The collection consists mainly of materials issued by various socialist organizations and a small amount of correspondence and writings of Frank Zeidler. The papers have been arranged in six groups: Socialist Party/Social Democratic Federation, Socialist Party, U.S.A., Socialist Party of Wisconsin, Public Enterprise Committee, Papers of Frank Zeidler, and Miscellany.
The Socialist Party/Social Democratic Federation papers include membership and dues records, newsletters, minutes and secretary?s reports, and minutes and reports of the National Action Committee.
Papers of the Socialist Party, U.S.A. consist of constitutions, minutes, statements, press releases and printed memos, and printed memos and subscription information regarding The Socialist Tribune, a newspaper published by the party. Records of the national conventions of the Socialist Party, U.S.A. contain minutes, reports, and resolutions adopted by delegates.
Included with the records of the Socialist Party of Wisconsin is a file of printed programs from picnics held annually by the membership. Within each program a history of the party, biographical sketches of prominent party leaders and members, and advertising, may be found. Also present in this series are newsletters and associated material, a published article and a two-page synopsis of the history of socialism in Milwaukee, and a minute book of the Socialist Democratic Party of America-Milwaukee, Local Branch No. 2, Twenty-first Ward, 1897-1901.
The Public Enterprise Committee papers consist of general correspondence dating from the 1950s and from 1962, with many gaps; general records, including memos, statements, and similar material for distribution to the membership, and platforms and planks adopted by the party.
The Papers of Frank Zeidler are comprised of a folder of fragmentary correspondence, primarily with other Socialists and party leaders; a folder of pamphlets written by Zeidler, including his translation of Macbeth by William Shakespeare; and photocopied newspaper articles about Zeidler. Also included with his writings is Zeidler's proposed domestic program for consideration by the Debs Caucus in 1971.
