Race Relations

American Left Ephemera Collection

A wide-range of primary source textual and visual material documents left-wing organizations in the U.S. during the 20th century.

Thomas C. Brogan, a student of political science, was a member of the Task Force on Civil Disorder created by Pittsburgh Mayor Joseph M. Barr following the civil unrest in April of 1968. This collection of papers includes reports, memos, interviews, and statistics used by the Task Force in their fact-finding mission

Contains hand-rendered and mimeographed broadsides, newsletters, and flyers that present a local snapshot of Pittsburgh's radical politics during the 1930s and 1940s.

Erroll Garner (1921-1977) was an African American pianist/composer from Pittsburgh, Pa., known largely for his 1954 composition "Misty," and his 1955 live album Concert by the Sea. The digital collection documents portions of his life and work; it contains correspondences, legal documents, and personal writings. Additionally, many of the items included document the life and work of Martha Glaser, who was Garner's manager throughout his career. Prior to her career as Garner’s manager, Glaser worked within the City of Chicago’s Department of Public Information and Education as a civil rights advocate.

This collection consists entirely of the transcription of the Coroner's Inquest into the death of Jonny Gammage. This case was covered by the media around the United States, as the death of Jonny Gammage occurred during a traffic stop where law enforcement brutality lead to his death. Thirty-seven individuals were called to testify during the inquest.