Title: Chicago Religious Task Force on Central America Records
Inclusive Dates: 1982-1992

Creator:

• Chicago Religious Task Force on Central America

Call Number: M93-153; M2004-170; Audio 1870A

Quantity: 8.0 cubic feet, 71 transparencies, and 1 tape recording

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:

Records of the Chicago Religious Task Force on Central America (formerly known as the Chicago Religious Task Force on El Salvador), an organization established in 1980 in response to the murders of four church women in El Salvador. The records document their actions and programs to influence U.S. foreign policy to respect self determination in Central America, including educating the public on these issues, generating aid for Salvadoran and Guatemalan refugees, and coordinating public sanctuary for refugees. Their two main accomplishments were the establishment of the sanctuary movement and the organization of the Chicago Pledge of Resistance. The group published a journal, Basta!, sent delegations to Central America, and regularly responded to human rights violations.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-m93153

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This collection was received in multiple parts from the donor(s) and is organized into 2 major parts. These materials have not been physically interfiled and researchers might need to consult more than one part to locate similar materials.

• Part 1 (M93-153, Audio 1870): Original Collection, 1982-1992
• Part 2 (M2004-170): Additions, 1985-1990

Acquisition Information

Presented by Chicago Religious Task Force on Central America via Cinny Poppen, Chicago, Illinois; and Dan Dale, Chicago, Illinois. Accession Number: M93-153, M2004-170

M93-153	Part 1 (M93-153, Audio 1870A): Original Collection, 1982-1992 Physical Description: 6.6 cubic feet (6 records center cartons and 2 archives boxes), 71 transparencies, and 1 tape recording  Scope and Content Note: Records in the original collection reflect the organization's goals of “building a movement [among religious persons] in the U.S. for peace through justice” and influencing a U.S. “foreign policy that respects self-determination.” Administrative records include subject files, files on their actions and programs, correspondence, printed material, clippings, files on solidarity groups, a slide show related to their companion school project, and a tape recording of a radio show? called “Contragate: the men behind the guns.”
	Organizational information
Box   1 Folder   1	Analysis of CRTF work, position paper
Box   1 Folder   2	Annual reports, 1989, 1990, 1992
Box   1 Folder   3-9	Agendas, 1982-1992
Box   1 Folder   10	Guatemala projects, 1990-1992
	Quincentary activities
Box   1 Folder   11	MLN Coalition, 1990-1992
	, 1492-1992 and beyond
Box   1 Folder   12	Mission statement
Box   1 Folder   13	Meetings
Box   1 Folder   14	Networking and correspondence
Box   1 Folder   15	Communications Committee
Box   1 Folder   16	Teach-ins
Box   1 Folder   17	Bill Bigelow workshops
Box   1 Folder   18	Quincentary materials
Box   1 Folder   19	500 Years
Box   1 Folder   20-21	Materials
	Solidarity groups
Box   1 Folder   22	Planning delegation
Box   1 Folder   23	Nica teachers tour
Box   1 Folder   24	Contracts/organizations
Box   1 Folder   25	DNA
Box   1 Folder   26	Americas Watch
Box   1 Folder   27	Amnesty International
Box   1 Folder   28	Artista call
Box   1 Folder   29	Canadian Jesuit Refugee Program
Box   1 Folder   30	Casa El Salvador
Box   2 Folder   1	Center for Constitutional Rights
Box   2 Folder   2	Christic Institute
Box   2 Folder   3	CRISPAZ
Box   2 Folder   4	CISPES
Box   2 Folder   5	Coalition for a New Foreign and Military Policy
Box   2 Folder   6	COSCA
Box   2 Folder   7	CRECEN
Box   2 Folder   8	CUANES
Box   2 Folder   9	Ecumenical Committee of U.S. Citizens in Mexico
Box   2 Folder   10	El Rescate
Box   2 Folder   11	EPICA
Box   2 Folder   12	Faith Without Borders
Box   2 Folder   13	IFCO
Box   2 Folder   14	Illinois Network on Central America
Box   2 Folder   15	International groups
Box   2 Folder   16	Interfaith Task Force on Central America
Box   2 Folder   17	Interfaith Campaign for a Moratorium on Aid to the War in El Salvador
Box   2 Folder   18	Labor groups
Box   2 Folder   19	Medical Aid to El Salvador
Box   2 Folder   20	MICAH
Box   2 Folder   21	Mobilization for Survival
Box   2 Folder   22	NARMIC
Box   2 Folder   23	National Lawyers' Guild
Box   2 Folder   24	NEST
Box   2 Folder   25	Nicaragua Network
	Companion School Project
Box   2 Folder   26	New names
Box   2 Folder   27	Project proposal
Box   2 Folder   28	Letters to people
Box   2 Folder   29	Letters from people
Box   2 Folder   30	Bowl-a-thon , 1990
Box   2 Folder   31	Car wash
Box   2 Folder   32	Curriculum
Box   2 Folder   33	NECCA (Network of Educators for Central America)
Box   2 Folder   34	Tax letters for non-profit
Box   2 Folder   35	Forms, miscellaneous
Box   2 Folder   36	Bowl-a-thon , 1989
Box   2 Folder   37	Newsletters
Box   2 Folder   38	Agendas
Box   2 Folder   39	SHARE - Santa Marte project
Box   2 Folder   40	Shalom - Barry Shelley
Box   2 Folder   41	Mail for CSP
Box   2 Folder   42	Organizations in El Salvador
Box   2 Folder   43	Delegations
Box   2 Folder   44	Other mailing lists
Box   2 Folder   45	Presentations
Box   3 Folder   1	Applications
Box   3 Folder   2	Building with the Voiceless of El Salvador
Box   3 Folder   3	Intern proposal
Box   3 Folder   4	Press contacts
Box   3 Folder   5	Fundraising letters
Box   3 Folder   6	Concerts
Box   3 Folder   7	Educators for Social Responsibility
Box   3 Folder   8	Fundraising tactics
Box   3 Folder   9	Organizational long range plans, ideas from conference
Box   3 Folder   10	Brochure, 1989 Fall
Box   3 Folder   11	Articles
Box   3 Folder   12	Income and expenses
Box   3 Folder   13	Reports and letters
Box   3 Folder   14	Presentations materials
Box   3 Folder   15	Center for Youth Protection
Box   3 Folder   16	Companion schools
Box   3 Folder   17	El Salvador orientation trip packet, 1987
Box   3 Folder   18	Project timelines
Box   3 Folder   19	Holly Near
	Sanctuary Task Force
Box   3 Folder   20	General history
Box   3 Folder   21-22	Wellington
Box   3 Folder   23	Meredith Little
Box   3 Folder   24	Mailing
Box   3 Folder   25	General refugee information
Box   3 Folder   26	Logbook
Box   3 Folder   27	Congressional telephone list
	Caravan
Box   3 Folder   28	Public caravan, 1985
Box   3 Folder   29	General information
Box   3 Folder   30	California
Box   3 Folder   31	Arizona
Box   3 Folder   32	New Mexico
Box   3 Folder   33	Texas
Box   3 Folder   34	Oklahoma
Box   3 Folder   35	Arkansas
Box   3 Folder   36	Tennessee
Box   3 Folder   37	Missouri
Box   3 Folder   38	Iowa
	News articles
Box   3 Folder   39	Tucson, Arizona
Box   3 Folder   40	Arkansas
Box   3 Folder   41	Los Angeles
Box   3 Folder   42	Northern California
Box   3 Folder   43	Cape Cod
Box   3 Folder   44	Chicago
Box   3 Folder   45	Miscellaneous
Box   3 Folder   46	Canada
Box   3 Folder   47	Illinois
Box   3 Folder   48	Nebraska
Box   3 Folder   49	New York Times
Box   3 Folder   50	New York State
Box   3 Folder   51	Ohio
Box   3 Folder   52	Texas
Box   3 Folder   53	Washington, D.C.
Box   3 Folder   54	National publications
Box   3 Folder   55-57	Miscellaneous news clips
	Sanctuary news clips
Box   4 Folder   1	Denver, Colorado
Box   4 Folder   2	Iowa
Box   4 Folder   3	Kansas
Box   4 Folder   4	Kentucky
Box   4 Folder   5	Massachusetts
Box   4 Folder   6	Michigan
Box   4 Folder   7	Minneapolis, Minnesota
Box   4 Folder   8	Pennsylvania
Box   4 Folder   9	Washington
Box   4 Folder   10	Madison, Wisconsin
Box   4 Folder   11	Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Box   4 Folder   12	News clips, 1986
	Sanctuary by denomination
Box   4 Folder   13	General
Box   4 Folder   14	Lutheran
Box   4 Folder   15	Jewish
Box   4 Folder   16	United Church of Christ (UCC)
Box   4 Folder   17	Methodist
Box   4 Folder   18	Roman Catholic
Box   4 Folder   19	Episcopal
Box   4 Folder   20	Presbyterian
Box   4 Folder   21	Brethren
Box   4 Folder   22	Quaker
Box   4 Folder   23	Unitarian/Universalists
Box   4 Folder   24	Friends
Box   4 Folder   25	Other
Box   4 Folder   26	Sanctuary articles, 1985-1987
Box   4 Folder   27-29	Sanctuary caravan articles, 1984-1985
	Actions and programs
Box   4 Folder   30	Sanctuary caravan articles, 1985
Box   4 Folder   31	Pledge action, 1985 January 16
Box   4 Folder   32	Demonstration in support of arraignment, 1985 January 23
Box   4 Folder   33	Tucson consultation, 1985 January 26
Box   4 Folder   34	Vigil/CBN, 1985 March 26
Box   4 Folder   35	Calero disruption, 1985 April 13
Box   4 Folder   36	Dixon sit-in, 1985 April 16
Box   4 Folder   37	Pledge shutdown, 1985 June 12
Box   4 Folder   38	Caravan, 1985 June 30-July 21
Box   4 Folder   39	Embargo S.A., not Nicaragua, 1985 July 18
Box   4 Folder   40	D'Escota Fast, 1985 July 26
Box   4 Folder   41	Stop the Bombing, 1985 August 24
Box   4 Folder   42	Contra Aid, Ash Wednesday, 1986 February 12
Box   4 Folder   43	Contra Aid, 1986 March 14
Box   4 Folder   44	Romero, 1986 March 23
Box   4 Folder   45	Ash Wednesday, 1985 February 20
Box   4 Folder   46	Mock trial, 1985 November 6
Box   4 Folder   47	Guazapa
Box   4 Folder   48	Darlene Nicgorski, 1986 March 22
Box   4 Folder   49	Dixon, 1986 April 2
Box   4 Folder   50	Sanctuary verdict demo, 1986 May 5
Box   4 Folder   51	Armed Forces Week, 1986 May 13-17
Box   4 Folder   52	Armed Forces Day, 1985 May 17
Box   4 Folder   53	Nicaragua embargo, 1985 May 5
Box   4 Folder   54	Embargo/past, 1985 May 30
Box   4 Folder   55	Refugee testimony
Box   4 Folder   56	Testimony, sanctuary refugees
Box   4 Folder   57	Sanctuary screenings
Box   4 Folder   58	Canada
Box   4 Folder   59	Chicago Sanctuary City
Box   4 Folder   60	History, sanctuary movement
Box   4 Folder   61	General information
Box   4 Folder   62	Abrams Disruption, 1985 May 23
Box   4 Folder   63	ND/Duarte, 1985 May 19
Box   4 Folder   64	Alliance of Sanctuary
Box   4 Folder   65	Darlene Nicgorski
Box   4 Folder   66	Sanctuary declarations list
Box   4 Folder   67	Universities sanctuary
Box   5 Folder   1	National Guard
Box   5 Folder   2	Events, 1989
Box   5 Folder   3	Events, 1990
Box   5 Folder   4	Jennifer Casolo's tour , 1990
Box   5 Folder   5	Training materials
Box   5 Folder   6	Coffee campaign/brigades
	Railroad
Box   5 Folder   7	Articles
Box   5 Folder   8	Guidelines
	Overground railroad
Box   5 Folder   9	Jubilee/Canada
Box   5 Folder   10	Manual for overground railroad hosts (REBA)
Box   5 Folder   11	REBA Place
Box   5 Folder   12	Railroad
	Harassment of sanctuary
Box   5 Folder   13	Anti-sanctuary cartoons
Box   5 Folder   14	Articles
Box   5 Folder   15	Break-ins/FOIA
Box   5 Folder   16	Infiltrators
Box   5 Folder   17	FAIR (Federation for American Immigration Reform)
Box   5 Folder   18	INS sanctuary attack
Box   5 Folder   19	Right wing attack on sanctuary
Box   5 Folder   20	Resource lists
Box   5 Folder   21	SEP (population education)
Box   5 Folder   22	Sanctuary legal manual
Box   5 Folder   23	Miscellaneous articles
	Printed material
Box   5 Folder   24	New legal manual
Box   5 Folder   25	Original Tucson organizing project, 1982 February
Box   5 Folder   26	Sanctuary pamphlet, Inter-religious Task Force, New York City
Box   5 Folder   27	Sanctuary resources
Box   5 Folder   28	“Seeking Safe Haven” sanctuary packet-church wld
Box   5 Folder   29	“Sanctuary: A Bibliography” by Anne Meyer Byler
Box   5 Folder   30	“Chicago Women in the Sanctuary Movement”
Box   5 Folder   31	Original “Organizer's Nuts & Bolts”
	Sanctuary trials
Box   5 Folder   32	Legal briefs
Box   5 Folder   33	Legal notes, Tuscon trial
Box   5 Folder   34	Sanctuary suits, 1985 May
Box   5 Folder   35	Daily trial updates
Box   5 Folder   36	Jan - indictment responses
Box   6 Folder   1	New Mexico trial
Box   6 Folder   2	Conviction responses, 1986 May
Box   6 Folder   3	Sanctuary celebration, 1986 September
Box   6 Folder   4	Spanish press release, Arizona trial
Box   6 Folder   5	Trial support, 1985 October 22
Box   6 Folder   6	Sanctuary and law
Box   6 Folder   7-8	Texas bust, 1984 February 17
Box   6 Folder   9	Texas
Box   6 Folder   10	Stacey Merkt
Box   6 Folder   11	Tucson bust, 1984
	Sanctuary Defense Fund
Box   6 Folder   12	NSDF articles
Box   6 Folder   13	Arizona Sanctuary Defense Fund
Box   6 Folder   14	Fundraising letter, NSDF, 1985
Box   6 Folder   15	NCC
Box   6 Folder   16	Rio Grande Defense Committee, 1984 December 8/9
	Accompaniment/Delegations
Box   6 Folder   17	General
Box   6 Folder   18-19	Texas People (delegation)
Box   6 Folder   20	CIEM
Box   6 Folder   21	Accompaniment, more general materials
Box   6 Folder   22	Propaganda of El Salvador government
Box   6 Folder   23	Delegations to Guatemala
Box   6 Folder   24	Delegations to El Salvador
Box   6 Folder   25	Delegations to Honduras
	Printed materials
Box   7 Folder   1	Basta! printing information
Box   7 Folder   2	Sanctuary demos, 1986
Box   7 Folder   3	Veterans - Liteky Fast
	Issues
Box   7 Folder   4	Analysis (good miscellaneous background material)
Box   7 Folder   5	Information packet - tour, 1988 Fall
Box   7 Folder   6	Border issues
Box   7 Folder   7	Contragate
Box   7 Folder   8	Disarmament/Anti-intervention
Box   7 Folder   9	Hispanics in Chicago/U.S.
Box   7 Folder   10	Press-Analysis
Box   7 Folder   11	U.S. History
	Legislative
Box   7 Folder   12	Chicago Congressmen
Box   8 Folder   1	Legislative Focus on Central America Work
Box   8 Folder   2	Dixon
Box   8 Folder   3	Moakley-Deconcini
Box   8 Folder   4	U.N. Resolution
	Printed materials
Box   8 Folder   5	Liturgia Popular, “La Resurreccion”
Box   8 Folder   6	Dangerous Memories, Invasion and Resistance since 1492
Box   8 Folder   7	National sanctuary mailing, 1984 May
Box   8 Folder   8	Chicago Religious Task Force on El Salvador, 1982 April
Box   8 Folder   9	Sanctuary, Organizer's Nuts and Bolts
	Slide show presentation
Box   9	Companion school project
	Audio cassette
1870A/1	“Contragate: The Men Behind the Guns”
M2004-170	Part 2 (M2004-170): Additions, 1985-1990 Physical Description: 1.4 cubic feet (1 records center carton and 1 archives box)  Scope and Content Note: Additions, 1985-1990, principally documenting the CRTFCA’s involvement in the Sanctuary Movement which sought to provide asylum and safe transport for Central American refugee victims of civil unrest and political persecution in Central America, particularly in Guatemala and El Salvador. Also documented is the CRTFCA’s opposition to the Reagan and Bush administration’s military and economic support of indigenous, counter-revolutionary movements in Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and other Central American nations as well as files on various other organizations with the goal of Central American self-determination.	⇧
Box   1 Folder   1	Accompaniment delegation, 1988
Box   1 Folder   2	Atanasio Tzul
Box   1 Folder   3	Border witness
Box   1 Folder   4	Central American Health Rights Network
Box   1 Folder   5	Central American Peace Plan
Box   1 Folder   6	Chicago Religious Task Force
Box   1 Folder   7	Christian Broadcasting Network
Box   1 Folder   8	Comite Pro-Justicia y Paz de Guatemala
Box   1 Folder   9	El Salvador Action Coalition
Box   1 Folder   10	Fellowship for Evangelicals in Guatemala
Box   1 Folder   11	Fundacion Centroamericana
Box   1 Folder   12	Guatemala en Lucha
Box   1 Folder   13	Guatemalan Relief Ministries
Box   1 Folder   14	Habitat for Humanity
	Information about countries
Box   1 Folder   15	Central America
Box   1 Folder   16	El Salvador
Box   1 Folder   17	Guatemala
Box   1 Folder   18	Honduras
Box   1 Folder   19	Nicaragua
Box   1 Folder   20	Puerto Rico
Box   1 Folder   21	Inter-Religious Task force on Central America
Box   1 Folder   22	KAIROS
Box   1 Folder   23	Labor Committee in Support of Democracy and Human Rights in El Salvador
Box   1 Folder   24	Midwest Immigrant Rights Center
Box   1 Folder   25	Miscellaneous publications/correspondence, 1986-1988
Box   1 Folder   26	National Guard in Central America
Box   1 Folder   27	Neighbor to Neighbor
Box   1 Folder   28	Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala
Box   1 Folder   29	“No Human Being is Illegal” caravan, 1989
Box   1 Folder   30	The Organization in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala
Box   1 Folder   31	Pledge of Resistance
Box   1 Folder   32	Project Salvador
Box   1 Folder   33	Refugee Voices
	Sanctuary movement
	Affiliated organizations
Box   1 Folder   34	Chicago Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Protection, 1989
Box   1 Folder   35	Chicago Religious Leadership Network, 1989
Box   1 Folder   36	Chicago Metropolitan Sanctuary Alliance, 1988-1990
Box   1 Folder   37	McCormick Seminary, 1987-1988
Box   1 Folder   38	People United to Serve Humanity/Operation PUSH, 1984-1985
Box   1 Folder   39	University Church, 1985
Box   1 Folder   40	Articles about sanctuary, 1985-1989
Box   1 Folder   41	Correspondence, 1987-1988
	Events
Box   1 Folder   42	Caravan, 1985
Box   1 Folder   43	Fast for Peace, undated
Box   1 Folder   44	Sanctuary Committee, 1989
Box   1 Folder   45	Sanctuary Information Week, 1985
Box   1 Folder   46	Flyers and brochures
Box   1 Folder   47-48	Information about immigration law/asylum, 1985-1989
Box   1 Folder   49-50	Letters to the churches from El Salvador, 1986-1989
Box   1 Folder   51	Mailings and publications, 1987-1990
Box   1 Folder   52-53	Meeting materials, 1985, 1988
Box   2 Folder   1	Meeting materials (continued), 1988
Box   2 Folder   2	News clippings, 1985
Box   2 Folder   3	Refugee information
Box   2 Folder   4	Refugee testimonies
Box   2 Folder   5	Speeches and speaking events, 1985-1986, 1989
	Study group resources
Box   2 Folder   6	Central America and Guatemala
Box   2 Folder   7	Foreign relations
	Subject files
Box   2 Folder   8	Bible study materials
Box   2 Folder   9	Dale, Dan and Nancy, 1989
Box   2 Folder   10	National Sanctuary Defense Fund
Box   2 Folder   11	New Mexico Defense Committee, 1988
Box   2 Folder   12	Andrew Young
Box   2 Folder   13	Witness for Peace
Box   2 Folder   14	Voices on the Border