The Virgil Vogel Papers are arranged as four series: Libertarian Socialist League (LSL) Records, 1949-1953; Socialist Party-Social Democratic Federation Records, 1950-1972; Socialist Party USA Records, 1970-1980; and Subject Files. They relate almost entirely to his activities within left-wing socialist organizations from the 1940s through the 1970s. There is nothing in the collection about his personal life and virtually no references to his career as a historian of Native Americans. However, Vogel's career as a historian probably affected his view of historical documentation, and, as a result, he kept excellent records about his political activities, particularly his involvement in the establishment of SP USA. Although Vogel was not responsible for the official records of any of the represented groups, the absence of such records in archival custody makes Vogel's collection extremely useful for researchers.
The Libertarian Socialist League (LSL) Records, 1949-1953, contains materials relating to Vogel's roles as a founding member of the party, editor of the discussion bulletin Socialist Views, and director of summer camps. The bulk of the material documents the history of the formation of the party and its ideological differences with the Socialist Party. These records are arranged alphabetically by type of document and include annual conference proceedings, minutes, policy statements, bulletins and flyers, correspondence, and information on summer schools. The publications of the league, including the internal discussion bulletin edited by Vogel, have been separated to the SHSW Library.
The Socialist Party-Social Democratic Federation Records, 1950-1972, contains fragmentary documents related to Vogel's involvement with the SP-SDF from 1950 until the party became the Social Democrats, USA (SD USA) at their 1972 convention. Included is a position paper he presented to the 1958 convention on Native Americans and materials pertaining to the 1968 convention to which he was a delegate. Useful, although not complete, are the papers on the Chicago and Illinois chapters which include constitutions, convention minutes, financial information, a file on local leader Carl Shirer, and minutes of the Socialist Education Committee.
The bulk of the collection is the series Socialist Party, USA Records, 1970-1980, which contains documents relating to the revival of the Socialist Party, USA in 1973. Vogel did not keep the official records of the party, but his position as Hammer and Tongs editor placed him at the center of many of the party's workings and ideological debates. Furthermore, the file he saved for the period of his membership of convention minutes, party platforms, constitutional revisions, National Action Committee minutes, and other governance records is the only known file of these types of records in archival custody.
The series is subdivided into History and Background, Party Governance, Publication Records, and Illinois Chapter Records. The subseries on the history of SP-USA documents Vogel's participation in the effort to re-establish a traditional socialist party in 1973. These records include chronologically arranged memoranda, discussion bulletins, and mass mailings issued by the Debs Caucus from 1968 to 1971 and a separate file of the mailings on this issue distributed by Vogel.
The Governance Records include minutes, resolutions, constitution drafts, and general papers of national meetings from the founding convention in 1973 through the 1979 convention. Documentation on the 1976, 1977, and 1979 meetings is less complete, however. For the National Action Committee, on which Vogel served, there are mimeographed minutes, 1973-1977, and other information distributed to members of the committee. Unfortunately, the minutes are irregular and not complete.
The correspondence in the Publications section is the heart of the collection. This documentation resulted from Vogel's tenure as editor of the first eight issues of Hammer and Tongs, the internal party discussion bulletin, from 1973 through May 1974. This correspondence thoroughly documents the first year of the new party when Vogel was in regular contact with National Committee members, other individuals involved with party locals, the national office in Milwaukee, and individuals around the country who were writing to Hammer and Tongs. Themes represented in the correspondence include formation of party identity in a time when many of the principles of the Socialist Party had been adopted by mainstream liberals as well as many of the issues of the 1970s including the women's movement, sexual liberation, the Middle East, inflation, and the gas crisis. Internal problems including funding problems, personal feuds, and dissatisfaction with the management of the party are also well represented. This section is arranged alphabetically by state and then by city and member. Among Vogel's most frequent correspondents are: Charles Curtiss (Los Angeles), Jerry Hornsby (Tennessee), Frank Marquart (New Mexico), Harry Siitonen (San Francisco), Tad Tekla (Ohio), Mark Weber (Illinois), and Abraham Bassford, Rick Kissell, Bill Munger, and Lee Webster of Wisconsin. The Publication section also includes an assortment of brochures and press releases issued by the Socialist Party Information Service, while Hammer and Tongs, the Socialist Tribune, and numerous local newsletters are available in the SHSW Library.
Information on the Chicago and Illinois locals includes local campaign materials for the 1976 election, membership lists, minutes, and publicity material. There is, however, very little information about Vogel's own 1976 gubernatorial candidacy.
The alphabetical Subject Files include an assortment of documents that not only relate to his involvement in the LSL, SP SDF, and SP USA, but also to other groups such as those with which he had transitory involvement or communication such as the Citizens Party of Illinois and the Independent Socialist League. Of particular interest is the information regarding the transformation of the Young Communist League into the American Youth for Democracy; the clippings on writer Maxwell Bodenheim and his wife, members of the Libertarian Socialist League, who were murdered for their politics; and the election campaigns of David McReynolds and Frank Zeidler. Also here are a number of early files on the Proletarian Party found in the trash at the Charles Kerr Publishing Company. One folder filed under Vogel's name includes miscellaneous writings and several biographical clippings.
