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Gwartney American Legion and Anti-Communist Collection

 Collection
Identifier: MS-0063

Scope and Contents

This collection documents Barsh E. (Bill) Gwartney's service as a member of several American Legion Posts in Southern California, including correspondence and notes from his tenure as chairman of the Americanism Committee for the L.A. City Council Post in the early 1960s. Dating primarily from the 1960s, the collection consists of correspondence, notes, resolutions, unpublished reports, newsletters, memos, programs, newspaper clippings, and a scrapbook about the Southern California School of Anti-Communism in 1961, produced with the Christian Anti-Communism Crusade. There is one oversize folder of posters from World War II. The collection consists of four series: American Legion Activities, Reports and Catalogs, Newsletters, Personal, Newsclippings, and Oversize.

American Legion Activities documents Gwartney's involvement as chair of the Americanism Committee and his involvement in the Southern California School of Anti-Communism.

Reports and Catalogs consists of unpublished American Legion conference reports and national Americanism Committee catalogs.

Newsletters consists of scattered issues of newsletters from mostly conservative organizations.

Personal consists of materials relating to Gwartney's involvement in the La Mesa Writers Club and documents from his real estate career.

Newspaper Clippings consists of clippings from various Southern California newspapers, mostly regarding communism and possible communist activities.

Oversize consists of a scrapbook about the Southern California School of Anti-Communism, and homefront propaganda posters from World War II.

Dates

  • Creation: 1937-1981

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

The copyright interests in some or all of these materials have not been transferred to San Diego State University. Copyright resides with the creator(s) of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. The nature of archival collections is such that multiple creators are often applicable and copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine. In any case, the user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, obtaining publication rights and copyright infringement. When requesting images from Special Collections & University Archives for publication, we require a signed agreement waiving San Diego State University of any liability in the event of a copyright violation.

Biographical Note

Barsh E. (Bill) Gwartney was active in several American Legion posts in Southern California in the 1950s and 1960s. He chaired the Americanism Committee of the Los Angeles City Council Post in the early 1960s, and aided the effort to arrange the Southern California School of Anti-Communism in 1960-1961. He later served in the American Legion, San Diego Post. Mr. Gwartney was a real estate agent and was also active in the La Mesa Writers Club and the Congress of California Seniors.

Extent

4.45 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Accruals and Additions

1986-013, 1988-007

Processing Information

Processed Fall 2009

Title
Gwartney American Legion and Anti-Communist Collection
Status
Completed
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
eng

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections & University Archives Repository

Contact:
5500 Campanile Dr. MC 8050
San Diego CA 92182-8050 US
619-594-6791