Archival Collections and Oral Histories
ACOH Committee Chair: Elise Johnson
eljohnson@csudh.edu
Founded in 1979, California Social Welfare Archives has been dedicated to the collection and preservation of documents and personal histories that illuminate the development of social welfare and the field of social work in California.
Originated by social worker George D. Nickel, USC professor Frances Lomas Feldman and UC Berkeley professor, James Leiby, the organization's original concept was to divide the collection between the Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley and Doheny Library at USC. Ultimately, most of the collections were sourced from Los Angeles-based donations thus the collection is now held at USC.
“There is an old adage, ‘He who forgets history is condemned to repeat it’.
What is missing in that phrase is that there are people in charge of keeping your history and they can make you forget it. They can keep it from you and then you’re doomed to repeat something they want you to repeat.”
- Samuel James, 2023
Our archival collection is held at USC’s Doheny Memorial Library.
Our Archives offer the opportunity to examine linkages between the past and present, to learn from history, and to inform understanding of contemporary and future social welfare problems and appropriate solutions. The Archives are available to the general public but may be of interest to social workers, researchers, historians, students and developers of social policy. Unfortunately none of our archives are digitized. However, if you interested in viewing any of the items in our collection, we’d be happy to assist in the process of viewing them. Contact Elise Johnson, LCSW eljohnson@csudh.edu
Click here to browse our archives held at USC’s Doheny Memorial Library
Oral histories of California’s social work leaders
Since CSWA’s founding, our volunteers have conducted interviews of over 100 of California’s social work leaders,
many of whom are Hall of Distinction honorees.
Interviews are available for viewing digitally and functions in collaboration with the Doheny Memorial
Library's Archival Research Center (ARC).
Archival Collections & Oral Histories:
(left) Click the image to view the oral interview with Carmelita White, 1st African American to graduate from USC’s MSW program in 1932.
Introduced by CSWA Founding Board member Helen Maxwell and interviewed by Nancy Jefferson and Marcia Wilson, June 24, 1993
[All Nations Church and Foundation] (27 May 1933) Staff of the McKinley Industrial Home for Boys, Los Angeles Cal May 27, 1933 CSWA, 0421, Box 1,
Celebrating their 125th anniversary, McKinley has been serving children, youth and families since their founding in 1900.
Staff of the McKinley Industrial Home for Boys, Los Angeles Cal May 27, 1933
Association of Black Social Workers, LA Chapter (1971)
(Selected pages from the)Directory of Black Social Agencies and Grass Roots Organizations,
CSWA 0603 Box2
Interested in reading this in person? Click here for the link to the archive page and/or email Elise Johnson eljohnson@csudh.edu and we’ll help!
CSWA Collection 0603 is our largest collection of all.
This collection consists miscellaneous printed materials and related items from agencies and organizations in California that deal with social welfare and social work. More than 400 organizations are represented, though most are only represented by a few items.
Entities include state and local government agencies, schools, non-profit groups, and professional social work organizations.
The majority of items date from the 1950s-1990s, though there are some materials dating back as early as the 1910s.
Mystery History: Can you identify this group? This place?
This photo was found in The All Nations Photos box, (CSWA 0421).
Circa 1930s, it has no identifying features other than the photographer’s imprint, De Pauk L.A.