Title: Mark Curtis Defense Committee Records
Inclusive Dates: 1983-1996

Creator:

• Mark Curtis Defense Committee

Call Number: M96-233

Quantity: 4.0 c.f. (4 record center cartons), 63 photographs, and 3 videorecordings

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, 1983-1996, of a committee formed to support the legal defense of Mark Curtis, an activist in the Socialist Workers Party in Des Moines, Iowa, who was involved in labor/political strife in the packinghouse industry and who was arrested and jailed on false charges to remove him from influence. The collection consists of the organizational records of the Committee as well as legal documentation of Curtis’ defense.

Language: English, Spanish

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-m96233

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Included are minutes of meetings, literature and mailings, correspondence, press clippings, Mark Curtis’ FBI files, letters of support, videotapes produced for the Committee which include an interview with Curtis in prison, Curtis’ speech at a gathering to celebrate his release, financial reports, background information concerning brutality and racism in the Des Moines Police Department, charges, depositions, motions, trial transcript, verdict, state and federal appeals documents, files relating to Curtis’ federal civil rights suit against the police, and his challenge to prison lock-up. Photographs include images of his trial, the committee, and his release. Some documents appear in both English and Spanish. Videotapes document a prison interview with Curtis, and a speech he made after his release.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Mark Curtis Defense Committee via John Studer, New York. Accession Number: M96-233

M96-233	Series: Introduction, 1988-1996
Box   1 Folder   1	Introduction to the Mark Curtis Defense Committee: A fight to win freedom for a framed-up packinghouse unionist and socialist activist
	Index to the Committee Files
Box   1 Folder   2	Political
Box   1 Folder   3	Legal
Box   1 Folder   4	Time line of defense effort, 1988-1996
Box   1 Folder   5	Index to articles in The Militant about Curtis' Fight
Box   1 Folder   6	Index to Curtis' columns, From Behind Prison Walls, in The Militant
Box   1 Folder   7	Pathfinder pamphlet: Why Is Mark Curtis Still In Prison?
Box   1 Folder   8	Print-out of endorsements
Box   1 Folder   9	Final financial report, 1988-1996
	Series: Political Files	⇧
	1988
Box   1 Folder   10	Minutes
	Literature and mailings
Box   1 Folder   11	Mark Curtis Defense Committee
Box   1 Folder   12	Who Is Mark Curtis? (defense flyer)
Box   1 Folder   13	Curtis' statement at sentence hearing
Box   1 Folder   14	Press releases
Box   1 Folder   14	Press clippings
Box   1 Folder   15	Iowa
Box   1 Folder   16	International
Box   1 Folder   17	United States
Box   1 Folder   18	Dr. Everson memos on Curtis injuries
Box   1 Folder   19	Leaflet found in Curtis' car the night of his arrest
Box   1 Folder   20	Mark Curtis' FBI files
Box   1 Folder   21	Swift, 17 (identities and flyer for support demonstration)
Box   1 Folder   22	Flyers for first meetings of the Mark Curtis Defense Committee
Box   1 Folder   23	July Morris attack on Mark Curtis Defense Committee office and Pathfinder Bookstore
Box   1 Folder   24	October 19, Morris leaf burning charges
	Statement/Letters opposing the frame up
Box   1 Folder   25	African National Congress of South Africa
Box   1 Folder   26	Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
Box   1 Folder   27	Rosa Parks
Box   1 Folder   28	Eddie Hatcher
Box   1 Folder   29	Joe Doherty
Box   1 Folder   30	Donnie Thornsbury
Box   1 Folder   31	Prisoners United for Revolutionary Education
Box   1 Folder   32	William Bywater
Box   1 Folder   33	R.T. Griffin, Arizona Labor Council
Box   1 Folder   34	Statements/Letters protesting the frame-up
Box   1 Folder   35	Farmer Support
Box   1 Folder   36	Curtis letters to prisoners: Leonard Peltier
Box   1 Folder   37	Counter-comparison
	1989
Box   1 Folder   38	Minutes
	Literature and mailings
Box   1 Folder   39	Stakes In The Worldwide Political Campaign
Box   1 Folder   40	Endorser List, April 22, 1989
Box   1 Folder   41	Endorser List, April 22 - August 1, 1989
Box   1 Folder   42	Pathfinder pamphlet: The Frame-Up of Mark Curtis
	Correspondence
Box   1 Folder   43	United States
Box   1 Folder   44	Student letter to Miguel Anfonso Martinez regarding United Nations Campaign
Box   1 Folder   45	International
Box   1 Folder   46	American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Box   1 Folder   47	Press Releases
	Press clippings
Box   1 Folder   48	Iowa
Box   1 Folder   49	International
Box   1 Folder   50	Cuba - Bohemia
Box   1 Folder   51	United States
Box   1 Folder   52	Union
Box   1 Folder   53	Making of Nick Castle video
	Spanish language prison fight
Box   1 Folder   54	Clippings
Box   1 Folder   55	Protest letters
Box   1 Folder   56	Women's Rights support letter
Box   1 Folder   57	Farmer protest leaders support
Box   1 Folder   58	United States Southern Civil Rights Support Tour
Box   1 Folder   59	Public letter from Johnny “Imani” Harris
Box   1 Folder   60	Southern Christian Leadership Convention (SCLC) resolution endorsing MCDC
Box   1 Folder   61	Southern Organizing Committee (SOC) convention endorsement MCDC
Box   1 Folder   62	John Zippert, Greene County Democrat, Endorsement
Box   1 Folder   63	Support from prisoners
Box   1 Folder   64	International youth appeal
Box   1 Folder   65	International support from socialist groups
Box   1 Folder   66	Parole Board decision
	Counter-campaign
Box   1 Folder   67	Workers League: Bulletin articles
Box   1 Folder   68	Workers League: International
Box   1 Folder   69	Iowa Socialist Party
Box   1 Folder   70	Detroit Metro Times exchange
Box   1 Folder   71	Polk County, Iowa, victim services
Box   1 Folder   72	International Unions
	1990
Box   2 Folder   1	Minutes
Box   2 Folder   2	Literature and mailings
	Correspondence
Box   2 Folder   3	United States
Box   2 Folder   4	Correspondence with Mark Curtis
Box   2 Folder   5	Press releases
	Press clippings
Box   2 Folder   6	Iowa
Box   2 Folder   7	United States
Box   2 Folder   8	International
Box   2 Folder   9	Labor
Box   2 Folder   10	Nick Castle video, the premiere in Des Moines United Nations Human Rights Committee
Box   2 Folder   11	February meeting
Box   2 Folder   12	August sub-commission meeting
Box   2 Folder   13	United Nations Prisoners' Rights Conference in Cuba
Box   2 Folder   14	Amnesty International application and related material
	International Support
Box   2 Folder   15	Denmark
Box   2 Folder   16	Nicaragua
Box   2 Folder   17	South Africa National Union of Mineworkers
Box   2 Folder   18	Cuba: Granma, Trabajadores clippings
Box   2 Folder   19	Cuba: Correspondence
Box   2 Folder   20	Other international
Box   2 Folder   21	Support from prisoners
Box   2 Folder   22	National Conference of Black Lawyers
Box   2 Folder   23	Parole campaign
Box   2 Folder   24	Retirement of Julia Terrell as treasurer of the Mark Curtis Defense Committee
	Attacks on Curtis in prison
Box   2 Folder   25	Exchange with Warden Thalacker
Box   2 Folder   26	Gambling charge
Box   2 Folder   27	Warden Thalacker “Gag Order” against Curtis
Box   2 Folder   28	Financial harassment suit against Curtis and Kaku
Box   2 Folder   29	Fundraising grants
	Counter-campaign
Box   2 Folder   30	Bulletin articles
Box   2 Folder   31	Boston Labor Page exchange
Box   2 Folder   32	Pelka probe and student answer
Box   2 Folder   33	International
Box   2 Folder   34	International Unions
Box   2 Folder   35	Workers League: The Mark Curtis Hoax
Box   2 Folder   36	Morris letter to Curtis' parents
	1991
Box   2 Folder   37	Minutes
Box   2 Folder   38	Literature and mailings
Box   2 Folder   39	Mark Curtis v. The City of Des Moines pamphlet
Box   2 Folder   40	Endorsers list, June 1990 - June 1991
	Correspondence
Box   2 Folder   41	International
Box   2 Folder   42	United States
Box   2 Folder   43	With Curtis
Box   2 Folder   44	Press releases
	Press clippings
Box   2 Folder   45	Iowa
Box   2 Folder   46	International
Box   2 Folder   47	May 1991 Priscilla Schenk, Mark Curtis Defense Committee Tour of Mexico
Box   2 Folder   48	United Nations Human Rights Commission
Box   2 Folder   49	Union support work
Box   2 Folder   50	Parole campaign
Box   2 Folder   51	Johnny “Imani” Harris Freedom Rally
Box   2 Folder   52	Iowa prison Sex Offender Treatment Program (SOTP)
Box   2 Folder   53	Fundraising grants
	Counter-campaign
Box   2 Folder   54	Exchange in checkout (Canada)
Box   2 Folder   55	Correspondence
Box   2 Folder   56	United Transportation Union (UTU)
Box   2 Folder   57	Fred Pelka article
Box   2 Folder   58	Iowa Federation of Labor Resolution
Box   2 Folder   59	South Middlesex, Massachusetts, National Organization for Women
	1992
Box   2 Folder   60	Literature and mailings
Box   2 Folder   61	Parole Now for Mark Curtis
Box   2 Folder   62	Ruling in favor of Police Brutality lawsuit
	Correspondence
Box   2 Folder   63	United States
Box   2 Folder   64	International
Box   2 Folder   65	Support letter from Comite De Defense
Box   2 Folder   66	Prison Sex Offender Treatment Program
	Press clippings
Box   2 Folder   67	Iowa
Box   2 Folder   68	United States and International
Box   2 Folder   69	Parole campaign
	Counter-campaign
Box   2 Folder   70	Dis-endorsement letters
Box   2 Folder   71	Boston, National Association for the Advancement Of Colored People (NAACP)
Box   2 Folder   72	KUCB-FM interview with Morris family
Box   2 Folder   73	United Transportation Union, McNaughton letter
Box   2 Folder   74	United Transportation Union, Mark Curtis Defense Committee, answer by McArthur
	1993
Box   3 Folder   1	Literature and mailings
	Correspondence
Box   3 Folder   2	United States
Box   3 Folder   3	International
	Prisoners
Box   3 Folder   4	Bredan Donaghy at Long Kesh
Box   3 Folder   5	Johnny “Imani” Harris
Box   3 Folder   6	Abdelhak Mouuadak
Box   3 Folder   7	Others
	Cuba
Box   3 Folder   8	Benito Souza, Ospaal
Box   3 Folder   9	Angel Lazano Sanchez
Box   3 Folder   9	From El Paradiso Youth Camp
Box   3 Folder   10	Press releases
	Press clippings
Box   3 Folder   11	Letters in response to Petroski article in Des Moines Register
Box   3 Folder   12	International Socialist Groups
Box   3 Folder   13	Files on Curtis by prison authorities
Box   3 Folder   14	Support campaign in Greece
Box   3 Folder   15	Notification to Curtis by prison he served out sexual abuse charge, June 18, 1993
Box   3 Folder   16	Parole campaign
Box   3 Folder   17	Parole Board Decision, January, October
Box   3 Folder   18	Oakdale prison refusal to accept Curtis
	Counter-campaign
Box   3 Folder   19	Dis-endorsements
	Boston, National Association for the Advancement Of Colored People (NAACP)
Box   3 Folder   20	Correspondence
Box   3 Folder   21	Clippings
	Counter-campaign rolled back
Box   3 Folder   22	Freedom and Justice for Mark Curtis pamphlet
Box   3 Folder   23	Responses to Boston NAACP attack
Box   3 Folder   24	International support statements
	United States supporters reaffirm backing
Box   3 Folder   25	Prominent
Box   3 Folder   26	General
	1994
Box   3 Folder   27	Literature and mailings
Box   3 Folder   28	Correspondence
Box   3 Folder   29	Press clippings
Box   3 Folder   30	Black History Month Celebration at John Bennett Correctional Center
Box   3 Folder   31	Parole campaign
Box   3 Folder   32	International campaign against Curtis' disciplinary lock-up
Box   3 Folder   33	Oakdale Transfer Demand - Correspondence Parole Board
Box   3 Folder   34	Curtis request for minimum security
Box   3 Folder   35	Counter-campaign rolled back: Boston Globe article
	1995
Box   3 Folder   36	Literature and mailings
	Correspondence
Box   3 Folder   37	United States
Box   3 Folder   38	International
Box   3 Folder   39	Prisoners
Box   3 Folder   40	Press releases
	Press clippings
Box   3 Folder   41	Iowa
Box   3 Folder   42	General
Box   3 Folder   43	Reviews of Why is Mark Curtis Still in Prison?
Box   3 Folder   44	Denial and reversal of prison decision to bar, Why is Mark Curtis Still in Prison?
Box   3 Folder   45	Campaign for Curtis in Cuba
Box   3 Folder   46	Brazilian landless rural workers support
	Parole campaign
Box   3 Folder   47	Kutmus letter to parole board
Box   3 Folder   48	Letters
Box   3 Folder   49	Draft parole release order
Box   3 Folder   50	Arson attack on Mark Curtis Defense Committee Office and Des Moines Pathfinder Bookstore
Box   3 Folder   51	Counter-campaign, Morris interview in Des Moines
	1996
Box   3 Folder   52	Literature and mailings
Box   3 Folder   53	Final mailing announcing dissolution of Mark Curtis Defense Committee
Box   3 Folder   54	Foreign language literature, 1988-1996
	Correspondence
Box   3 Folder   55	United States
Box   3 Folder   56	International
	Press clippings
Box   3 Folder   57	“The Martyr”: Des Moines City View
Box   3 Folder   58	Material on sex offender laws
Box   3 Folder   59	Other
Box   3 Folder   60	Protests against prison censorship of Curtis's Militant column
	Countdown to Freedom
Box   3 Folder   61	Support letters to Illinois Department of Corrections
Box   3 Folder   62	Memos and correspondence
Box   3 Folder   63	Curtis gains his freedom: Parole order on release
Box   3 Folder   64	, August 10 Illinois celebration of Curtis' release and messages welcoming him back
Box   3 Folder   65	Counter-campaign: Workers League statement
	Series: Legal Files	⇧
	1983-1996
Box   4 Folder   1	List of attorneys for Mark Curtis Defense Committee
	Attorney contracts
Box   4 Folder   2	Mark Pennington, 1988
Box   4 Folder   3	William Kutmus, 1988
Box   4 Folder   4	Eichhorn, 1989
Box   4 Folder   5	Jed Stone, 1996
Box   4 Folder   6	Matt Piers, 1996
	Police Frame-up of Curtis, Background on Des Moines police
Box   4 Folder   7	Report of Mayors Advisory Committee, 1983
Box   4 Folder   8	Des Moines Civil Service Commission Report, 1988
Box   4 Folder   9	United States Justice Department Report, 1989
Box   4 Folder   10	Register article on Joseph Gonzalez
Box   4 Folder   11	Register clippings on Dusenberry brutality charges
	Pre-Trial Documents
Box   4 Folder   12	Correspondence regarding Des Moines Police Internal Affairs investigation of beating of Mark Curtis
Box   4 Folder   13	March 7, 1988 charges against Curtis
Box   4 Folder   14	April 6, 1988 new charges against Curtis and minutes of testimony
	May depositions
Box   4 Folder   15	Demetria Morris
Box   4 Folder   16	Jason Morris
Box   4 Folder   17	Joseph Gonzalez
Box   4 Folder   18	Richard Glade
	Police assault charges against Curtis
	Depositions
Box   4 Folder   19	Dusenberry
Box   4 Folder   20	Wolf
Box   4 Folder   21	Motion to drop charges against Curtis
	Trial
Box   4 Folder   22	Trial transcript
Box   4 Folder   23	Transcript summary prepared by Margaret Winter
	Stenographic notes on summary arguments
Box   4 Folder   24	Mark Pennington
Box   4 Folder   25	Catherine Thune
Box   4 Folder   26	Verdict
	1988-1995
Box   4 Folder   27	Motion for a new trial
	State Appeals
Box   4 Folder   28	Appeal to Iowa Supreme Court, 1989
Box   4 Folder   29	Iowa Court of Appeals decision, 1990
Box   4 Folder   30	Request for review of decision, 1990
Box   4 Folder   31	Denial of request, 1990
	Federal Appeal
Box   4 Folder   32	Writ of Habeas Corpus, 1993
Box   4 Folder   33	Denial of Writ by Federal District Court, 1994
Box   4 Folder   34	Appeal to United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit, 1994
Box   4 Folder   35	Curtis' Appeal Brief, 1994
Box   4 Folder   36	Decision rejecting appeal by U.S. Court of Appeals, 1995
Box   4 Folder   37	Curtis letter to Kutmus declining appeal to Supreme Court, 1995
Box   4 Folder   38	Correspondence on right of Mark Curtis Defense Committee to distribute On Trial video, 1989
	1989-1993
	Curtis lawsuit against Police Brutality
Box   4 Folder   39	Complaint, 1989
Box   4 Folder   40	Documents in Resistance to defendants' motion for summary judgment, 1991
Box   4 Folder   41	Judgment in Curtis v. Des Moines, 1992
Box   4 Folder   42	Morris' notice of filing lien, 1992
Box   4 Folder   43	Report of the parties regarding attorneys fees and costs, 1992
Box   4 Folder   44	Checks to Curtis from City of Des Moines, 1992
Box   4 Folder   45	Final judgment, 1992
Box   4 Folder   46	U.S. Court of Appeals Ruling on Disposition of Frees, 1993
Box   4 Folder   47	Petition for Rehearing, 1993
	1989-1991
	Morris Harassment Suit
Box   4 Folder   48	Morris harassment suit petition, 1989
Box   4 Folder   49	Summary judgment against Curtis on liability, 1990
Box   4 Folder   50	Trial transcript, 1990
Box   4 Folder   51	Transcript of video deposition of Mark Curtis, 1990
Box   4 Folder   52	Motion, brief and affidavits for protective order, 1990
Box   4 Folder   53	Protective order protecting names of contributors to Mark Curtis Defense Committee, 1990
Box   4 Folder   54	Judgment, 1991
	1992-1996
	Curtis challenge to prison lock-up
Box   4 Folder   55	Iowa Department of Corrections brochure on Iowa State Penitentiary
Box   4 Folder   56	Iowa State Penitentiary Disciplinary Polices and Practices
Box   4 Folder   57	Des Moines Register article, “Prison lock-up Practice decried as brutal treatment of inmates,” 1992
Box   4 Folder   58	Investigation Segregation Notice, 1994
Box   4 Folder   59	Summary Segregation Notice, 1994
Box   4 Folder   60	Damico memo, 1994
Box   4 Folder   61	Barnett interview, 1994
Box   4 Folder   62	Curtis request for information on investigation, 1994
Box   4 Folder   63	Disciplinary notice, 1994
Box   4 Folder   64	Curtis request for statements from witnesses and for the right to legal representation, 1994
Box   4 Folder   65	Decision of administrative law judge Charles Harper, 1994
Box   4 Folder   66	Curtis appeal, 1994
Box   4 Folder   67	Curtis request for information on date he was placed in summary segregation, 1994
Box   4 Folder   68	Appeal rejection by Iowa State Penitentiary, 1994
Box   4 Folder   69	Curtis supplemental appeal, 1996
Box   4 Folder   70-71	Iowa State Penitentiary rejection of supplemental appeal, 1994
Box   4 Folder   72	Kutmus letter to Department of Corrections, 1994
Box   4 Folder   73	Curtis appeal to Iowa Department of Corrections, 1994
Box   4 Folder   74	Department of Corrections rejection of appeal, 1994
Box   4 Folder   75	Application for Post Conviction Relief in Lee County Court, 1995
Box   4 Folder   76	Answer to Iowa Department of Justice to Post Conviction Relief, 1995
Box   4 Folder   77	Curtis request for dismissal without prejudice due to granting of parole, 1996
Box   4 Folder   78	State Motion for Summary Judgment based on Parole, 1996
	Series: Photographs Note: Removed from Political Files.	⇧
PH Box   14	1988, Curtis after police beating Physical Description: 4 items
PH Box   14	1988, Trial Physical Description: 5 items
PH Box   14	1988, Attack on Mark Curtis Defense Committee Office and Pathfinder Store Physical Description: 12 items
PH Box   14	1990, Nick Castle Video: Stu Singer, Castle, and attorney George Eichhorn filming interview with Curtis at Iowa State Men's Reformatory, Anamosa, , March 2, 1989 Physical Description: 1 item
PH Box   14	1991, Mark Curtis Defense Committee office and meeting Physical Description: 1 item
PH Box   14	1992, Rally Physical Description: 2 items
PH Box   14	1993, Parole Hearing Physical Description: 1 item
PH Box   14	1993, Supports BBQ Physical Description: 1 item
	1995, Parole Campaign
PH Box   14	September 7, Meeting with Parole Board Physical Description: 6 items
PH Box   14	November 21, Parole victory press conference Physical Description: 5 items
PH Box   14	December 17, Des Moines parole victory celebration Physical Description: 2 items
	1995, Curtis gains his freedom
PH Box   14	Curtis and supporters on his release Physical Description: 18 items
PH Box   14	Curtis at first Mark Curtis Defense Committee meeting after release Physical Description: 5 items
Film Archive	Series: Videotapes Note: Removed from Political Files.	⇧
	On Trial: The Mark Curtis Case, March 30, 1994
	Nick Castle: The Frame-Up of Mark Curtis, August 23, 1995
	Nick Castle: The Frame-Up of Mark Curtis (Spanish version)