Series: 4: Convention File, 1947-1965
Note: Specify series number when requesting boxes.

Physical Description: 14 boxes and 5 reels of microfilm (35 mm) 
Scope and Content Note

The ADA Convention File contains the records of the annual ADA conventions which began in 1948. The files are arranged chronologically by convention year, alphabetically by subject folder title within each convention year, and chronologically by month within the folders.

The records for the years 1948-1952 are more complete than those for the later years, 1953-1965. The following list provides the year and month, and the location of each convention.

1947 March	Washington, D.C.
1948 February	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1949 April	Chicago, Illinois
1950 March	Washington, D.C.
1951 February	Cleveland, Ohio
1952 May	Washington, D.C.
1953 May	Washington, D.C.
1954 April	Chicago, Illinois
1955 May	Washington, D.C.
1956 May	Washington, D.C.
1957 March	Washington, D.C.
1958 May	Washington, D.C.
1959 May	Washington, D.C.
1960 May	Washington, D.C.
1961 May	Washington, D.C.
1962 April	Washington, D.C.
1963 May	Washington, D.C.
1964 May	Washington, D.C.
1965 April	Washington, D.C.

The subject folders concern a variety of matters, such as: invitations, negotiations for speakers, speeches, correspondence with local chapters about delegates, the financial aspects of arranging a convention, correspondence organizing policy formulating commissions (for example: political policy commission, domestic policy commission, foreign policy commission, constitutional commission), copies of commission resolutions, replies from those invited, and general post-convention correspondence. Much of the correspondence in the policy commission folders for the various conventions relates to the leading liberals of the day and concerns the issues in which they were most involved.

1948 Convention

Contributions, correspondence January-March

Convention Speeches

Correspondence with National Board, correspondence January-February

Delegates

Finances of Organizing the Convention, correspondence January-June

General correspondence on Convention, Delegates, correspondence 1947 December-1948 March

Invitations to speak at Convention, correspondence January-February

Messages to the Convention, correspondence January-February

Mimeographed materials, miscellaneous

National Executive Secretary's Report to the 1st National Convention

Post Convention correspondence, correspondence February-March

Program

Proxies to the Convention, correspondence February

Refusal to invitations, correspondence January-February

Students for Democratic Action

Various Policy Commissions and their Drafts, correspondence February

1949 Convention

Contributions, correspondence March

Correspondence with Chapters on Convention, correspondence 1948 December-1949 April

Credentials Committee, correspondence March

Finances

General Convention Affairs, correspondence 1948 December-1949 April

Lists of Delegates, Guests, Participants

Messages, Speeches, Speakers, correspondence January-April

Mimeographed Materials, miscellaneous

Policy Commissions, Drafts, correspondence January-May

Post Convention correspondence, April-June

Proxies, correspondence March

Replies to Invitations, correspondence January-May

Students for Democratic Action

1950 Convention

Correspondence with Chapters on Convention, correspondence

1949 December-1950 February

1950 February-March

Credentials Committee, correspondence March

General Convention Affairs, correspondence 1949 November-1950 May

Lists of Participants

Messages to the Convention, correspondence March-April

Mimeographed materials, miscellaneous

Organization Seminar

Policy Commissions, Drafts, correspondence January-March

Post Convention correspondence, April-May

Proxies, correspondence February-March

Replies to Invitations, correspondence January-April

Speeches, Speakers, correspondence January-April

1951 Convention

Correspondence with Chapters, 1950 December-1951 May

General Convention Affairs, correspondence 1950 June-1951 February

Lists of Participants

Mimeographed Materials, miscellaneous

Nomination Committee for National Affairs, correspondence February-March

Policy Commissions, Drafts, correspondence 1950 June-1951 April

Post Convention correspondence, correspondence February-April

Replies to Invitations, correspondence 1950 September-1951 March

Speeches, Speakers Messages, correspondence 1950 October-1951 February

1952 Convention

General Convention Affairs, correspondence 1952 January-June

General correspondence with Chapters, correspondence 1952 February-April

General correspondence with Chapters, correspondence 1952 May-July

Lists of Participants

Mimeographed Materials, miscellaneous

Policy Commissions, Drafts, correspondence January-May

Post Convention, correspondence May

Proxies, correspondence May

Quota Committee, correspondence February-May

Replies, correspondence April-May

Speeches, Speakers Messages, correspondence January-May

1953 Convention

Speeches, Messages, General Convention Affairs, correspondence May-October

Correspondence with Chapters, May-April

General correspondence, January-May

Messages to the Convention, correspondence May

Mimeographed Materials, miscellaneous

1954 Convention

Correspondence with Chapters, 1953 September-1954 April

General Convention Affairs, correspondence 1953 November-1954 April

List of Participants

Mimeographed Materials, miscellaneous

Nominating Committee, correspondence January-April

Policy Commissions, Drafts, correspondence February-April

Post Convention, correspondence April

Proxies, correspondence March-April

Replies to Invitations, correspondence February-March

Speeches, Speakers Messages, correspondence February-April

1955 Convention

Correspondence with Chapters, February-April

General Convention Affairs, correspondence February-May

Lists of Participants

Mimeographed Materials, miscellaneous

Nominating Committee for National Officers, correspondence January-April

Policy Commissions, Drafts, correspondence February-April

Post Convention correspondence, March

Replies to Invitations, correspondence January-February

Speeches, Speakers Messages, correspondence 1954 December-1955 April

1956 Convention

Correspondence with Chapters, April-May

General Convention Affairs, correspondence 1955 December-1965 May

Lists of Participants

Mimeographed Materials, miscellaneous

Policy Commissions, Drafts, correspondence April

Replies to Invitations, correspondence February-March

Speeches, Speakers Messages April-May

1957 Convention

Correspondence with Chapters, January-April

General Convention Affairs, correspondence 1956 July-1957 December

Lists of participants

Mimeographed Materials, miscellaneous

Nominating Committee, correspondence 1956 November-1957 April

Policy Commissions, Drafts, correspondence January-March

Program

Quota Committee, correspondence February-March

Replies to Invitations, correspondence January-February

Speeches, Speakers Messages, correspondence January-March

1958 Convention

Contributions, correspondence April-June

Convention Journal, correspondence February-May

Correspondence with Chapters, 1957 December-1958 May

General Convention Affairs, correspondence 1957 June-1958 May

Nominating Committee, correspondence January-November

Mimeographed Materials, miscellaneous

Policy Commissions, Drafts

Post Convention correspondence, April-September

Quota Committee, correspondence March-May

Replies to Invitations, correspondence February-May

Speakers, Speeches, correspondence 1957 November-1958 May

1959 Convention

Correspondence with Chapters, January-May

General Convention Affairs, correspondence February-December

Invitations to the Convention, correspondence January-April

Mimeographed Materials, miscellaneous

Nominating Committee, correspondence February-May

Policy Commissions, Drafts, correspondence 1958 September-1959 May

Policy Commission, Drafts

Post Convention correspondence, May

Quota Committee, correspondence March-July

Replies to Invitations, correspondence February-June

Speeches, Speakers, correspondence 1958 December-1959 April

1960 Convention

Correspondence with Chapters, March-August

General Convention Affairs, March-May

Invitations to the Convention, correspondence 1959 November-1960 April

Mimeographed Materials, miscellaneous

Nominating Committee, correspondence March-May

Policy Commissions, Drafts, correspondence

1960 May-June

1959 November-1960 April

Policy Commissions, Drafts

Quota Committee, correspondence March-August

Replies to Invitations, correspondence 1959 November-1960 June

Speakers, Speeches, correspondence February-June

1961 Convention

General correspondence, 1961 March-April

Mimeographed Materials, miscellaneous

1962 Convention

General correspondence, February-September

Mimeographed Materials, miscellaneous

1963 Convention

General correspondence, March-May

Mimeographed Materials, miscellaneous

Policy Resolutions, May

1964 Convention

General correspondence

Journal, correspondence April-May

Mimeographed Materials, miscellaneous

1965 Convention

General correspondence