Guide to the Robert Perlman Papers 1880-1997

Arrangement

Repository
Heinz History Center
Title
The Robert Perlman Papers,
Creator
Perlman, Robert
Collection Number
MSS#493
Extent
3.13 linear feet (3 boxes)
Date
1880-1997,
Date
1880-1938 (bulk)
Abstract
Robert Perlman was born on February 24, 1919. He received a B.A. from the University of Michigan, a M.S.W. from Western Reserve University, and a Ph.D. from Brandeis University with a concentration in planning. The collection consists of photocopied government documents, National Tube Company records, oral history transcripts, family memoirs, Perlman's extensive handwritten notes and other research materials used during the writing of Perlman's book From Shtetl to Milltown: Litvaks, Hungarians, and Galizianers in Western Pennsylvania, 1875-1925.
Language
The material in this collection is in English.
Author
The guide to this collection was written by Matt Strauss.
Publisher
Heinz History Center
Address
1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org

History

Robert Perlman was born on February 24, 1919. He received a B.A. from the University of Michigan, a M.S.W. from Western Reserve University, and a Ph.D. from Brandeis University with a concentration in planning. Perlman worked in Jewish community centers, as a field instructor in Social Work for the University of Illinois, and as a director for the Action for Boston Community Development before becoming Professor Emeritus at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University. He is the author of many published works on social planning and community organization.

In 2001, the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania published Perlman's book From Shtetl to Milltown: Litvaks, Hungarians, and Galizianers in Western Pennsylvania, 1875-1925. The work describes how Jewish immigrants from Poland, Russia, Hungary, and Galicia reshaped their traditions and lifestyles to fit into rapidly industrializing milltowns in Western Pennsylvania.

Scope and Content Notes

This collection contains Perlman's research material for his book From Shtetl to Milltown. The collection consists of photocopied government documents, National Tube Company records, oral history transcripts and family memoirs, as well as Perlman's extensive handwritten notes, recorded on loose leaf paper as well as in margins of the photocopied documents. Much of this demographic information is also represented in long computer printouts created by Perlman. A small amount of the material, including the correspondence from author Jacob Feldman, pertains to Perlman's 1991 work, Bridging Three Worlds: Hungarian-Jewish Americans, 1848-1914.

Series I: Towns

Much of the material in this series is derived from research conducted by Perlman at various National Archives offices. Perlman collected information by photocopying government documents (mainly census records, World War I draft registrations, and citizenship papers) as well as hand-copying the data on to mimeographed forms and loose leaf paper. These records document an individual's birth date and location, native language, family members, dates of arrival and naturalization, and occupation. The photocopied records also contain Perlman's notes recorded in the margins of the documents. Most of the records pertain to Jewish residents of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, a small steel town southeast of Pittsburgh. A much smaller amount of material pertains to the neighboring towns of Donora, Ambridge, and New Castle.

Also included in this series is a master list of the names of McKeesport's Jewish population (from 1893 to 1920), family memoirs solicited by Perlman, research papers by other authors, and lists of witnesses who signed naturalization petitions.

Series II: General Research

Perlman's research also covers topics and locations not directly tied to the locations represented in the first series. Along with the author's handwritten notes, this series contains material pertaining to the National Tube Works, Jewish communities of Eastern Europe, oral history transcripts, maps, and correspondence.

Beginning production in 1872, the National Tube Works became the world's largest tube producing company by 1901, when it was purchased by U.S. Steel. This material here includes photocopied National Tube Co. employment records from the University of Pittsburgh's Archives Service Center, transcripts of interviews from the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, and reports on the history of the company sent to Perlman by U.S. Steel.

Conditions Governing Access

No Restrictions.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Acc#2001.0274; Gift of Robert Perlman on March 22, 2002.

Preferred Citation

Robert Perlman Papers, 1880-1997, MSS#493, Rauh Jewish Archives, Senator John Heinz History Center

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Matt Strauss in July 2008.

Conditions Governing Use

Property rights reside with the Senator John Heinz History Center. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Library and Archives of the Senator John Heinz History Center.

Separated Materials

Three oversize folders, containing photocopies of McKeesport census from 1900 and 1920, two photocopied pages from the July 20th 1905 edition of the Magyarck Csillaga (Hungarian Star), and a photocopied map of McKeesport from 1901, have been separated as MSO#493.

Subjects

    Corporate Names

    • United States Steel Corporation
    • National Tube Works

    Personal Names

    • Perlman, Robert

    Geographic Names

    • Pennsylvania --Ethnic relations
    • Europe, Eastern--Emigration and immigration
    • McKeesport(Pa.)
    • Donora (Pa.)
    • Ambridge(Pa.)

    Other Subjects

    • Jews--Employment--Pennsylvania
    • Jews--Pennsylvania--History
    • Jews--Migrations--Europe, Eastern
    • Jews, East European--Pennsylvania--History
    • Immigrants--Pennsylvania--History--19th Century
    • Immigrants--Pennsylvania--History--20th Century
    • Jews--Migrations--Europe, Eastern

Container List