MSS 81

National Association of the Deaf, est. 1880
Collection of the National Association of the Deaf, 1880-2004

 

 

Gallaudet University Archives.

 

 

Descriptive Summary

Repository: Gallaudet University Archives
Call No.: MSS 81
Creator:
Title: Collection of the National Association of the Deaf, 1880-2004
Quantity: 5.5 Linear Feet (11 document boxes)
Abstract:
Note: This document last updated 2006 January 5.

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information: The National Association of the Deaf Collection was created when several items were donated to the Gallaudet University Archives at different times.  
 Processed by: Nora L. McCabe. 1984 December 8.
 Processing Note: Updated on April 10, 1998.
Conditions on Use and Access: This collection is open to the public with no restrictions. Photocopies may be made for scholarly research.

 

 

Related Material in the Archives:

See ALADIN.

 

Historical Sketch

            The history of the National Association of the Deaf dates back to 1850, when the New England Gallaudet Association of the Deaf was founded. It served as a predecessor for the National Association for the Deaf, which was established on August 25, 1880 in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was later incorporated in Washington, D.C. in 1900. The first home office opened in 1950 in Chicago, and Halex House in Silver Spring, Maryland, where NAD has its headquarters, was dedicated in 1973.

            Four men are given credit for founding the National Association of the Deaf. Robert P. MacGregor was its first president and the founder of the Cincinnati Day School for the Deaf.  Edmund Booth of Iowa is known as the “father of NAD” but declined the first presidency in favor of MacGregor. Booth was a graduate of the Hartford school, where he studied under both Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc. He later became the owner and editor of a successful newspaper, the Anamosa Eureka. Henry Rider and Edwin Hodgson, both of New York, were among the first to endorse a national association of the deaf through the printed press. They both, at separate times, owned the Deaf Mutes Journal.

            The National Association of the Deaf has served in the best interests of deaf Americans for over one hundred years. It has made every effort to create a favorable social image of deaf culture. NAD has fought for compulsory education laws for deaf children and retention of the combined system (oral and sign language) in residential schools for the deaf. It also has successfully diminished impostors who solicit money from the public by pretending they are deaf. In addition, the NAD has protected basic civil rights of deaf Americans, such as the right to equal justice, the right to exercise franchises, assume the responsibilities of taxpayers, equal employment opportunities, and motor vehicle use.

            The Miss Deaf America Pageant was established in 1972 at the 31st convention of the National Association of the Deaf in Miami Beach, Florida, and continues to this day.

 

Scope and Content

The NAD collection is extremely broad, covering a wide range of subjects. It is broken down into six series: Convention Proceedings (1880-1996), NAD Business Correspondence (1910-1915), Abbe de l’ Epee Memorial Statue (1915-1930), Centennial Convention (1980), Miss Deaf America Pageant (1972-2004), and General (1880-1994). Convention programs make up the bulk of the collection although the years 1926, 1930, 1952-1962, 1966-1968, 1972-1974, and 1986. The Centennial Convention of 1980 is the most complete of all the conventions in the collection. In addition, not all of the Miss Deaf America Pageant programs are available. Programs for 1974, 1978 and 1996 are not available. Newspaper clippings related to all aspects of the National Association of the Deaf are included in the collection, particularly a scrapbook of clippings from the 1934 convention in New York. In addition, papers related to the de l’Epee memorial statue at St. Mary’s School for the Deaf in Buffalo, New York are stored here. Overall the NAD collection provides a rich and insightful history into one of the most foremost deaf organizations in the United States.


Series Descriptions and Folder Lists

No Series.
 

Box Folder Title of Folder Date
1 1 Proceedings of the First National Convention of Deaf-Mutes 1880
1 2 Proceedings of the Second National Convention of Deaf-Mutes 1883
1 3 Proceedings of the Third Convention of the National Association of the Deaf 1889
1 4 Proceedings of the World's Congress of the Deaf and the Report of the Fourth Convention of the National Association of the Deaf 1893
1 5 Proceedings of the Convention of the National Association of the Deaf 1896-1907
1 6 Proceedings of the Sixth Convention of the National Association of the Deaf 1900
1 7 Proceedings of the Eighth Convention of the National Association of the Deaf 1907
1 8 Proceedings of the Ninth Convention of the National Association of the Deaf and Third World Congress of the Deaf 1910
1 9 Proceedings of the Tenth National Convention of Deaf-Mutes 1913
2 1 Proceedings of the Eleventh (Special) Convention of the National Association of the Deaf 1915
2 2 Proceedings of the Twelfth Convention of the National Association of the Deaf 1917
2 3 Proceedings of the Thirteenth Convention of the National Association of the Deaf 1920
2 4 Proceedings of the Sixteenth Triennial Convention of the NAD and the Fourth World Congress of the Deaf 1930
2 5 Proceedings of the Seventeenth Triennial Convention of the NAD 1934
2 6 Proceedings of the Eighteenth Triennial Convention of the NAD 1937
2 7 Proceedings of the Nineteenth Triennial Convention of the NAD 1940
2 8 Proceedings of the Twentieth Triennial Convention of the NAD 1946
2 9 Proceedings of the Twenty-First Triennial Convention of the NAD 1949
3 1 Proceedings (Minutes) of the 34th Biennial Convention of the NAD - Rochester, New York 1978
3 2 Proceedings of the Centennial Convention of the NAD - Cincinnati, Ohio 1980
3 3 Proceedings of 1984 Biennial Convention - Baltimore, Maryland 1984
3 4 Proceedings of the 41st Biennial Convention - Denver, Colorado 1992
3 5 Proceedings of the 43rd Biennial Convention - Portland, Oregon 1996
3 6 Program - 15th Triennial Convention - Washington, DC 1926
3 7 Program - 16th Triennial Convention - Buffalo, New York 1930
3 8 Program - 27th Biennial Convention - Washington, DC 1964
3 9 Program - 30th Biennial Convention - Minneapolis, Minnesota 1970
3 10 Program - 31st Biennial Convention - Miami Beach, Florida 1972
3 11 Program - 32nd Biennial Convention - Seattle, Washington 1974
3 12 Program - 33rd Biennial Convention - Houston, Texas 1976
3 13 Program - 36th Biennial Convention - St. Louis, Missouri 1982
3 14 Program - 37th Biennial Convention - Baltimore, Maryland 1984
3 15 Program - 39th Biennial Convention - Charleston, South Carolina 1988
3 16 Program - 40th Biennial Convention - Indianapolis, Indiana 1990
3 17 Program - 41st Biennial Convention - Denver, Colorado 1992
4 1 Correspondence - Aldrich, Chester H. 1912
4 2 Correspondence - Banks 1910-1913
4 3 Correspondence - Booth, F. W. 1911-1913
4 4 Correspondence - Davis, William E. 1912-1913
4 5 Correspondence - Editors 1913
4 6 Correspondence - Fuller, L. B. 1911
4 7 Correspondence - Hanson, Olof - General 1910-1915
4 8 Correspondence - Hanson, Olof to Aldrich, Chester H. 1912
4 9 Correspondence - Hanson, Olof to Booth, F. W. 1912-1913
4 10 Correspondence - Hanson, Olof to Davis, William E. 1912-1913
4 11 Correspondence - Hanson, Olof to Editors 1912-1913
4 12 Correspondence - Hanson, Olof to Howard, J. C. 1910-1915
4 13 Correspondence - Hanson, Olof to Pearse, Carroll G. 1912
4 14 Correspondence - Hanson, Olof to Regensburg, Oscar 1910-1913
4 15 Correspondence - Hanson, Olof to Seeley, P. R. 1911-1913
4 16 Correspondence - Hanson, Olof to Stewart, R. E. 1913
4 17 Correspondence - Howard, J. C. to Hanson, Olof 1910-1915
4 18 Correspondence to the Members of the Executive Committee 1910-1914
4 19 Correspondence - Miscellaneous 1910-1913
4 20 Correspondence - Motion Picture Fund 1912-1913
4 21 Correspondence - Pearse, Carroll G. 1912
4 22 Correspondence - Regensburg, Oscar to Hanson, Olof 1910-1913
4 23 Correspondence - Regensburg, Oscar 1910-1913
4 24 Correspondence - Rothert, W. H. 1912
4 25 Correspondence - Seeley, P. E. 1911-1913
4 26 Correspondence - Sowell, J. W. 1911-1913
4 27 Correspondence - Stewart, R. E. 1911-1913
4 28 Hanson Honorary Fund - Donation List 1913
4 29 Miscellaneous 1910-1913
4 30 Original Report of Cleveland, Ohio Convention - Stenographer's Copy - 10th Triennial Convention 1913
5 1 Clippings (Xerox copies) 1910-1912
5 2 Clippings (Xerox copies) 1912-1913
6 1 Correspondence - A 1928-1930
6 2 Correspondence - B 1928-1931
6 3 Correspondence - C 1915-1930
6 4 Correspondence - D 1927-1930
6 5 Correspondence - E 1923-1928
6 6 Correspondence - F 1927-1930
6 7 Correspondence - G 1928-1931
6 8 Correspondence - H 1928-1931
6 9 Correspondence - K 1930
6 10 Correspondence - L 1927-1930
6 11 Correspondence - M 1926-1931
6 12 Correspondence - Mc 1929-1930
6 13 Correspondence - N 1926-1931
6 14 Correspondence - O 1929-1930
6 15 Correspondence - P 1928-1929
6 16 Correspondence - R 1927-1931
6 17 Correspondence - S 1927-1930
6 18 Correspondence - T 1928-1930
6 19 Correspondence - U - V 1928-1929
6 20 Correspondence - W 1929-1930
6 21 Correspondence - Z 1929
6 22 Agreement by and between NAD and Eugene E. Hannan 1928
6 23 Miscellaneous 1928-1930
6 24 Newspaper Clippings 1921-1929
7 1 Agreement between NAD and Eugene E. Hannan 1928
7 2 Clippings (Xerox copies) 1930
7 3 Contribution Form n.d.
7 4 Correspondence - Ebstain, F. to Hannan, Eugene E. (copy) 1927
7 5 Correspondence - Frankenheim, S. to Hannan, Eugene E. (copy) 1928
7 6 Correspondence - Frankenheim, S. to Tilden, Douglas (copy) 1928
7 7 Correspondence - Hamar, F. to Frankenheim, S. 1928
7 8 Correspondence - Hannan, Eugene E. to Frankenheim, S. 1927-1930
7 9 Correspondence - Herouard, S. to Frankenheim, S. 1928
7 10 Correspondence - LeClerq, C. J. L. 1930
7 11 Correspondence - Leighton, A. E. 1930
7 12 Correspondence - Morice, L. 1928
7 13 Correspondence - Picaud, G. to Frankenheim, S. 1928
7 14 Correspondence - Roberts, Arthur L. to Burke, M. A. (copy) 1928
7 15 Correspondence - Roberts, Arthur L. to Frankenheim, S. 1928-1929
7 16 Correspondence - Roberts, Arthur L. to Hannan, Eugene E. (copy) 1928
7 17 Correspondence - Stevens, Kelly H. 1928
7 18 Correspondence - Tilden, Douglas to Frankenheim, S. 1927-1928
7 19 Declaration of Free Entry and Invoice of Purchased Merchandise 1929
7 20 History of the Abbe de L'Epee Statue - Complied by Bernard Bragg (Xerox copies) 1950
7 21 Insurance for Eugene E. Hannan 1928
7 22 Miscellaneous n.d.
7 23 Photographs *Note: Removed to Schools for the Deaf Photograph File under St. Mary's School 1928-1929
7 24 Souvenir - a medal with a ribbon 1930
8 1 Calendar Packets 1980
8 2 Centennial Book 1980
8 3 Centennial Book 1980
8 4 Centennial Bulletin # 1 1980
8 5 Centennial Bulletin # 2 1980
8 6 Centennial Daily # 1 1980
8 7 Centennial Daily # 2 1980
8 8 Centennial Daily # 3 1980
8 9 Centennial Daily # 4 1980
8 10 Centennial Daily # 5 1980
8 11 Centennial Daily # 6 1980
8 12 Centennial Daily # 7 1980
8 13 Convention News 1980
8 14 Encyclopedia of Deaf People and Deafness 1980
8 15 Greater Los Angeles Council on Deafness, Inc. - Information Brochure 1980
8 16 Hearing Hearts - Magazine 1980
8 17 Junior National Association of the Deaf 1980
8 18 Junior National Association of the Deaf - Information Brochure 1980
8 19 Memorabilia - buttons, key chains, stickers, and ribbons 1980
8 20 Miscellaneous 1980
8 21 Notepad - National Association of the Deaf Centennial 1980
8 22 Proceedings of the First National Conference on Scouting for the Hearing Impaired - August 5 to 7 1979
8 23 Program - International Association of Parents of the Deaf 1980
8 24 Programs - Centennial Luncheon 1980
8 25 Program - Tales from a Clubroom 1980
8 26 Ticket Booklets 1980
9 1 Program - Miss Deaf America Pageant 1972
9 2 Program - Miss Deaf America Pageant 1976
9 3 Program - Miss Deaf America Pageant 1980
9 4 Program - Miss Deaf America Pageant 1982
9 5 Program - Miss Deaf America Pageant 1984
9 6 Program - Miss Deaf America Pageant 1986
9 7 Program - Miss Deaf America Pageant 1988
9 8 Program - Miss Deaf America Pageant 1990
9 9 Program - Miss Deaf America Pageant 1992
9 10 Program - Miss Deaf America Pageant 1994
9 11 Program - Miss Deaf America Pageant 1998
9 12 Program - Miss Deaf America Pageant 2000
9 13 Program - Miss Deaf America Pageant 2002
9 14 Program - Miss Deaf America Pageant 2004
10 1 Banquet Program - 15th Triennial Convention - Washington, DC 1926
10 2 Biennial Report to Members 1968
10 3 Booklet - The NAD Story 1964
10 4 NAD Bulletins 1935-1940
10 5 Calendars - NAD Centennial 1980
10 6 Handbook - NAD State Association - Parts I, II, and III n.d.
10 7 Handbook - NAD State Association - Part IV n.d.
10 8 Letters - Position for Executive Director of Sign Language 1967-1968
10 9 Miscellaneous Materials 1930-1992
10 10 Moving Picture Fund - Help Preserve The Sign Language 1938
10 11 NAD Cultural Program 1970-1979
10 12 Newsletter - 37th Biennial Convention - Baltimore, Maryland 1984
10 13 Newsletter - 39th Biennial Convention - Charleston, South Carolina 1988
10 14 Papers - 36th Biennial Convention - St. Louis, Missouri 1982
10 15 Papers - 39th Biennial Convention - Charleston, South Carolina 1988
11 1 Papers - 40th Biennial Convention - Indianapolis, Indiana 1990
11 2 Papers - 42nd Biennial Convention - Knoxville, Tennessee 1994
11 3 Reports - Annual reports of NAD 1981-1987
11 4 Ribbon - 15th Triennial Convention - Washington, DC 1926
11 5 Ribbons - NAD Unveiling Gallaudet Statue Replica - West Hartford, Connecticut 1926
11 6 Ribbon - 16th Convention and Semi-Centennial - Buffalo, New York 1930
11 7 Scrapbook - 17th Triennial Convention - New York City 1934
11 8 Souvenir Program Book - 21st Triennial Convention - Cleveland, Ohio 1949
11 9 Souvenir Program Book - NAD Rally Night - Chicago, Illinois 1950