Series: Audio Recordings

Subseries: Personal

circa 1959
Physical Description: Time: Side 1 - 20 minutes; Side 2 - 60 minutes
:   Format: 3 3/4 IPS; 7-inch reel; 1/2 track; mono; acetate; 1.5 mil 
Scope and Content Note

Side 1: Warren Thompson farewell party at UC-Berkeley attended by a group of students and faculty, Wiley included. Records only social conversation and camaraderie.

Side 2: Stan Freberg skits, calypso and Spanish music. Last 10 minutes contains unidentified general gossip.

Side 1 - 1959 August 28; Side 2 - 1961 January 6
Physical Description: Time: Side 1 - 60 minutes; Side 2 - 45 minutes
:   Format: 3 3/4 IPS; 7-inch reel; 1/2 track; mono; acetate; 1.5 mil 
Scope and Content Note

George Wiley labeled this tape “Reflections.”

Side 1: Side 1 is a rambling, soul-searching monologue prompted by an unfavorable telephone conversation with Marty Goldsmith. Wiley expresses his thoughts about his relationship with Miss Goldsmith, further relates his view of love and marriage, and assesses his personal qualities.

Side 2: Marty Goldsmith has just listened to Side 1 and now reacts by relating her feelings for George. She explains why she has decided not to marry him, objections to an interracial marriage by her family being the main reason.

1961 June 24
Physical Description: Time: Side 1 - 16 minutes; Side 2 - blank
:   Format: 7 1/2 IPS; 7-inch reel; 1/2 track; mono; acetate; 1.5 mil 
Scope and Content Note: Wedding ceremony of George and Wretha Wiley (possibly an Episcopalian service).

Subseries: Civil Rights

circa 1961 January
Physical Description: Time: Side 1 - 20 minutes; Side 2 - blank
:   Format: 3 3/4 IPS; 7-inch reel; 1/2 track; mono; acetate; 1.5 mil 
Scope and Content Note: Radio Station WFBL (1390 AM, Syracuse) presents a program about George Lincoln Rockwell and the American Nazi Party. The first segment of the program is an interview with Rockwell by WHEW, New York. Rockwell discusses the beliefs and objectives of the American Nazi Party, particularly its outlook on Jews, Communists, and the Constitution, and his plan for a July 4 free speech rally (10-15 minutes). The next segment of the program is a WINS, New York, interview with Rockwell outside the Supreme Court of New York concerning much the same topics. First the reporter reviews the events at the hearing on the free speech rally and talks with Rockwell. Then is presented an interview outside the courtroom with one Jew who had spent time in a Nazi concentration camp; he talks about his time in the camp and speaks emotionally of his hatred and frustration against Rockwell and the proposed rally (10 minutes). The tape ends before an announced WFBL interview with New York Department of Jewish War Veterans gets started.

Between 1961 and 1964
Physical Description: Time: Side 1 - 60 minutes; Side 2 - blank
:   Format: 3 3/4 IPS; 7-inch reel; 1/2 track; mono; acetate; 1.5 mil 
Scope and Content Note: Louis Lomax, author of The Negro Revolt, addresses an unidentified gathering honoring three black students. Lomax presents his impressions of the Negro in society. His address touches on Christianity and how it treats Negroes, and assesses the conception of the Negro and the Negro experience in today's society. He examines three myths of liberalism: (1) the Negro leader, (2) Negro docility, and (3) the integrated North (46 minutes). A question and answer period highlights Lomax's impressions of treatment of Negroes in the media, his thoughts on violence and non-violence, and, briefly, comments on school segregation (10 minutes).

circa 1962 December
Physical Description: Time: Side 1 - 25 minutes; Side 2 - blank
:   Format: 7 1/2 IPS (first part), 3 3/4 IPS (second part); 7-inch reel; 1/2 track; mono; acetate; 1.5 mil 
Scope and Content Note

Press conference held by Ms. Faith Seidenberg, attorney for Ralph Dennis, a black teenager charged with purse snatching and murder. Ms. Seidenberg expresses her concern over irregularities in the arrest procedures and the subsequent unusual treatment of her client and his case.

Further in on Side 1 is a 5-minute segment of a TV newscast (taped off the air?) including notice of the initiation of a Ralph Dennis defense fund by George Wiley. Wiley is interviewed. (Recorded at 3 3/4 IPS)

1962 December 3
Physical Description: Time: Side 1 - 25 minutes; Side 2 - blank
:   Format: 3 3/4 IPS; 7-inch reel; 1/2 track; mono; acetate; 1.5 mil 
Scope and Content Note: George Wiley interviews Ralph Dennis' mother regarding her understanding of the circumstances surrounding Ralph's arrest and the events that followed.

1963 August 28
Physical Description: Time: Side 1 - 55 minutes; Side 2 - 5 minutes
:   Format: 3 3/4 IPS; 7-inch reel; 1/2 track; mono; acetate; 1.5 mil 
Scope and Content Note: Recording of keynote speeches presented at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., during the March on Washington. Speakers include A. P. Randolph, John Lewis (SNCC), Whitney Young, Jr. (National Urban League), Roy Wilkins (NAACP), and Martin Luther King Jr., who presents his famous “I have a dream” speech. (Bob Dylan songs fill the last 15 minutes of Side 1 and 5 minutes of Side 2.)

1964 January 4 or 5
Physical Description: Time: Side 1 - 60 minutes; Side 2 - 49 minutes
:   Format: 3 3/4 IPS; 7-inch reel; 1/2 track; mono; acetate; 1.5 mil 
Scope and Content Note: Bayard Rustin talks with Syracuse civil rights leaders. George Wiley is a participant. Rustin presents a short history of the modern civil rights movement, talks about the significance of Birmingham, and discusses why the March on Washington was important. He points out problems the movement faces (24 minutes). During the question and answer period Rustin addresses himself to a broad range of concerns expressed by the group. He points out the need for getting more people involved and calls for CORE and the movement as a whole to seek out a wider range of allies, particularly among church groups and unions. He calls for disruption of the Democratic and Republican convention. Especially interesting are Rustin's revelations about the behind the scenes happenings during the March on Washington (85 minutes).

1964 February 2
Physical Description: Time: Side 1 - 60 minutes; Side 2 - 30 minutes
:   Format: 3 3/4 IPS; 7-inch reel; 1/2 track; mono; acetate; 1.5 mil 
Scope and Content Note: WHEN radio documentary series on the Negro in Syracuse. Tape consists of three half-hour programs taped off the air and entitled (1) “Does the Negro in Syracuse suffer discrimination?”, (2) “September racial protest - analysis and retrospect,” and (3) “Civil Rights and the next 10 years.” Participants include George Wiley and other professors from Syracuse University and various Syracuse civic and religious leaders.

1964 February 28
Physical Description: Time: Side 1 - 40-45 minutes; Side 2 - 60 minutes
:   Format: 3 3/4 IPS; 7-inch reel; 1/2 track; mono; acetate; 1.5 mil 
Scope and Content Note

CORE Conference. Side 1: Bayard Rustin (first section of speech missing) addresses the Upstate CORE Conference in Syracuse. He assesses the progress of the civil rights movement and calls for fundamental changes in American society. Rustin elaborates on his belief that the civil rights movement needs to seek out allies among white liberal groups, churches, and unions as was done in the 1963 March on Washington. He also talks about the philosophy of non-violent protest and outlines three tasks before the civil rights movement: (1) It must continue the fight at every level. (2) It must maintain unity. (3) It must remain non-violent.

Side 2: An address by Walt Saver? on urban renewal and the struggle for good housing. He discusses some of the background of urban renewal and presents suggestions on how people can fight urban renewal (or minority renewal as Saver calls it). This section concludes with 10-15 minutes of questions.

Next Tom Hahn?, a civil rights activist, addresses the conference on the structure of national economics and the ways in which this structure affects minorities, especially blacks. (continued on next reel)

1964 February 28
Physical Description: Time: Side 1 - 90 minutes; Side 2 - 90 minutes
:   Format: 3 3/4 IPS; 7-inch reel; 1/2 track; mono; polyester; 1.0 mil 
Scope and Content Note

CORE Conference (continued). Side 1: Continuation of Tom Hahn's lecture (15 minutes); concludes with a question and answer period (10 minutes). Bayard Rustin then comments about the March 10 March on Albany and the protest to take place later the same day at the Willow Street jail, the police station, and the city hall. Rustin discusses the list of demands to be presented by the march. This section concludes with presentation of the strategy for a march that day in Syracuse. Delegates to the conference are instructed as to where and when to assemble and where to pick up protest signs.

Following this is the conclusion of George Wiley's summary comments on the conference (comments begin on Side 2) and then a brief portion of a conference business session.

Side 1 was recorded over a letter to George Wiley by some friends. A segment of this letter remains at the end of this side of the tape.

Side 2: Mainly contains addresses given before the conference by national CORE workers. First is an almost inaudible presentation by an unidentified man who discusses the media, particularly the press, and their relationship to the civil rights movement. He presents suggestions on how to raise money, set priorities, and what help is available to local chapters from the National Office in this respect (15 minutes). Alan Hoffman [?], the CORE field secretary for the Northeast region, discusses the internal structure of CORE and the different national action committees (10 minutes). Next Thelma [?] discusses how locals can carry on negotiations, overcome hostility, and get the community involved (1 hour).

The conference next takes up the wording of a telegram to Governor Rockefeller against pending stop and search legislation and other resolutions to be voted on. George Wiley concludes this side of the tape with comments on the importance of the conference and his thoughts on CORE's role in the larger picture of the national civil rights movement. He analyzes CORE's relationships with other important civil rights groups such as SNCC and the NAACP and with other groups such as churches and labor unions. Wiley uses the March on Washington as his principal reference point. The conclusion of these comments is on Side 1.

Side 1 - 1964 March 10; Side 2 - late 1950s?
Physical Description: Time: Side 1 - 40 minutes; Side 2 - 25 minutes
:   Format: 3 3/4 IPS; 7-inch reel; 1/2 track; mono; acetate; 1.5 mil 
Scope and Content Note

Side 1: A personal statement recorded by George Wiley concerning what he considers to be a critical community problem--the abuses in the routine handling and treatment of citizens suspected of various crimes. He also discusses his beliefs on the role of the police and relates how basic rights are violated by Syracuse police. He reviews the Charles Presley case (similar to Ralph Dennis case) and other incidents of police brutality and concludes by calling for remedy of the situation. Transcript in Box 6, Folder 4.

Side 2: A segment of a talk presented at a Christmas season church service by an unknown male, probably a missionary, concerning a trip through the Far East and Middle East.

1964 August 4
Physical Description: Time: Side 1 - 60 minutes; Side 2 - 60 minutes
:   Format: 3 3/4 IPS; 7-inch reel; 1/2 track; mono; acetate; 1.5 mil 
Scope and Content Note

George Wiley introduces two speakers at a public meeting at Grace Episcopal Church in Syracuse, probably a CORE meeting. The first speaker is Gene Young from Jackson, Mississippi, relating his experiences in civil rights activities in Mississippi and Kansas City. Young generally talks about the segregation situation in the South. (30 minutes)

The second speaker is Anne Moody from Centralville in southwest Mississippi. Moody presents her picture of segregation in rural Mississippi. She relates the details of her participation in the infamous Woolworth lunch counter sit-in on May 28, 1963 in Jackson, Mississippi. She concludes with general comments on civil rights, the Negro situation, and what must be done to improve it. (30 minutes)

Side 2: Anne Moody concludes talk (5 minutes). George Wiley leads a moment of silence for three civil rights workers found dead near Philadelphia, Mississippi, and then addresses himself to the financial needs of the movement--the need of money for voter registration and education projects--and the efforts to gain better federal protection for marchers (5 minutes). At the end of the tape, the recorder is on during a Sunday night get-together; conversation is mostly drowned out by the television (50 minutes).

1964?
Physical Description: Time: Side 1 - 12 minutes; Side 2 - 27 minutes
:   Format: 3 3/4 IPS, Side 1; 7 1/2 IPS, Side 2; 7-inch reel; 1/2 track; mono; acetate; 1.5 mil 
Scope and Content Note

Side 1: Draft of memo from George Wiley to Robert Weaver?, administrator of the Housing and Home Finance Agency in Washington, concerning Syracuse Urban Renewal projects and housing for displaced families. Wiley discusses the effect of government-sponsored urban renewal projects on the low-income housing supply and the Syracuse community as a whole.

Side 2: WAER (Syracuse University radio station) program, a panel discussion by several Syracuse University students of discrimination by sororities and fraternities.

undated
Physical Description: Time: Side 1 - 62 minutes; Side 2 - 48 minutes
:   Format: 3 3/4 IPS; 7-inch reel; 1/2 track; mono; acetate; 1.5 mil 
Scope and Content Note

This tape is a compilation of three different lectures. Side 1: The first segment is possibly a lecture presented by a white minister to a young white audience unfamiliar with CORE and the civil rights movement. The speaker explains the history of CORE on both a national and local Syracuse level. He presents what he considers to be five misconceptions about CORE members: they (1) are irresponsible, (2) are naive, (3) create violence, (4) disrespect the law, and (5) are impatient. (20 minutes).

The next segment is a brief excerpt from a lecture against alcohol (10-15 minutes).

The last lecture on the tape is a portion of a speech on the laxness of Army discipline. The speaker complains that the experiences of soldiers in North Korea proved that our men were suffering from psychological surrender to the Communists. He laments the passivity of 18-22 year olds and elaborates on how they violated the POW code book. The address is being presented to some type of organization. Questions and answers begin on this side and continue on Side 2.

undated
Physical Description: Time: Side 1 - 60 minutes; Side 2 - 15 minutes
:   Format: 3 3/4 IPS; 7-inch reel; 1/2 track; mono; acetate ; 1.5 mil 
Scope and Content Note: Discussion taped by George Wiley between black Syracuse CORE members and other blacks from the community. The latter group was involved in a recent riot and they are questioned by the CORE members about their reasons for participating in the riot. The discussion touches on various topics - psychology of riots, CORE's role in the Syracuse black community, causes of the riot, and the use of violent as opposed to non-violent tactics.

undated
Physical Description: Time: Side 1 - 45-50 minutes; Side 2 - blank
:   Format: 3 3/4 IPS; 7-inch reel; 1/2 track; mono; polyester; 1.0 mil 
Scope and Content Note: Message from George Wiley to Clint (unidentified). Wiley compares the Syracuse and Rochester racial situation (almost inaudible) and then reflects on the specifics of the Syracuse ghetto situation, the psychology of riots and how a potentially tense racial atmosphere can be calmed. Wiley relates CORE's role in this area and his personal efforts in calming one recent potentially riot-causing incident. The tape is being sent to Clint along with Reel 17 to give him ideas for an article on how CORE is providing alternatives to violence in black communities.

Subseries: Welfare Rights

1966 June 14
Physical Description: Time: Reel 19 - 30 minutes; Reel 20 - 30 minutes; Reel 21 - 15 minutes
:   Format: 7 1/2 IPS; 7-inch reels; full track; mono; acetate; 1.5 mil. Bad splices; very bad condition 
Scope and Content Note: These three reels comprise a radio program on WBAI, New York, dealing with a proposal for radically changing the welfare system. Participants include Dr. Richard Cloward and Dr. Frances Piven, Columbia University School of Social Work, and Wiley, who had recently founded the Poverty Rights Action Center. The panelists discuss the myths and evils of welfare and propose a new system based on income supplements. Wiley talks about how welfare problems are closely related to civil rights. The participants call for a massive campaign to help people get what is rightfully theirs; as a result of this additional pressure on the system the inadequacies will be thrown into sharp relief and this will be a first step toward radical changes. (The first sentence is missing.)

1967 August 26-27
Physical Description: Time: Side 1 - 90 minutes; Side 2 - 90 minutes
:   Format: 3 3/4 IPS; 7-inch reel; 1/2 track; mono ; acetate; 1.0 mil. Fragile 
Scope and Content Note

National Welfare Rights Organization first national convention. The first segment of Side 1 is the afternoon plenary session of August 26. The main controversy is over setting up rules and regulations for the convention. George Wiley introduces Dr. Richard Cloward and Dr. Frances Piven. Dr. Cloward gives a brief address on the national welfare movement and strategy. He calls for aggressive recruitment of those eligible for welfare to create added pressure for change (20 minutes). Questions and answers (10 minutes).

Part 2 of Side 1 and the entire second side is a continuation of the plenary session on August 26-27, including the roll call of delegates and bickering over elected offices to be voted on and formalities in general. Wiley is present but contributes little beyond advice on parliamentary procedure. There is also brief discussion by delegates of Wiley's role at the convention. (continued on next reel)

1967 August 27
Physical Description: Time: Side 1 - 90 minutes; Side 2 - 90 minutes
:   Format: 3 3/4 IPS; 7-inch reel; 1/2 track; mono; acetate; 1.0 mil 
Scope and Content Note

NWRO convention (continued). Side 1: The conclusion of the nominations and speeches for national offices by various candidates. Mrs. Johnnie Tillmon is elected first national president.

Side 2: James Farmer and Dick Gregory address the convention. Farmer remarks on the significance of the welfare rights movement and comments on the U.S. Congress, the philosophy of the NWRO, and pending legislation affecting welfare (15 minutes). Gregory presents a comical but emotional address on American society, touching on the economy, welfare, riots, and black people. End of speech is not recorded. (75 minutes)

1968 May 7
Physical Description: Time: 2 hours, 44 minutes
:   Format: 1 7/8 IPS; 7-inch reel; 1/2 track; mono; polyester; 1.0 mil. (Copied at 3 3/4 on 2 reels) 
Scope and Content Note: A workshop held under the auspices of the National Association of Social Workers. The objective of the workshop is to develop a conceptual model of a multi-purpose neighborhood social service center. Discussion centers around staffing, facilities, and goals. This meeting is one of an undetermined number on the subject. Side 2 is blank.

1969 July 13
Physical Description: Time: 12 minutes
:   Format: 7 1/2 IPS; 7-inch reel; full track; mono; polyester; 1.5 mil 
Scope and Content Note: George Wiley is interviewed about the National Welfare Rights Organization and what it is trying to accomplish. Wiley talks about welfare and the minimum wage and points to the new direction the welfare movement is taking, i.e., seeking a guaranteed annual adequate income for all poor people. Wiley concludes with remarks about live-on-welfare-for-a-week consciousness-raising activities, particularly the experiences of Mrs. Frank Church, wife of Senator Church of Idaho. Interview is for WABC, New York, to be broadcast at 10:42 PM, Sunday, July 13, 1969.

Subseries: Tax Reform

undated
Physical Description: Time: 90 minutes
:   Format: C-90 cassette 
Scope and Content Note: The cassette is labeled “Health Sem., Harvard;” however, the contents of the tape make no mention of health. Rather the cassette records a meeting between unidentified union representatives and George Wiley and others interested in tax reform. The discussion centers around whether unions will participate in tax reform and taxpayer revolt along with welfare people. Union leaders express sympathy with the idea but lament the drawbacks of union bureaucracy that will work against this development.

1973 March 20
Physical Description: Time: Reel 27 - 90 minutes; Reel 28 - 45 minutes
:   Format: C-90 cassettes 
Scope and Content Note: George Wiley leading an Income Maintenance Seminar at Harvard University. Wiley begins by summarizing the discussion of March 13, 1973, which concerned tax reform. Participants then introduce themselves, and the discussion follows.