The James F. Crow papers document the academic, scholarly, and professional work of Professor James F. Crow. Materials in the collection describe his work in research, teaching, the administration of university departments and functions, in national scientific organizations, as well as his personal life. The documents in this collection are divided into groups or 'fonds' based on the time of their deposit at University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives and Records Management.
The first of these 'fonds', Accession 2004/050, was deposited in 2004 and contains mostly materials related to national organizations and departmental administration at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This 'fonds' is divided into three series.
Series 1 contains files pertaining directly to a number of national organizations and committees or institutes related directly to the federal government. These include the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), to which Crow was elected in 1961. Crow served a number of capacities within NAS including roles on the Nominating Committee as well as subcommittees in the areas of zoology, genetics, and the effects of radiation. This series also contains documents related to Crow's work with various advisory groups associated with the National Institutes of Health including the National Council of Radiation Protection, the Committees on the Biological Effects of Atomic/Ionizing Radiation, the Radiation Effects Research Committee, the Committee on Nuclear and Alternative Energy Systems, the Committee on Chemical and Environmental Mutagens, and the Atomic Bomb Casualty Committee which was carried out in collaboration with the Japanese Academy of Sciences of which Crow was made an honorary member. There are also files pertaining to publications such as the Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences and other disciplinary organizations including the American Society of Human Genetics and the Genetics Society of America of which Crow served as president and vice president respectively.
Series 2 contains files related to academic, research, and administrative activities at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. These include meeting minutes, notes, files on various committees including academic planning, departmental reviews, curriculum planning, and research support. Organizational bodies documented in this series include the Department of Genetics, the Department of Medical Genetics, and the Medical School.
Series 3 contains files largely related to a single person or topic, as such there is some overlap with the other two series in terms of content. Series 3 contains files on most of James Crow's graduate students including correspondence, some research documents and some personnel documents for each. This series also contains various topical files containing correspondence, notes, or literature on a given subject. Series 3 also contains files for numerous manuscripts reviewed or refereed by Crow which contain correspondence with authors and various publishers and journals as well as annotated manuscripts and notes. Finally, Series 3 contains Crow's invitation files which document various events to which Crow was invited and are arranged with respect to whether the invitation was accepted or declined and many include associated correspondence.
The second 'fonds', Accession 2005/156, was deposited in 2005 and contains a chronological file of Crow's professional correspondence between 1971 and 1989 as well as proceedings from a conference on population structure. This 'fonds' has no lower subdivisions
The third 'fonds', Accession 2014/195, was deposited in 2014 and contains a wide variety of records and is divided into eight series.
Series 1 contains topical files composed of clusters of documents regarding a given subject or topic, these include various concepts in genetics, people, contemporary issues, or professional interests. Interesting files include the correspondence and files related to Calvin of Oakknoll, an incarcerated person who maintained his own innocence until his death in 1999. This series also contains documents related to Crow's testimony in certain court cases where genetic evidence was submitted. Another interesting file describes the employment of typist Patricia O'Shea at the genetics department, a local women's and labor organizer.
Series 2 contains materials related to the teaching of specific courses at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, these include lecture notes and outlines, transparencies, and slides as well as some of Crow's teaching materials from early in his career at Dartmouth. This series also contains a large number of Crow's grade books which contained detailed information about his student's activities. These grades have been temporarily restricted to maintain the privacy of these students records, see the Conditions Governing Access note for more information.
Series 3 contains personal files maintained by professor Crow including materials related to his own studies, social occasions, and leisure activities. This series also contains correspondence related to various public controversies including fluorinated water, forensic DNA evidence, and creationism.
Series 4 contains files related to speaking engagements, conferences and symposia. Most files are organized by event and many include copies of Crow's remarks at various events, or work he presented at conferences. Additionally there are chronological files for speaking engagements containing correspondence, notes, and occasionally the text of lectures or speeches.
Series 5 contains files related to the publication "Genetics" for which Crow served as coeditor. The series contains some business materials, correspondence related to manuscripts submitted, meeting minutes and reports, correspondence related to television programs and the 1960 film "The Thread of Life"". This series also contains a large number of files related to the monthly column "Perspectives in Genetics" maintained by Crow and his colleague William Dove. This column published short historical essays on various persons and advances in academic genetics and the files contain a great number of solicitations and editorial correspondence related to these essays.
Series 6 contains a few files pertaining to some of Crow's graduate students including correspondence and documentation surrounding research funding and academic appointments.
Series 7 includes publication files that contain correspondence, notes, and manuscripts for a variety of publications for which James F. Crow contributed writing, criticism, review, or comment. The files are organized by title of publication.
Series 8 contains files related to public controversy over the role of race in IQ and Genetics which became a national debate in the late 1970's. Public debates transpired over the role of genetics in the study of social issues and the academic freedom and responsibility of researchers to study and publish work about race. The files include Crow's correspondence with other professors and the public, newspaper clippings, handbills, and event posters as well as transcripts of a radio program where Crow appeared to discuss research into race and genetics with professor Finley C. Campbell.
Series 9 contains personal and professional correspondence. Correspondence in this series is organized into a few larger chronological groups and alphabetically by correspondent with in those chronological groups. In addition, Crow's correspondence with longtime friend collaborator Motoo Kimura is grouped together at the end of this series.
The fourth 'fonds' of documents, Accession 2012/035, deposited in 2012 is a small group of files related to Crow's efforts to raise money for an endowment to support the Pro Arte String Quartet at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music. The files contain correspondence and fundraising materials. This 'fonds' has no lower subdivisions.
