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Empire State Association of the Deaf (ESAD) records

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: RITDSA-0022

Collection Scope and Content Note

The Empire State Association of the Deaf (ESAD) records contain historical, legal, financial, and legislative materials created and retained by members of the ESAD. This collection also holds papers on special interest issues, events, regional branch affiliates, various Deaf organizations, and much more. Materials include meeting minutes, correspondence, notes, memos, publications, reports, programs, brochures, some photographs, and reference information. Additional scope and content information can be found in the Contents List section of this finding aid.

The Empire State Association of the Deaf (ESAD) records are arranged into 12 series, 6 of which are further divided into subseries. The physical materials are housed in 57 archival document boxes, 1 legal-sized document box, 3 records cartons, and 1 ephemera box (62 boxes in total).

Dates

  • Creation: 1867 - 2017
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1946 - 2006

Creator

Conditions Governing Use

This collection is open for research use.

Historical Note

The Empire State Association of the Deaf (ESAD) is a volunteer organization established in 1865 to advocate and protect the rights of Deaf people. Originally called the “Empire State Deaf-Mute Association,” the name was changed to its present title in 1912. ESAD is the oldest state association for the deaf in the United States; the organization became an affiliate member of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) in 1941.

ESAD is committed to the advancement of the moral, social, intellectual, and economic standings for the deaf citizens of New York State.

Extent

33 Linear Feet (57 archival document boxes, 1 legal-sized document box, 3 records cartons, and 1 ephemera box (62 boxes in total))

100 Megabytes ([digital files])

Language

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Empire State Association of the Deaf (ESAD) records are a compilation of historical, legal, financial, and legislative materials created and retained by members of the ESAD. Other information within this collection includes special interest issues, events, regional branch affiliates, various Deaf organizations, and much more. The bulk of the collection dates between 1946-2006.

System of Arrangement

Series I: ESAD historical information, 1867-2017

Series II: Correspondence, 1936-2008

  • Subseries A: Executive board chronological, 1936-2008
  • Subseries B: Subject file correspondence, 1946-1990

Series III: Legislation and political activism, 1880-2014

  • Subseries A: Education, 1880-1999
  • Subseries B: Interpretation, 1969-2006
  • Subseries C: Telecommunication, 1965-1993
  • Subseries D: Political action committees, 1938-2014

Series IV: Legal records, 1941-2003 and n.d.

Series V: Financial documents, 1938-2005

Series VI: Meeting minutes and executive board materials, 1936-2007

Series VII: Events, 1936-2011

  • Subseries A: Conventions, 1936-2011
  • Subseries B: Pageants, 1978-2005
  • Subseries C: Workshops and leadership institutes, 1966-c. 2000s
  • Subseries D: Other events, 1957-2002

Series VIII: Special interest issues, 1941-2003

  • Subseries A: Gallaudet Home Fund/Gallaudet Stamp Fund, 1941-2003
  • Subseries B: Camps, 1985-2000
  • Subseries C: Other named topics, c. 1960s-1980

Series IX: ESAD regional branch information, 1938-2005

Series X: ESAD newsletters and marketing materials, 1953-2008 and n.d.

Series XI: Related Deaf organization information, 1925-2008

  • Subseries A: National Association of the Deaf (NAD), 1925-2008
  • Subseries B: Mental Health Association of the Deaf (MHAD), 1963-1988
  • Subseries C: National Information Center on Deafness (NICD), 1988-1992 and n.d.
  • Subseries D: Other national/regional/local organizations, 1970-2006

Series XII: Reference materials, 1874-2005

  • Subseries A: Topical subject files, 1937-1995 and n.d.
  • Subseries B: Chronological clippings and publications, 1874-2005

Custodial History

The RIT Archives acquired the Empire State Association of the Deaf collection in 2006 from the NTID Resource Library, which they received as a donation from Albert and Peggy Hlibok in June 2005. (From 1990 to 2002, the ESAD Archives were formally housed at the New York School for the Deaf; when the NYSD moved its own collections to the Westchester Historical Society in 2002, the ESAD collection was returned to the organization and the materials were stored in the Hliboks’ garage.) The collection was accessioned under Acc #2006:063. Shortly thereafter, a donation from Alice Guinane, consisting of two boxes, was received by the RIT Archives in 2007 and accessioned under Acc #2007:026. This was also incorporated into the full collection. This collection also incorporates four additional accruals: Acc #2013:048 [Albert and Peggy Hlibok collection of ESAD and RCAD papers, previously RITDSA-0086], Acc #2014:059 [Albert and Peggy Hlibok collection of ESAD, previously RITDSA-0171], Acc #2019:047 [Albert Hlibok’s records of ESAD, RID, and Temporary State Commission] and Acc #2023:019 [ESAD records accrual].

Processed by

Previous inventories of parts of this collection were done by Amy Vilz in 2011 and Jodi Sidlauskas in 2013. Julia Novakovic inventoried accruals and other unprocessed components of this collection and completed arrangement and description work from November 2023 through September 2024.

Related Names

Subjects

Record Groups

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title
Finding Aid to the Empire State Association of the Deaf (ESAD) Records, 1867-2017
Status
Completed
Author
Julia Novakovic
Date
23 September 2024
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Physical Storage Information

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the RIT Archives Repository

http://archives.rit.edu
Contact:
Rochester NY 14623 USA