{"value"=>"<p>Childress was active in many professional organizations throughout her life. The files in this subseries largely represent writing associations, but there are political and social organizations and committees as well. In addition, there are a few files for organizations and committees requesting information from Childress as well as seeking her membership or support. Although these records do not run the course of Childress's professional life, they provide valuable insight into the professional and political activities in which she engaged. The files are listed alphabetically, and contain letters, agendas, minutes, newsletters, flyers and others ephemera.</p> <p>Files include the National Ad Hoc Committee to End the Crimes Against Paul Robeson, which contains \"A Statement of Conscious\", an open letter printed in <span class=\"title\">Variety</span> and signed by over 50 prominent African Americans. The letter was partly in response to the play <span class=\"title\">Paul Robeson</span>, which opened on Broadway January 1978, and largely due to the <em>persona non grata</em> status Robeson was subjected to by the United States government starting in the 1950's. This file also contains an annotated copy (by Childress) of the \"Statement of Conscious\", letters, reviews of the play, copies of form letters signed by Robeson himself, and an incomplete copy of the play script, <span class=\"title\">Paul Robeson</span>. The Rainbow Coalition - Blacks on Roosevelt Island file includes letters, agendas and notes Childress kept as the Chair of the Rainbow Coalition Steering Committee. The organization was a chapter of the National Rainbow/PUSH Coalition (RPC), an international membership organization founded by Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. in 1985. Other files include the Actors' Equity Association, the Authors Guild, Inc., National Coalition Against Censorship, P. E. N., A World Association of Writers, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., W. E. B. DuBois Foundation, Inc., and the Writers Guild of America, East.</p>"}