Title: Wisconsin Coordinating Council on Nicaragua Records
Inclusive Dates: 1984-1990

Creator:

• WCCN (Organization)

Call Number: Mss 899

Quantity: 1.6 c.f. (4 archives boxes)

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of 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 Wisconsin Coordinating Council on Nicaragua (WCCN), a Wisconsin peace organization founded in 1984 that served as a regional coordinator for U.S.-Nicaragua sister city activities, promoted the Wisconsin-Nicaragua sister state relationship, and served as a model of citizen participation in foreign policy affairs. WCCN also assisted in monitoring the 1990 Nicaraguan elections. Included are files arising from the election observation work, research material collected for the book Friends in Deed: the Story of U.S. Nicaragua Sister Cities co-authored by WCCN director Liz Chilsen and Sheldon Rampton, grant proposals, a media resources manual, and subject files about other organizations with which the WCCN coordinated activities, including the Wisconsin Interfaith Committee on Central America (WICOCA) and the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organizations (IFCO).

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mss00899

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The Wisconsin Coordinating Council on Nicaragua (WCCN), a regional coordinator for the U.S.-Nicaragua sister cities program, was established in 1984 by Mirette Seireg, Wisconsin Secretary of State Douglas LaFollette, and others in reaction to the U.S. foreign policy toward the Sandinista government of Nicaragua. In subsequent years the executive directors of WCCN have been Mirette Seireg (1984-1987), Liz Chilsen (1987-1990), Sonia Taddy (1990-1994), and Julie Andersen (1994- ).

The founders were motivated by the need for accurate information and education about Nicaragua and better coordination of activities of concerned groups and individuals. As a result, WCCN worked to promote the official sister state relationship between Wisconsin and Nicaragua, which began in 1964 and which became a vehicle for peacemaking and citizen diplomacy through the promotion of cultural, social and political understanding and exchange of humanitarian and developmental assistance. WCCN was involved not only in sister city exchanges but it also worked with environmentalists, health professionals, and religious groups. To promote the Nicaragua sister city movement, WCCN also worked in close cooperation with the Nicaraguan government. It hosted the U.S.-Nicaragua Friendship Conference in Madison in 1986, which with more than 20 sister-city groups represented, later became an annual event. In 1987 the U.S.-Nicaragua Sister Cities Conference was held in Seattle and in 1988 it was held in Managua.

In 1990, as part of the Ad Hoc Coalition of U.S.-Nicaragua Sister Cities Election Observation, WCCN sent a delegation to Nicaragua to monitor and assist in verifying the elections as free and fair. The U.S. sister cities formed the largest contingent of election observers, with 40 sister cities and 400 citizen observers. WCCN's delegation of 20 observers was led by former governor Anthony Earl.

WCCN coordinated their activities with many national, state and local groups such as Nukewatch, Pledge of Resistance, Wisconsin Greens, Medical Aid to Central America, the Madison Contragate Action Team (a local chapter of the Christic Institute), Wisconsin Action Coalition (WAC), Salvatorian Mission, and the Wisconsin Interfaith Committee on Central America (WICOCA). It was also a member of the Nicaragua Network, for whom WCCN was an area organizer and for whom it sponsored local speakers. In 1985 WCCN co-sponsored and helped to coordinate the Wisconsin Central American Information Week organized by the Interreligious Foundation on Community Organizations (IFCO). This event was a series of public events that brought speakers to more than 100 communities around Wisconsin. WCCN also worked with the Madison Institute to help organize the 1986 Contradora Conference to bring together representatives of the Contradora Peace Process and present ideas for peace in Central America. They brought numerous other public speakers to Wisconsin, including Nicaraguan Vice President Sergio Ramirez and (with the Environmental Project on Central America of the Earth Island Institute) Lorenzo Cardenal, the director of Nicaragua's Park Service. WCCN has become active with trade and investment and women's issues. Beginning in 1992 WCCN became involved with the Nicaraguan Community Development Loan Fund as a joint project with the Nicaraguan Council of Protestant Churches (CEPAD). This organization directed loans to Nicaraguan borrowers from U.S. investors for the purpose of economic development in low-income communities.

In 1988 WCCN published Friends in Deed: the Story of U.S.-Nicaragua Sister Cities, by executive director Liz Chilsen and staff person Sheldon Rampton to serve as a guide to sister city activities and a directory of organizations. They also compiled a media resources manual and a directory of Central American support groups in Wisconsin. As of 1999, when the initial donation of records were arranged and described, WCCN continued in operation.

The WCCN records are arranged as PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES, ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL RECORDS, and SUBJECT FILES.

These records document the activities of the WCCN from its establishment in 1984 through 1990. However, many types of administrative records are missing and these documents are presumed to be in the possession of the organization. The files are most complete in their documentation of participation in the 1990 Nicaragua election and in the research work involved in publication of Friends in Deed. Incomplete documentation of day-to-day activities and relationships to other organizations may be found in the SUBJECT FILES and in the ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL RECORDS.

THE PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES series is further subdivided into 1990 Election Observation, General Records, and Publications. The 1990 Election Observation subseries documents the organization of the sister city election observation groups and the election observation itself. The records consist of correspondence, a WCCN information packet, observer guidelines, and reports. These records are divided into materials arising from the activities of the Ad Hoc Sister Cities Coalition and materials pertaining to WCCN. The correspondence of the ad hoc coalition, with whom the WCCN worked, document the communications and coordination between Nicaraguan officials and the sister city groups in the U.S. It also includes lists of participants, meeting agendas, notes, press releases, team guidelines, and a final report. The observer reports compiled by individual Wisconsin participants document their experiences and observations. These files include the tour notes of WCCN executive director Liz Chilsen, a collection of poems by Gus Stelzer, and a report by Art and Sue Lloyd. Also included is a small amount of news clippings, press releases, and reports by other observer delegations.

The General Files offer documentation of some of WCCN's primary activities. Unfortunately the files are incomplete. The files on the U.S.-Nicaragua sister city conferences provide only lists of registrants for the 1986 and 1987 conferences, although the Leonard Cizewski Papers--also held by the Historical Society--contain more extensive material from the 1986 event. Of special interest is some correspondence of Doug LaFollette recalling a recent trip to Nicaragua as a representative of Wisconsin and his desire to further the sister state relationship with Nicaragua. An article from the New Republic discusses WCCN's foreign policy success with the visit of Sergio Ramirez to Wisconsin.

The Publications section consists of the files arising from the research for Friends in Deed: the Story of U.S.-Nicaragua Sister Cities and a media resources manual. The Friends in Deed files contain the most comprehensive documentation of sister city activities in the collection, documenting the activities and experiences of participants and the development of the sister city movement through the 1988 publication date. The files consist primarily of research and interview notes compiled in the course of writing the book. The research material consists of literature, newspaper articles, and interview notes of participants, including both Americans and Nicaraguan officials. The files are arranged by Nicaraguan political division into files on Regions I through VI and Special Zones I through III. Also, included are drafts and a small amount of correspondence and memoranda arising from preparation of the book. Photographs taken in Nicaragua by Liz Chilsen that were used to illustrate the book are still in organizational hands. The published version of Friends in Deed is available in the Historical Society Library. WCCN's media resources manual provides organizing tips and bibliographies of information on Nicaraguan and Central American issues.

The ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL FILES contain the best documentation in the collection about the overall work of WCCN. Included are grant proposals and a small number of files on granting agencies. The grant proposals contain some of the most comprehensive insight in the collection on WCCN from 1985 onward, providing statements of goals and objectives, information on accomplishments, financial information, brief internal notes, correspondence, and reports to foundations. Of special interest is a report to the Norman Foundation on the coverage WCCN had attracted in the national and international media. The April 1985 organizational proposal to establish WCCN is among the earliest documents concerning the organization in archival hands. A 1986 memo to the board discusses the establishment of a U.S.-Nicaragua Friendship Network, a national office and information clearinghouse.

The SUBJECT FILES contain documentation on numerous Wisconsin and national organizations and social action groups with which WCCN had contact. The files are arranged alphabetically by name or subject, and they typically consist of correspondence and literature. Of note are meetings minutes of the Wisconsin Interfaith Committee on Central America (WICOCA), which illustrate the interrelationship between numerous Wisconsin social action groups. Also included are some “NicaLine” PeaceNet downloads.

Acquisition Information

Presented by WCCN, March 1, 1995. Accession Number: M95-045

Processing Information

Processed by Patrick Strabala (1997 intern).

	Series: Programs and Activities
	1990 Election Observations, 1989-1990
	Ad Hoc Sister City Observer Coalition
Box   1 Folder   1-2	Correspondence, memorandum
Box   1 Folder   3	Final report, 1990
Box   1 Folder   4	Observer team guidelines, 1989
Box   1 Folder   5	Observers supplementary information packet
Box   1 Folder   6	WCCN funding proposal, 1989
Box   1 Folder   7	Wisconsin election observer team reports
	WCCN
	Correspondence
Box   1 Folder   8	Minor-Kessel, Ruth, 1990
Box   1 Folder   9	Vukelich, Donna, 1989-1990
Box   1 Folder   10	News clippings and press releases
	Observer's reports, 1990
Box   1 Folder   11	Chilsen, Liz
Box   1 Folder   12	Lloyd, Art and Sue
Box   1 Folder   13	Stelzer, Gus (Poems)
Box   1 Folder   14	Other election reports, 1989-1990
Box   1 Folder   15	Other observer delegations
	General records
Box   1 Folder   16	Correspondence, memorandum, and press releases, 1984-1989
Box   1 Folder   17	Information booth material, Madison permit, 1992-1993
Box   1 Folder   18	Press clippings
Box   1 Folder   19-21	U.S.-Nicaragua Sister City Conferences, 1986-1988
	Publications
	Friends in Deed, 1988
Box   1 Folder   22	Book reviewers list
Box   1 Folder   23	Correspondence, Memos
Box   1 Folder   24	Draft book proposal and outline
Box   1 Folder   25	Funding proposals, 1988
Box   1 Folder   26	Phone log and proof responses
	Research files
Box   1 Folder   27	Notes and interviews
Box   2 Folder   1-6	Regions I -VI
Box   2 Folder   7-9	Special Zones I-III
Box   2 Folder   10-11	Media resources manual
	Series: Administrative and Financial Records	⇧
	Foundation files, 1985-1990
Box   3 Folder   2	“Low priority” foundations
Box   3 Folder   2	Nest Foundation, 1986
Box   3 Folder   3	Norman Foundation
Box   3 Folder   4	Peace Development Fund, 1985-1987
Box   3 Folder   5	Winston Foundation for World Peace, 1987-1989
Box   3 Folder   6	Wisconsin War Tax Alternative Fund, 1985
Box   3 Folder   7	Youth project, 1986-1990
Box   3 Folder   8	Funding proposals, 1985-1989
Box   3 Folder   9	Memo, 1986
Box   3 Folder   10	Operating budget, 1987
Box   3 Folder   11	Organizational proposal, 1985
	Series: Subject Files	⇧
Box   3 Folder   12	Ann Arbor - Managua Initiative for soil testing and development, 1986
Box   3 Folder   13	Beyond War-Madison, 1987-1988
Box   3 Folder   14	Bikes not Bombs, 1990
Box   3 Folder   15	Center for Constitutional Rights, 1987-1988
Box   3 Folder   16	Central America Coalition of Northeast Ohio, 1988
Box   3 Folder   17	Central America Media Project (Bridgeport, CT), undated
Box   3 Folder   18	Central America Peace Campaign (Spokane, WA), undated
Box   3 Folder   19	Central America Solidarity Coalition, Milwaukee, 1985 Christic Institute
Box   3 Folder   20	Madison Contragate Action Team, 1988
Box   3 Folder   21	Citizens for Participation in Political Action, 1987-1988
Box   3 Folder   22	Coalition for a New Foreign and Military Peace, 1985
Box   3 Folder   23	Comite de Solidaridad con America Latina, 1989-1990
Box   3 Folder   24	Committee for Health Rights in Central America, 1984-1985
Box   3 Folder   25	Committee of U.S. Citizens Living in Nicaragua, 1985
Box   3 Folder   26	Commission on U.S.-Central America Relations, 1984-1986
Box   3 Folder   27	Consejo Nicaraguense de Amistad, Solidaridad y Paz, 1989
Box   3 Folder   28	Contradora Conference, 1986
Box   3 Folder   29	Dane County Pledge of Resistance, 1986
Box   3 Folder   30	Dane County Religious Committee, 1988
Box   3 Folder   31	Days of Decision, 1988
Box   3 Folder   32	Earth Island Institute, Environmental Project on Central America, 1986 (Lorenzo Cardenal Tour), 1986
	Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization, Central America Information Week, 1987
Box   3 Folder   34	General material
Box   3 Folder   35	Wisconsin report
Box   4 Folder   1-4	Other states' reports
Box   4 Folder   5	Labor-Farm-Party, 1986-89
Box   4 Folder   6	Medical Aid for Nicaragua Project, 1984-1984
Box   4 Folder   7	Medical Aid to Central America, 1986-1989
Box   4 Folder   8	Mobilization for Survival - Milwaukee, 1988
Box   4 Folder   9	National Central America Health Rights Network, 1986
Box   4 Folder   10	National Lawyers Guild - Madison Chapter, undated
Box   4 Folder   11	Oshkosh Human Rights Festival, 1989
Box   3 Folder   33	Peace through Parks, 1986
Box   4 Folder   12	PeaceNet downloads, 1988-1989
Box   4 Folder   13	Pledge of Resistance, 1985
Box   4 Folder   14	Religious Task Force on Central America, 1989
Box   4 Folder   15	Salvatorian Mission, 1988-1989
Box   4 Folder   16	TecNICA, 1986
Box   4 Folder   17	US Out of Central America, 1984
Box   4 Folder   18	Wisconsin Action Coalition, 1987-1988
Box   4 Folder   19	Wisconsin Central America Steering Committee, 1986
Box   4 Folder   20	Wisconsin Greens, 1988
Box   4 Folder   21	Wisconsin Interfaith Committee on Central America (WICOCA), 1984-1987
Box   4 Folder   22	Wisconsin Witness for Peace, 1985