RG XXI: Committee on Ethnic Problems

Historical Note

The Committee on Ethnic Problems (var. US-UK Conferences on Race and Ethnic Problems/US-UK Seminar on Ethnic Minorities and Public Policy/Ethnic Pluralism and Public Policy) was active from 1972-1983. Work was conducted in two phases, with a lull from 1975-1979. In its first phase, proposed initially in 1969 by Nathan Glazer with Seymour Lipset, the original purpose was to examine ethnic identifications - its origins, meanings, and potential policy responses. Nathan Glazer and Daniel Patrick Moynihan as co-chairs.

A planning meeting was held May 23-24, 1972 with a conference, Ethnicity in the Contemporary World, following in October 26-28, 1972 at the House of the Academy. Papers presented were edited by Glazer and Moynihan, with the assistance of Corinne Schelling, and published as Ethnicity: Theory and Experience by Harvard University Press in 1975. The intent was to hold further conferences and was in the process of proposal; however, Moynihan and Glazer withdrew in 1975 to pursue other projects.

The second phase began in 1979 with a plan for a joint Anglo/American seminar on Ethnic Problems and Public Policy. This phase was directed by Executive Officer John Voss with David Lane, Chairman of the UK Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), with Nathan Glazer advising.

The resulting Anglo-American Seminar on Ethnic Minorities and Public Policy was held at Middle Aston House, Oxfordshire in May 1982. Papers presented were edited by Nathan Glazer and Ken Young, with the assistance of Corinne Schelling, and published as Ethnic Pluralism and Public Policy: Achieving Equality in the United States and Britain in 1983 by Lexington Books in the United States and by Heinemann Educational Books in the UK.

Funding in the first phase was provided by the Ford Foundation. Funding in the second phase was provided by the German Marshall Fund of the United States, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, with support from the Academy, the CRE, and from the Institute of Policy Studies.

Name Variations

The name of the project evolved throughout its tenure:

The Committee on Ethnic Problems (1972-1975)
US-UK Conferences on Race and Ethnic Problems (1979-1983)
US-UK Seminar on Ethnic Minorities and Public Policy (1979-1983)
Ethnic Pluralism and Public Policy (1979-1983)

Scope and Content

The series is found within the Academy Archives' Record Group XXI: Academy Projects and Programs. This series contains the administrative and publication records of Academy relating to the Committee on Ethnic Problems, officially in operation from 1972-1975, and the related joint US-UK seminars on Ethnic Problems (eventually referred to as Ethnic Pluralism and Public Policy), which operated primarily from 1980-1982. The majority of the records were created during these dates. The Committee records were created by the executive office of John Voss, particularly of Corrine Schelling, and concern the 1972 Conference and 1975 Publication. The US-UK records were created by the executive office of John Voss, with the majority being created by Voss, and concern the 1982 conference and 1983 publication. Records consist of administrative files and publication files. Included among administrative files are Committee correspondence and the correspondence of John Voss regarding project and general meeting planning, and grantor correspondence including reports, budgetary planning, and copies of award letters. Included among Conference and Publication records are collected drafts presented at conferences, correspondence with the publisher, with the majority of the files being correspondence with the authors, including draft articles.

Significant materials include the draft essays for presentation/publication.

Arrangement

Processing for the series utilized MPLP principles: folder titles are transcribed as they appear on the actual folders, and minimum preservation steps were taken. The original order of the records as kept by the office of Executive Officer John Voss was largely maintained: records were arranged chronologically or alphabetically, and interfiled, where appropriate. 

This series is organized into two subseries by phase of the project: Subseries 1: Committee on Ethnic Problems; and Subseries 2: Joint US-UK Committee.
Each subseries is composed of two sub-subseries: Sub-subseries .1: Administrative Records; and sub-subseries .2: Conference and Publication Records.
Administration files are arranged chronologically. Publication files are arranged generally chronological, with individual author files arranged alphabetically. 

Volume

2 records center cartons (2 linear feet)

Preferred Citation

[Item title, date]. Record Group XXI: Academy Projects – Committee on Ethnic Problems, 1969-1986. Archives, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Subjects

Lipset, Seymour Martin
Moynihan, Daniel P. (Daniel Patrick), 1927-2003
Glazer, Nathan
Lane, David, 1922-1998
Schelling, Corinne Saposs
Voss, John, 1917-
Commission for Racial Equality (United Kingdom)
Ford Foundation
Cultural pluralism
Ethnic relations--Political aspects
Oxfordshire (England)