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{"value"=>"21223", "type"=>"local_mss"}
- origination
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{"value"=>"Browne, Robert S., 1924-", "type"=>"persname"}
- unittitle
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{"value"=>"Robert Span Browne papers"}
- unitdate
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{"value"=>"1957-1995", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1957/1995"}
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{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"9.6 lin. ft."}], "supress_display"=>true}
- arrangement
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{"value"=>"Collection organized into five series: I. Personal Papers; II. General Correspondence; III. Political Activities; IV. Vietnam; and V. Writings", "supress_display"=>true}
- acqinfo
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{"accession_number"=>"SCM 85-40"}
{"accession_number"=>"SCM 95-39"}
{"accession_number"=>"SCM 96-18"}
{"date"=>"09/--/1985", "source"=>"Browne, Robert S.", "method"=>"Gift"}
{"source"=>"Browne, Robert S.", "method"=>"Gift"}
{"date"=>"05/14/2004", "source"=>"RSB"}
{"value"=>"<p>Gift, Robert S. Browne, 1985, 2004</p>"}
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{"value"=>"Sc MG 239", "type"=>"local_call", "supress_display"=>true}
- scopecontent
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{"value"=>"<p>Browne has been a prolific writer within his areas of expertise, i.e. American involvement in the Vietnam conflict, especially its impact on African-Americans, economics as it pertains to African Americans and to a lesser extent, to Africans. Most of his writings have been in the form of articles, letters to the editor and book reviews as well as writing and co-authoring several books.</p><p>The Robert S. Browne Papers document Browne's role as an important African-American economist whose ideas helped shaped the discourse on Black America during the 1960's, as well as his active involvement as an early outspoken critic of the American military campaigns in Vietnam. The Browne Papers consist primarily of professional correspondence relating to all aspects of his career as an economist and black activist with the National Conference on Black Power and National Black Political Convention; his campaign for the United States Senate in 1966 and other political activities.</p><p>The collection is divided into five series and two subseries. The Personal Papers series consists of biographical information including resumes and autobiographical sketches, Browne's letters to family and friends, job applications, and tributes.</p><p>The two subseries within General Correspondence: Fairleigh Dickinson University (1966-1974) and Black Economic Research Center (1969-1981) consists principally of correspondence Browne kept at FDU and BERC pertaining to his speaking engagements, conference participation, writings, and other professional and personal matters. These files do not relate to his teaching responsibilities at FDU or to his administrative role at BERC. Correspondence from the 1980's reflects Browne's positions as a senior research fellow at Howard University and as the staff director of the banking subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives. In addition to the correspondence pertaining to economic issues as they affect African Americans, other themes in these files include monetary and fiscal policies of the United States and its relationship to other countries. Options for American policy on economic development regarding Africa, especially southern Africa, and the Caribbean are discussed. Other subjects include the African famine of the mid 1980's, South African apartheid, and international finance.</p><p>The series Political Activities documents Browne's 1966 political campaign for the United States Senate seat from New Jersey. Material from the National Conference on Black Power includes reports on sessions and Browne's workshop on economic empowerment, and correspondence between Browne and Amiri Baraka (one of the conference's co-chairs) dealing with their participation in meetings regarding the conference. The series also contains material for the 1972 National Black Political Convention including drafts of the National Black Political Agenda and drafts of papers by others concerning a variety of topics as they relate to African Americans including human development, communications, foreign policy, rural development, and political empowerment, as well as Browne's paper on economic empowerment.</p><p>The Vietnam series reflects Browne's long-term commitment to influence United States policy on Vietnam. Correspondence with officials and others detail Browne's position, especially his conviction that the U.S. followed an erroneous course in supporting Vietnam's President Diem. Diaries document two trips Browne took to Vietnam in 1967 and 1978 to observe the changes that had occurred in the country. In addition there is material about African-American involvement both as soldiers and protesters.</p><p>The Writings Series includes speeches Browne delivered at conferences nationwide concerning the economic policies of the United States, especially as they relate to African Americans and economic empowerment, manuscripts for published articles, book reviews, and letters to the editor about the same topics. Copies of his numerous publications are also included in this series, including \"Race Relations in International Affairs\" (1961) and responses generated by Browne's controversial 1967 article, \"The Case for Black Separatism.\".</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The Robert Span Browne papers are arranged in five series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/21223#c1124265'>Personal Papers</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The series consists of biographical information including resumes and autobiographical sketches, Browne's letters to family and friends, job applications (1961-1964), and tributes.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/21223#c1124272'>General Correspondence</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Two of the subseries within General Correspondence: Fairleigh Dickinson University and Black Economic Research Center, consist principally of correspondence Browne kept at FDU and BERC pertaining to his speaking engagements, conference participation, writings, and other professional and personal matters. These files were maintained separately by Browne and do not relate to his teaching responsibilities at FDU or to his administrative role at BERC.</p> <p>Much of the correspondence pertains to and conferences nationwide. The bulk of his speeches deal with the war in Vietnam and economic issues, especially Browne's numerous speaking engagements and participation in seminars as they relate to African Americans. Some of the conferences Browne participated in which are represented here are: panelist for discussion, \"An Erosion of Justice: Black Land Loss in the South\" for a symposium on Race and Law; \"Black Reparations and the Idea of Compensatory Justice\" at the University of Pennsylvania Law School (1979); moderator for \"The World of Black Business\" sponsored by the National Urban League (1979); an address to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (1980); and several talks to the American Friends Service Committee and the Black United Fund. Programs for some of his speeches are included in these subseries, while the text of his speeches can be found in the writings series.</p> <p>Correspondence from the 1980's reflects Browne's positions as a senior research fellow at Howard University and as the staff director of the banking subcommittee of the U. S. House of Representatives. In addition to the correspondence pertaining to economic issues as they affect African Americans, other themes in these files include monetary and fiscal policies of the United States and its relationship to other countries. Options for American policy on economic development regarding Africa, especially southern Africa, and the Caribbean are discussed. Other subjects include the African famine of the mid 1980's, South African apartheid, and international finance. Some of the organizations with whom Browne corresponded are the African-American Institute, Operation Crossroads Africa, Overseas Development Council, and Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs. Browne was also in contact with the International Monetary Fund, U. S. government agencies such as Agency for International Development, non-governmental organizations, and corporations.</p> <p>Correspondence pertaining to Browne's writings include requests for reviews of articles and books, editors seeking permission to publish his articles, invitations for submission of articles to journals, Browne's editorship of a college economics textbook and comments and questions on several of his articles such as separatism and the ideas put forth in the Black Manifesto. Some drafts of his writings can be found in this series.</p> <p>Correspondence with politicians such as Benjamin Rosenthal and Harrison Walker concern the war in Vietnam, white control in Rhodesia and other controversial black related issues. Additional correspondents include writer Amiri Baraka concerning the National Black Political Conference, economist W. H. Ferry pertaining to Browne's ideas on separatism and Vietnam, the president of San Francisco State College, S. I. Hayakawa, and Senator Bill Bradley. As a much sought after black intellectual and activist, there are many letters from universities asking Browne to apply for faculty positions at those universities; others sought his nomination for membership in organizations and on boards of national organizations.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/21223#c1124426'>Political Activities</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The series documents Browne's roles in major national events which encompass his 1966 political campaign for the United States Senate seat from New Jersey, the National Conference on Black Power (1967), Eugene McCarthy campaign material (1968), and the National Black Economic Convention held in 1972. Browne's political campaign is documented with material consisting of a list of groups and individuals who expressed support for Browne's candidacy; his letters indicating reasons, as they relate to the war in Vietnam, for his bid for the nomination; comments listing factors favorable and unfavorable for his candidacy; press releases indicating the official reason for his withdrawal; as well as news clippings pertaining to several other candidates and to the Vietnam Conflict.</p> <p>Additionally this series also includes documents from the National Conference on Black Power held in Newark, New Jersey in July 1967. Material encompasses lists of Advisory Committee members and memoranda sent to them, reports on sessions including that of Browne's workshop on black power through economic development, and printed matter. Correspondence between Browne and Amiri Baraka deals with their participation in meetings regarding the conference.</p> <p>The Eugene McCarthy campaign material (1968) in this series consists of correspondence, petitions, flyers, news releases, and printed matter for McCarthy's campaign and Browne's participation as a Democratic National Convention delegate. Opposing candidates are also represented in the collection.</p> <p>Documentation for the National Black Political Convention include pre-convention material such as the Congressional Black Caucus' call for the convention, minutes of committee meetings, and lists of Platform Committee staff advisors. Also included are drafts of the National Black Political Agenda which challenged African Americans to determine which essential changes would enable them to move in the direction of self-determination. There are other drafts of papers prepared by the Platform Committee concerning a variety of topics as they relate to African Americans including human development, communications, foreign policy, rural development, and political empowerment. Browne's position paper on economic empowerment (which consists of manuscript drafts) can also be found here.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/21223#c1124453'>Vietnam</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The series reflects Browne's long-term commitment to influence the United States government to withdraw its troops from Vietnam. Correspondence with officials and others, including <em>The New York Times</em>, detail Browne's position, including his conviction that U. S. policy supporting Vietnam's President Diem was erroneous. Notes and an annotated incomplete manuscript, written in approximately 1962, for an unfinished book on Vietnam provides historical background on French involvement in the country and United States aid dating to the 1950's. Diaries document two trips he took to Vietnam in 1967 and 1978 to observe the changes that had occurred in the country. Other writings include unpublished and published articles by Browne, and published material on his involvement in Vietnam. There is also printed matter about the war in Vietnam, the anti-war protests, and African-American involvement as both soldier and protester. A poster with the caption \"Uncle Sam Needs <em>You</em> Nigger\" completes the series.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/21223#c1124474'>Writings</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The series includes speeches Browne delivered at conferences nationwide concerning the economic policies of the United States, especially as they relate to African Americans, manuscripts for published articles, book reviews, programs, and letters to the editor about the same topic. Copies of his numerous publications are also included in this series.</p> <p>Of note is the difficulty Browne experienced in publishing a book entitled <em>Race Relations in International Affairs</em> (Public Affairs Press). This 1961 work deals with the increasing significance of non-white peoples in the world power scheme and their impact on the white world. The book suggested various courses of action Americans might have followed to meet the swiftly changing power situation. Correspondence documents Browne's problems in getting the manuscript accepted, and following publication, the poor reception it received.</p> <p>Particularly interesting is a major article Browne wrote, \"The Case for Black Separatism\" (December 1967) and the responses it elicited in the press and via correspondence; many letters and articles came out in support of Browne's ideas. The two opposing sides of this issue were discussed in the pamphlet <em>Separatism or Integration Which Way for America? A Dialogue: Robert S. Browne, Bayard Rustin</em> (1968), an expansion of Browne's first article. The contents for this pamphlet were taken from speeches delivered to the National Jewish Community Relations Advisory Council.</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>Robert Span Browne (1924-) has been an economist, black activist, foreign aid officer, professor, economic consultant, founder of three black self-help organizations, and writer and speaker in his areas of expertise.</p><p>Browne began his career teaching at New Orleans' Dillard University in 1947 and served as the Industrial Field Secretary for the Chicago Urban League, 1950-1952. He held positions with the Agency for International Development in Cambodia (1955-1958) and in Vietnam (1958-1961). As a result of his experiences in Southeast Asia, he became a deeply involved activist against American involvement in Vietnam, and ran for the United States Senate from New Jersey as an independent candidate in 1966 on an anti-Vietnam platform.</p><p>In the late 1960's and early 1970's Browne immersed himself in working for black economic change. He assisted in organizing the 1967 National Conference on Black Power in New Jersey which called for the partitioning of the United States into two sovereign entities, one white, one black. In 1969 Browne delivered the keynote address at the National Black Economic Development Conference which addressed the liberation of African Americans through economic development as a means of gaining control of their destiny. He also participated in the 1972 National Black Political Convention which put forward a national agenda which sought an independent black politics striving toward change in the realms of economics, human development, international policy, communications, rural development, politics and other major issues.</p><p>In order to realize some of the goals involving black economic empowerment, Browne founded three organizations: Black Economic Research Center (1969), as a center of applied research that garnered the services of black economists, utilizing their research for many black economic development undertakings (BERC also published a quarterly journal, \"The Review of Black Political Economy\"); the Twenty-First Century Foundation in 1971, a small black-controlled foundation established to fund black organizations in the fields of education and economic development; and the Emergency Land Fund (organized in 1971) which was designed to assist African Americans retain their steadily declining land holdings in the South and to utilize them effectively.</p><p>Among several teaching posts, Browne taught economics at Fairleigh Dickinson University (1964-1972) and also served as Senior Research Fellow of African Studies at Howard University (1982-1985). He was Staff Director of the Subcommittee on International Development, Finance, Trade and Monetary Policy of the House Banking Committee, where he worked on issues related to the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and Third World debt, among others (1986-1991). Browne retired in 1993 and since that time has been an economic consultant for Washington, D.C. based organizations, several dealing with Africa.</p>"}
- date_inclusive_start
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1957
- date_inclusive_end
-
1995
- keydate
-
1957
- prefercite
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{"value"=>"Robert Span Browne papers, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, The New York Public Library"}
- extent_statement
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9.6 linear feet
- abstract
-
{"value"=>" Browne has been a prolific writer within his areas of expertise, i.e. American involvement in the Vietnam conflict, especially its impact on African-Americans, economics as it pertains to African Americans and to a lesser extent, to Africans. Most of his writings have been in the form of articles, letters to the editor and book reviews as well as writing and co-authoring several books.", "generated"=>true}
- date_start
-
1957
- date_end
-
1995