979; and by Donna Sereda, March 1999.


Contents List
Milwaukee Mss EX
Part 1 (Milwaukee Mss EX): Original Collection, 1956-1989
Physical Description: 7.7 cubic feet (18 archives boxes) 
Scope and Content Note

The collection provides information about the activities and writings of one of the 1960s leading civil rights activists. However, it consists primarily of correspondence, little of which is personal in nature, and most of which is unsolicited response to Father Groppi's civil rights activities, especially during 1967-1968 when he was a controversial national figure for his inflammatory activism in support of racial integration. Therefore, as a resource the papers may be more valuable for research in public reaction to civil rights activists, particularly those in religious professions, than they are for a study of Groppi's life and work. The collection is arranged in eight series: Correspondence, Personal Material and Writing, Activities, Printed Material, Essays by Various Authors, Scrapbooks, Newspaper Articles, and Tape Recordings.

The CORRESPONDENCE is divided into twelve subseries. The Supportive, Criticism, and Hate segments are the most valuable in terms of public opinion. Of note in the Supportive file are telegrams from Jesse L. Jackson (February 28, 1968) and Martin Luther King Jr. (September 4, 1967), and a letter (February 26, 1968) from Walter Mondale. While some of the correspondence is in support of Father Groppi, the larger portion is not. Some of the letters opposing Groppi's ideological stance and actions are thoughtful, reasoned criticism; more of them are “hate” mail. Copies of form letters signed by Groppi requesting donations of money for food and fines, and dated May 19, June 21, July 19, 1967 and September 12, 1969, are filed with Supportive correspondence. Occasionally, donations received are recorded on letters in the Supportive and Criticism correspondence files, but letters sent to Groppi for the sole purpose of donating money to support his civil rights activities are found in the Donations file. The Personal correspondence and letters to Archbishop W.E. Cousins contain the only responses in the collection written by Father Groppi. Also included with Personal correspondence are birthday cards, letters from friends and associates, and a May 5, 1967 letter from Sheed and Ward Publishers suggesting that Groppi write his autobiography. In this subseries is the only mention in the papers of the incident at the Alexian Brothers Monastery at Gresham, Wisconsin, a critical letter written February 26, 1975 by Father Groppi in response to an article by syndicated columnist Andrew Greeley. Speaking Engagements correspondence includes initial requests of Groppi to address meetings, contractual arrangements, and in some cases the sponsoring organization's response to the lecture. The Grade School Compositions are letters written by the children in parochial schools as class projects, and sent to Father Groppi by the instructors. Most of the General correspondence file consists of requests to Father Groppi to grant a private audience, to lend his name and assistance in combating issues such as the fluoridation of drinking water, or to help high school students with essays and debates on civil rights topics. The folders in the Correspondence series labeled “Additions” contain items separated from the Eugene Bleidorn Papers in the Archives of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and presented to the Historical Society in 1996.

The PERSONAL MATERIAL AND WRITINGS series was compiled to separate what little exists on the personal life of Father Groppi from his civil rights activities. This material is fragmentary and not very revealing with the exception of a partial draft of an autobiography plus a biographical essay by an unidentified author covering Groppi's years at St. Veronica Church. Although items relating to the Archdiocese of Milwaukee provide insight on the responsibilities of a Roman Catholic priest in the diocese, they are limited in extent and there is almost nothing on Groppi's relationship with the predominantly black St. Boniface parish of the diocese. Groppi's involvement as advisor to the Milwaukee NAACP Youth Council, which was the basis of support in his early civil rights activities, is only sketchily documented in the correspondence series. There is nothing on it here nor in the Activities series that follows.

The ACTIVITIES series spans 1966 through 1972, but is an incomplete testimony of all the activities with which Groppi was associated. However, it does contain records of legal proceedings against Father Groppi which give more detail about his civil rights activities than any other single file. The file marked Statements, Proposals, and Resolutions holds papers which were sent to Father Groppi regarding the civil rights issue. They are not statements made by Groppi himself. It is probable that the clippings in the Scrapbooks and Newspaper Articles series offer more information concerning some of Groppi's activities than the manuscripts in the Activities series.

The PRINTED MATERIAL is a sampling of items that were sent to Father Groppi with some regularity. Part of the material isgularity. Part of the material is religious such as the published words of the Lady of Fatima. The remaining is social comment of which a major portion, in cartoon and broadside, is unfavorable to the Negro race. The series ESSAYS BY VARIOUS AUTHORS is a group of papers submitted to Father Groppi which deal either with Father Groppi or with the civil rights movement.

The SCRAPBOOKS consist of newspaper articles from 1967 which were mounted into blank books by Father Groppi. The NEWSPAPER ARTICLES are probably a continuation of Groppi's scrapbooks, but the articles were never organized as such. They have been kept in the order received and Groppi's file titles have also been retained. Clippings from the Milwaukee Journal and Milwaukee Sentinel newspapers have been retained in the original as Father Groppi clipped them, since these Milwaukee newspapers are preserved on microfilm for the period of the clippings in this collection, 1967-1978. Clippings from other newspapers and magazines, for which it is not known whether microfilm copies exist, have been photocopied to assure better preservation of the text of the articles.

Series: Correspondence
Subseries: Supportive

View selections of support mail

Box   1
Folder   1-6
1965 October 18-1967 July 21
Box   2
Folder   1-6
1967 July 22-September 15
Box   3
Folder   1-6
1967 September 16-October 2
Box   4
Folder   1-6
1967 October 3-1969 October 3
Box   5
Folder   1-5
1969 October 4-1975 July 29
Box   18
Folder   1
Additions, 1965 October and 1966 August
Box   5
Folder   6
1965 August 1-1966 September 5
Box   6
Folder   1-6
1966 September 6-1967 September 13
Box   7
Folder   1-6
1967 September 14-1968 June 3
Box   8
Folder   1-2
1969 August 30-1972 July 20; undated
Box   18
Folder   2
Additions, 1965 October-1967 September
Box   8
Folder   3-6
1965 December 7-1967 September 1
Box   9
Folder   1-6
1967 September 2-16
Box   10
Folder   1-6
1967 September 17-1968 September 1
Box   11
Folder   1
1969 August 31-1975 April 1; undated
Box   18
Folder   3
Additions, 1965 October-1967 September
Box   11
Folder   5
Subseries: NAACP, 1967 August 17-1970 July 21; undated
Box   11
Folder   2-4
Subseries: Donations, 1967-1968
Box   11
Folder   6
Subseries: Personal, 1966 March 16-1978 June 20; undated
Subseries: Regarding Speaking Engagements
Box   12
Folder   1-6
1965 December 12-1968 August 23
Box   13
Folder   1-2
1968 September 12-December 30
Box   13
Folder   3
Subseries: Archbishop W.E. Cousins, 1971
Box   13
Folder   4
Subseries: Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Center, 1971 August 20-1973 July 23
Subseries: Grade School Compositions
Box   13
Folder   5
St. Boniface, 1967
Box   13
Folder   6
St. Agatha, 1969
Box   13
Folder   7
St. Augustine, 1967
Box   13
Folder   8
Sacred Heart, 1967
Box   13
Folder   9
St. Mary's, 1967
Box   13
Folder   10
Holy Name, St. Alphonsus, St. Elizabeth, and unidentified, 1966-1967
Box   18
Folder   4
Additions: Letters from School Children, 1965 October
Subseries: General
Box   13
Folder   11-13
1965 October 6-1967 October 2
Box   14
Folder   1-4
1967 October 3-1968 October 9
Box   14
Folder   5
1969 October 10-1973 May 22
Box   14
Folder   6
Subseries: Chain Letters Sent to Groppi, 1967 May 9-1969 September 10
Series: Personal Material and Writings
Box   14
Folder   7
Autobiography and Biographical Essay
Box   14
Folder   8
Resume and Selected Bibliography on Groppi, to 1972
Box   14
Folder   9
Marriage Certificate, 1976 April 22
Box   14
Folder   10
Applications to Post-Secondary Institutions, 1970-1973
Box   14
Folder   11
Appointment Books and Calendars, 1968-1970
Box   15
Folder   1
Archdiocese of Milwaukee, 1967-1972
Box   15
Folder   2
Awards, Citations, and Membership Certificates
Box   15
Folder   3
Class Picture, St. Boniface School, 1968
Box   15
Folder   4
Correspondence Checklists, 1969 October 22-27; undated
Box   15
Folder   5
Interviews, Lectures, and Speeches, 1964-1976; undated
Box   15
Folder   6
Job Applications, 1976
Box   15
Folder   7
St. Boniface Church Council, 1967
Box   15
Folder   8
Sermons, 1969 August
Series: Activities
Box   15
Folder   9
Campaign against Allen-Bradley Company, 1969 August 8-September 6
Box   15
Folder   10
Cartoons, Flyers, and Magazine Articles about Groppi, 1966-1975
Editorials
Box   15
Folder   11
WTMJ-TV, 1967 August 15-September 26; 1969 September 29
Box   15
Folder   11
WITI-TV, 1967 September 8; 1969 September 29
Box   15
Folder   12
Legal Documents, 1968-1972
Box   15
Folder   13
Statements, Proposals, and Resolutions, 1967-1969
Box   15
Folder   14
Police Brutality and Harrassment, 1966-1969
Box   15
Folder   15
Series: Printed Material, circa 1966-1969 (no order)
Box   15
Folder   16
Series: Essays by Various Authors (no order)
Box   17
Folder   1-4
Series: Scrapbooks, Newspaper Clippings, circa 1967
Series: Newspaper Articles
Box   16
Folder   1-9
“Civil Rights,” circa 1967, circa 1974
Box   16
Folder   10
“Budget,” circa 1969
Box   16
Folder   11
“Welfare,” 1969 September 27-October 6
Box   16
Folder   12
“Pentagon Arrest,” 1972
Box   16
Folder   13
Biographical, 1974, 1978
PH 4983
Part 2 (PH 4983): Additions, undated
Physical Description: 37 photographs (1 folder) 
Scope and Content Note: Photographs documenting Groppi's involvement in civil rights activities in Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin, including protests, meetings, and marches. Also included are images from his personal life including religious ceremonies and family photographs.
Folder   1
Photographs
M2001-085
Part 3 (M2001-085, Audio 704A, AE 110): Additions, 1956-1989
Physical Description: 4.4 cubic feet (2 records center cartons, 1 archives box, 1 card box, and 2 flat boxes), 11 audio recordings and 1 film (16 mm) 
Scope and Content Note

Additions, 1956-1989, consisting principally of personal correspondence relating to Groppi's marriage and final illness as well as the voting rights activities of his wife, Peggy Rozga, in Midway (Alabama). Also included is correspondence and other material related to Groppi's activities as president of the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 998, two drafts of his autobiography, papers on memorial activities, and a large number of news clippings. There are also photographs which include snapshots taken by Peggy Rozga in Midway (Alabama), family photographs, and photos of civil rights activities.; as well as a film on a 1969 Welfare March in Madison.

The audio recordings consist of some of Groppi's sermons, monologues, and speeches. Most of the content touches upon themes of racism, poverty, social justice, and civil rights in relation to society and religion. There are also recordings of other speakers and activities including interviews, discussions, songs, and television shows.

Correspondence
Box   1
Folder   1-2
Supportive, 1967-1969, 1971-1983
Criticism
Box   1
Folder   3
1967
Box   1
Folder   4
1976-1987
Box   1
Folder   5
Hate, 1976-1983
Box   1
Folder   6
NAACP, 1967
Box   1
Folder   7
Donations, 1967-1972, undated
Personal
Box   1
Folder   8
1972-1979
Box   1
Folder   9
Wedding, 1976
Box   1
Folder   10
1980-1983
Box   1
Folder   11
Illness, 1984-1985
Box   1
Folder   12
1985
Box   1
Folder   13
Speaking engagements, 1967-1983
Box   1
Folder   14
General, 1966-1985, undated
Peggy Rozga
Box   1
Folder   15-17
Personal, 1965-1969, 1972-1977, 1984-1988, undated
Box   1
Folder   18
General, 1965-1988, undated
Personal material and writings
Box   7
Folder   19
Autobiographical material
Box   7
Folder   20-21
Autobiography
Box   1
Folder   22
Resume
Box   1
Folder   23
Salzmann School, 1956-1957
Box   5
Awards, 1967-1985
Box   1
Folder   24
Last illness, 1985
Box   3
Memorabilia
Box   1
Folder   25
Writings
Box   1
Folder   26
Sermon materials
Box   1
Folder   27
Miscellaneous materials
Activities
Peggy Rozga
Box   1
Folder   28
Alverno College, 1965-1967
Box   7
Folder   29
General, 1965-1988
Box   1
Folder   30
Legal documents, 1970-1972
Box   1
Folder   31
Republican National Convention, 1972
Box   1
Folder   32
“Groppi” film project, 1980
Amalgamated Transit Union
Box   1
Folder   33
Election, 1982
Box   1
Folder   34
District Court case, 1982-1983
Box   1
Folder   35
Correspondence, 1982-1984
James Groppi Day
Box   1
Folder   36
General, 1983-1988
Box   6
Posters, 1988-1989
Box   1
Folder   37
“Gropp” rhythm and blues opera, 1988
Box   7
Folder   38
Printed material, 1973-1989
Scrapbooks
Box   6
Newspaper clippings, 1967-1973
Box   6
'March for Peace and Justice,' 1987
Newspaper articles
Box   1
Folder   39
1964-1965
Box   2
Folder   1-4
1966
Box   2
Folder   5
Scrapbook, Eagles Club boycott, 1966
Box   2
Folder   6
1967
Box   6
“Miracle in Milwaukee,” Ebony Magazine, 1967 November
Box   2
Folder   7-8
1968-1981
Box   2
Folder   9
Alexian Brothers standoff, 1975
Box   2
Folder   10
1985-1994
Box   2
Folder   11
Father Groppi's death, 1985
Box   2
Folder   12-13
1987-1988
Box   2
Folder   14
undated
Photographs
Box   2
Folder   15
Midway, Alabama, 1965
Box   2
Folder   16
Civil rights activism, undated
Box   2
Folder   17
Personal, undated
Audio 704A
Tape Recordings
Note: Users in Milwaukee should request these tapes under call number Milwaukee Tape 5.
Formerly housed in Box 4 of accession M2001-085.
Audio   704A/1-2
[returned to donor]
Audio   704A/3
Father Groppi sermons at St. Boniface, 1967 September 17, 24
Scope and Content Note: Jesus as history's most radical civil rights leader.
Audio   704A/4
Groppi discusses personal history, ideas for books with collaborator
Scope and Content Note: Also recordings of radio or TV shows discussing civil rights movement.
Audio   704A/5
Groppi Monologue about Church's role and responsibilities on the issues of racism, poverty, and social justice
Note: Cuts to recording of TV or radio show dealing with global revolution topics.
Audio   704A/6
Speeches by James Bevel in Chicago, one about the need for a real movement in Chicago, one about the structure and function of the SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Council)
Audio   704A/7
Groppi Speech at Hiroshima Remembrance Gathering
Scope and Content Note: Discusses the immorality of war.
Audio   704A/8
Unidentified service, talk, rally, and music
Note: Mostly inaudible. Last part of recording is phone calls to St. Boniface by people upset with the Church's involvement in civil rights issues.
Audio   704A/9
Speech by Louis E. Lomax, “Tale of Three Cities,” delivered at Augsburg College, 1963 November 21
Audio   704A/10
Margaret Penman (of Canadian Broadcasting Company) interviews Eddie Brown at a conference between civil rights leaders and religious leaders
Audio   704A/11
Audio recording of “Great Divide” TV show, an ABC news program describing the details and public opinion on the Civil Rights Act
Audio   704A/12
NAACP youth group singing and having discussions with Father Groppi
Scope and Content Note: Also recording of TV show of New York City residents debating the state of school integration in New York City, religious songs, Father Groppi practicing sermons, and group Bible study.
Audio   704A/13
Speech by Father Phillip Berrigan in Milwaukee about American imperialism and Christ as a revolutionary
Film
AE   110
Welfare Mothers' March on Madison, 1969 September 29
Physical Description: 16 mm, color, silent, approximately 150 feet 
M2004-254
Part 4 (M2004-254): Additions, 1968-1979
Physical Description: 0.2 cubic feet (1 archives box) 
Scope and Content Note: Additions, 1968-1979, consisting of news clippings from the Milwaukee Journal and Milwaukee Sentinel documenting the activities of Father Groppi.
Box   1
Milwaukee Journal and Milwaukee Sentinel clippings, 1968-1979