Part 1 (Milwaukee Mss EX): Original Collection, 1956-1989
Physical Description: 7.7 cubic feet (18 archives boxes) 
Scope and Content Note

The collection provides information about the activities and writings of one of the 1960s leading civil rights activists. However, it consists primarily of correspondence, little of which is personal in nature, and most of which is unsolicited response to Father Groppi's civil rights activities, especially during 1967-1968 when he was a controversial national figure for his inflammatory activism in support of racial integration. Therefore, as a resource the papers may be more valuable for research in public reaction to civil rights activists, particularly those in religious professions, than they are for a study of Groppi's life and work. The collection is arranged in eight series: Correspondence, Personal Material and Writing, Activities, Printed Material, Essays by Various Authors, Scrapbooks, Newspaper Articles, and Tape Recordings.

The CORRESPONDENCE is divided into twelve subseries. The Supportive, Criticism, and Hate segments are the most valuable in terms of public opinion. Of note in the Supportive file are telegrams from Jesse L. Jackson (February 28, 1968) and Martin Luther King Jr. (September 4, 1967), and a letter (February 26, 1968) from Walter Mondale. While some of the correspondence is in support of Father Groppi, the larger portion is not. Some of the letters opposing Groppi's ideological stance and actions are thoughtful, reasoned criticism; more of them are “hate” mail. Copies of form letters signed by Groppi requesting donations of money for food and fines, and dated May 19, June 21, July 19, 1967 and September 12, 1969, are filed with Supportive correspondence. Occasionally, donations received are recorded on letters in the Supportive and Criticism correspondence files, but letters sent to Groppi for the sole purpose of donating money to support his civil rights activities are found in the Donations file. The Personal correspondence and letters to Archbishop W.E. Cousins contain the only responses in the collection written by Father Groppi. Also included with Personal correspondence are birthday cards, letters from friends and associates, and a May 5, 1967 letter from Sheed and Ward Publishers suggesting that Groppi write his autobiography. In this subseries is the only mention in the papers of the incident at the Alexian Brothers Monastery at Gresham, Wisconsin, a critical letter written February 26, 1975 by Father Groppi in response to an article by syndicated columnist Andrew Greeley. Speaking Engagements correspondence includes initial requests of Groppi to address meetings, contractual arrangements, and in some cases the sponsoring organization's response to the lecture. The Grade School Compositions are letters written by the children in parochial schools as class projects, and sent to Father Groppi by the instructors. Most of the General correspondence file consists of requests to Father Groppi to grant a private audience, to lend his name and assistance in combating issues such as the fluoridation of drinking water, or to help high school students with essays and debates on civil rights topics. The folders in the Correspondence series labeled “Additions” contain items separated from the Eugene Bleidorn Papers in the Archives of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and presented to the Historical Society in 1996.

The PERSONAL MATERIAL AND WRITINGS series was compiled to separate what little exists on the personal life of Father Groppi from his civil rights activities. This material is fragmentary and not very revealing with the exception of a partial draft of an autobiography plus a biographical essay by an unidentified author covering Groppi's years at St. Veronica Church. Although items relating to the Archdiocese of Milwaukee provide insight on the responsibilities of a Roman Catholic priest in the diocese, they are limited in extent and there is almost nothing on Groppi's relationship with the predominantly black St. Boniface parish of the diocese. Groppi's involvement as advisor to the Milwaukee NAACP Youth Council, which was the basis of support in his early civil rights activities, is only sketchily documented in the correspondence series. There is nothing on it here nor in the Activities series that follows.

The ACTIVITIES series spans 1966 through 1972, but is an incomplete testimony of all the activities with which Groppi was associated. However, it does contain records of legal proceedings against Father Groppi which give more detail about his civil rights activities than any other single file. The file marked Statements, Proposals, and Resolutions holds papers which were sent to Father Groppi regarding the civil rights issue. They are not statements made by Groppi himself. It is probable that the clippings in the Scrapbooks and Newspaper Articles series offer more information concerning some of Groppi's activities than the manuscripts in the Activities series.

The PRINTED MATERIAL is a sampling of items that were sent to Father Groppi with some regularity. Part of the material isgularity. Part of the material is religious such as the published words of the Lady of Fatima. The remaining is social comment of which a major portion, in cartoon and broadside, is unfavorable to the Negro race. The series ESSAYS BY VARIOUS AUTHORS is a group of papers submitted to Father Groppi which deal either with Father Groppi or with the civil rights movement.

The SCRAPBOOKS consist of newspaper articles from 1967 which were mounted into blank books by Father Groppi. The NEWSPAPER ARTICLES are probably a continuation of Groppi's scrapbooks, but the articles were never organized as such. They have been kept in the order received and Groppi's file titles have also been retained. Clippings from the Milwaukee Journal and Milwaukee Sentinel newspapers have been retained in the original as Father Groppi clipped them, since these Milwaukee newspapers are preserved on microfilm for the period of the clippings in this collection, 1967-1978. Clippings from other newspapers and magazines, for which it is not known whether microfilm copies exist, have been photocopied to assure better preservation of the text of the articles.

Series: Correspondence

Subseries: Supportive

View selections of support mail

1965 October 18-1967 July 21

1967 July 22-September 15

1967 September 16-October 2

1967 October 3-1969 October 3

1969 October 4-1975 July 29

Additions, 1965 October and 1966 August

Subseries: Criticism

View selections from criticism mail

1965 August 1-1966 September 5

1966 September 6-1967 September 13

1967 September 14-1968 June 3

1969 August 30-1972 July 20; undated

Additions, 1965 October-1967 September

Subseries: Hate

View selections from hate mail

1965 December 7-1967 September 1

1967 September 2-16

1967 September 17-1968 September 1

1969 August 31-1975 April 1; undated

Additions, 1965 October-1967 September

Subseries: NAACP, 1967 August 17-1970 July 21; undated

Subseries: Donations, 1967-1968

Subseries: Personal, 1966 March 16-1978 June 20; undated

Subseries: Regarding Speaking Engagements

1965 December 12-1968 August 23

1968 September 12-December 30

Subseries: Archbishop W.E. Cousins, 1971

Subseries: Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Center, 1971 August 20-1973 July 23

Subseries: Grade School Compositions

St. Boniface, 1967

St. Agatha, 1969

St. Augustine, 1967

Sacred Heart, 1967

St. Mary's, 1967

Holy Name, St. Alphonsus, St. Elizabeth, and unidentified, 1966-1967

Additions: Letters from School Children, 1965 October

Subseries: General

1965 October 6-1967 October 2

1967 October 3-1968 October 9

1969 October 10-1973 May 22

Subseries: Chain Letters Sent to Groppi, 1967 May 9-1969 September 10

Series: Personal Material and Writings

Autobiography and Biographical Essay

Resume and Selected Bibliography on Groppi, to 1972

Marriage Certificate, 1976 April 22

Applications to Post-Secondary Institutions, 1970-1973

Appointment Books and Calendars, 1968-1970

Archdiocese of Milwaukee, 1967-1972

Awards, Citations, and Membership Certificates

Class Picture, St. Boniface School, 1968

Correspondence Checklists, 1969 October 22-27; undated

Interviews, Lectures, and Speeches, 1964-1976; undated

Job Applications, 1976

St. Boniface Church Council, 1967

Sermons, 1969 August

Series: Activities

Campaign against Allen-Bradley Company, 1969 August 8-September 6

Cartoons, Flyers, and Magazine Articles about Groppi, 1966-1975

Editorials

WTMJ-TV, 1967 August 15-September 26; 1969 September 29

WITI-TV, 1967 September 8; 1969 September 29

Legal Documents, 1968-1972

Statements, Proposals, and Resolutions, 1967-1969

Police Brutality and Harrassment, 1966-1969

Series: Printed Material, circa 1966-1969 (no order)

Series: Essays by Various Authors (no order)

Series: Scrapbooks, Newspaper Clippings, circa 1967

Series: Newspaper Articles

“Civil Rights,” circa 1967, circa 1974

“Budget,” circa 1969

“Welfare,” 1969 September 27-October 6

“Pentagon Arrest,” 1972

Biographical, 1974, 1978

Part 2 (PH 4983): Additions, undated
Physical Description: 37 photographs (1 folder) 
Scope and Content Note: Photographs documenting Groppi's involvement in civil rights activities in Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin, including protests, meetings, and marches. Also included are images from his personal life including religious ceremonies and family photographs.

Photographs

Part 3 (M2001-085, Audio 704A, AE 110): Additions, 1956-1989
Physical Description: 4.4 cubic feet (2 records center cartons, 1 archives box, 1 card box, and 2 flat boxes), 11 audio recordings and 1 film (16 mm) 
Scope and Content Note

Additions, 1956-1989, consisting principally of personal correspondence relating to Groppi's marriage and final illness as well as the voting rights activities of his wife, Peggy Rozga, in Midway (Alabama). Also included is correspondence and other material related to Groppi's activities as president of the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 998, two drafts of his autobiography, papers on memorial activities, and a large number of news clippings. There are also photographs which include snapshots taken by Peggy Rozga in Midway (Alabama), family photographs, and photos of civil rights activities.; as well as a film on a 1969 Welfare March in Madison.

The audio recordings consist of some of Groppi's sermons, monologues, and speeches. Most of the content touches upon themes of racism, poverty, social justice, and civil rights in relation to society and religion. There are also recordings of other speakers and activities including interviews, discussions, songs, and television shows.

Correspondence

Supportive, 1967-1969, 1971-1983

Criticism

1967

1976-1987

Hate, 1976-1983

NAACP, 1967

Donations, 1967-1972, undated

Personal

1972-1979

Wedding, 1976

1980-1983

Illness, 1984-1985

1985

Speaking engagements, 1967-1983

General, 1966-1985, undated

Peggy Rozga

Personal, 1965-1969, 1972-1977, 1984-1988, undated

General, 1965-1988, undated

Personal material and writings

Autobiographical material

Autobiography

Resume

Salzmann School, 1956-1957

Awards, 1967-1985

Last illness, 1985

Memorabilia

Writings

Sermon materials

Miscellaneous materials

Activities

Peggy Rozga

Alverno College, 1965-1967

General, 1965-1988

Legal documents, 1970-1972

Republican National Convention, 1972

“Groppi” film project, 1980

Amalgamated Transit Union

Election, 1982

District Court case, 1982-1983

Correspondence, 1982-1984

James Groppi Day

General, 1983-1988

Posters, 1988-1989

“Gropp” rhythm and blues opera, 1988

Printed material, 1973-1989

Scrapbooks

Newspaper clippings, 1967-1973

'March for Peace and Justice,' 1987

Newspaper articles

1964-1965

1966

Scrapbook, Eagles Club boycott, 1966

1967

“Miracle in Milwaukee,” Ebony Magazine, 1967 November

1968-1981

Alexian Brothers standoff, 1975

1985-1994

Father Groppi's death, 1985

1987-1988

undated

Photographs

Midway, Alabama, 1965

Civil rights activism, undated

Personal, undated

Tape Recordings
Note: Users in Milwaukee should request these tapes under call number Milwaukee Tape 5.
Formerly housed in Box 4 of accession M2001-085.

[returned to donor]

Father Groppi sermons at St. Boniface, 1967 September 17, 24
Scope and Content Note: Jesus as history's most radical civil rights leader.

Groppi discusses personal history, ideas for books with collaborator
Scope and Content Note: Also recordings of radio or TV shows discussing civil rights movement.

Groppi Monologue about Church's role and responsibilities on the issues of racism, poverty, and social justice
Note: Cuts to recording of TV or radio show dealing with global revolution topics.

Speeches by James Bevel in Chicago, one about the need for a real movement in Chicago, one about the structure and function of the SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Council)

Groppi Speech at Hiroshima Remembrance Gathering
Scope and Content Note: Discusses the immorality of war.

Unidentified service, talk, rally, and music
Note: Mostly inaudible. Last part of recording is phone calls to St. Boniface by people upset with the Church's involvement in civil rights issues.

Speech by Louis E. Lomax, “Tale of Three Cities,” delivered at Augsburg College, 1963 November 21

Margaret Penman (of Canadian Broadcasting Company) interviews Eddie Brown at a conference between civil rights leaders and religious leaders

Audio recording of “Great Divide” TV show, an ABC news program describing the details and public opinion on the Civil Rights Act

NAACP youth group singing and having discussions with Father Groppi
Scope and Content Note: Also recording of TV show of New York City residents debating the state of school integration in New York City, religious songs, Father Groppi practicing sermons, and group Bible study.

Speech by Father Phillip Berrigan in Milwaukee about American imperialism and Christ as a revolutionary

Film

Welfare Mothers' March on Madison, 1969 September 29
Physical Description: 16 mm, color, silent, approximately 150 feet 

Part 4 (M2004-254): Additions, 1968-1979
Physical Description: 0.2 cubic feet (1 archives box) 
Scope and Content Note: Additions, 1968-1979, consisting of news clippings from the Milwaukee Journal and Milwaukee Sentinel documenting the activities of Father Groppi.

Milwaukee Journal and Milwaukee Sentinel clippings, 1968-1979