Title: Che Guevara Bookstore and Movement Center Records
Inclusive Dates: 1968-1972

Creator:

• Che Guevara Bookstore and Movement Center (Madison, Wis.)

Call Number: Mss 315

Quantity: 0.4 c.f. (1 archives box)

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:

Business records of a Madison, Wisconsin, establishment that sold Socialist literature and served as headquarters for a number of left-wing groups. Included are the 1970 articles of incorporation and amendments; correspondence with publishers, radical political groups, and various individuals; and financial records.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mss00315

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The Che Guevara Bookstore was a focal point of radical Left activity during the nearly three years of its existence beginning on January 1, 1969. The directorship of the bookstore was changed in September 1969 and again in July 1970; and on February 23, 1970 the bookstore incorporated as the Che Guevara Movement Center. Despite these changes its purpose and function remained constant.

In addition to selling revolutionary socialist literature, the Bookstore served as the headquarters for a number of political organizations including the Young Socialist Alliance, the Socialist Workers Party Campaign Committee, the Madison Committee to End the War in Vietnam, the Student Mobilization Committee, The Committee Against Political Repression, and The G.I. Civil Liberties Defense Committee.

The Bookstore also was a center for forums, movies, and a variety of other political activities until it ceased operations on August 31, 1971.

The records of the Che Guevara Bookstore and Movement Center span the years 1968-1972, with the bulk of the material dating from 1969 to 1971. Included are the 1970 Articles of Incorporation and amendments, correspondence, and financial records. These materials reflect the primary function of the Bookstore and Movement Center, which was to sell socialist literature. There are occasional scattered notes pertaining to other Young Socialist Alliance activities, but the collection is basically a record of a business operation.

The general correspondence is arranged chronologically. Correspondents include publishers such as Merit, Monthly Review Press, Foreign Language Press, and China Books and Publications; political organizations including, the Young Socialist Alliance, the Aaron Dixon Defense Fund, the Black Panther Party, the Arab Information Center, and others; and various individuals. Most of the correspondence concerns requests and orders for literature.

The specific correspondence file is arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent and chronologically thereunder. Most of this material is in the form of invoices, billing statements, receipts, and order forms.

The financial records of the Che Guevara Bookstore and Movement Center include inventories of stock, daily sales records, income statements, bank statements, a checkbook, and other miscellaneous receipts and records. These are arranged by type of record and chronologically thereunder.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Patrick M. Quinn, Madison, Wisconsin, December 13, 1973. Accession Number: M73-467

Processing Information

Processed by C. Backus (Intern) and Joanne Hohler, October 1974.

	Articles of Incorporation, February 23, 1970 and April 16, 1971
Box   1 Folder   1	Articles of Incorporation of the Che Guevara Movement Center, Ltd., February 23, 1970
Box   1 Folder   1	Amendments to the Articles of Incorporation, April 16, 1971
Box   1 Folder   1	Internal Revenue Service Exemption Application, April 16, 1971
Box   1 Folder   2	Correspondence, General, 1968-1971
	Correspondence, Specific, 1969-1971
Box   1 Folder   3	Arab Information Center, 1969 August and December
Box   1 Folder   4	Bulletin Publications, 1969 August
Box   1 Folder   5	China Books and Publications, 1969
Box   1 Folder   6	Eastern News Distributors, 1969 October - 1970 November
Box   1 Folder   7	Grove Press, 1969 September and October
Box   1 Folder   8	Intercontinental Press, 1970 August and October
Box   1 Folder   9	International Publishers, 1969 September - 1971 June
Box   1 Folder   10	Merit Publishers, 1968 October - 1971 June
Box   1 Folder   11	Monthly Review Press, 1968 June-1969 May
Box   1 Folder   12	New England Free Press, undated
Box   1 Folder   13	Penguin Books, Inc., 1969 October-1971 May
Box   1 Folder   14	Universal Distributors, 1969 November-1971 March
Box   1 Folder   15	Vanguard Publications, 1969 November
Box   1 Folder   16	Viking Press, 1969 October-1971 June
Box   1 Folder   17	Vintage Books, 1969 October-1969 December
	Financial Records, 1968-1972
Box   1 Folder   18	Inventories, 1969 September-1971 February
	Sales records
Box   1 Folder   19	1969 January-1970 March
Box   1 Folder   20	1970 October-1971 August
Box   1 Folder   21	Income statements, 1970-1971
Box   1 Folder   22	Bank records, 1970 March-1972 March
Box   1 Folder   23	Miscellaneous records, 1969-1971
Box   1 Folder   24	Miscellaneous receipts, 1968 December-1971 April