The 3 boxes of material in this series relate to various aspects of SDS during its initial period of growth, 1958-1962. There are papers from national conventions and meetings, the Student League for Industrial Democracy (SLID) and the League for Industrial Democracy (LID), SDS officers' correspondence and statements, project files, and material from related groups.

The convention papers include correspondence; conference papers; lists of participants; notes; and reports pertaining to civil rights, anti-war activities, foreign policy, and recruitment. There are correspondence, notes, proposals, and statements referring to LID's relationship to and control over SLID and SDS. The SDS officers' correspondence and statements concern civil rights and anti-war activities, intra-organizational matters, and membership drives. The project files include information on civil rights, peace politics, Venture, and a voter registration pamphlet; there are correspondence, notes, manuscripts of articles, proposals, and reports. Among the related group materials are papers from the Earlham Political Issues Committee, First Intercollegiate Committee on Disarmament and Arms Control, and the National Student Association; these files include correspondence, clippings, and reports. There is also a folder of miscellaneous printed material dating from this period.