Records of the Citizens for 65

The records of Citizens for 65 fill six boxes and span the period 1953-2003 with the bulk of the material dating from 1968 through 1970.

The records detail many of the issues and events associated with Gregory Coffin’s superintendency of Evanston’s Community Consolidated School District 65 and the contentious 1970 School Board election that determined his tenure. These include race relations in general, the desegregation and integration of Evanston schools, and governance of local institutions. At the municipal level the records document the conflict between traditionalists and an expanding base of political liberals over control of social and educational initiatives and organizations.

Forming the largest and most richly detailed portions of the series are: • newspaper clippings covering Evanston educational, racial and political issues; • correspondence, especially letters written to the School District 65 Board of Education in support of or in opposition to Gregory Coffin and his program for integrating Evanston schools; • District 65 in-service training manuals written to prepare the faculty, staff and administrators of Evanston schools for school integration and ancillary matters; • the contents of a Citizens for 65 office manual relating to the 1970 School Board election and providing key information on campaign strategy and tactics; and • photographs of individuals central to the Citizens for 65 organization including its organizers, its campaign volunteers, and its slate of candidates standing for election to the School Board.

Other files within the series largely pertain to the 1970 School Board election campaign and provide significant detail on the work of Citizens for 65 leaders in their efforts to form alliances with Evanston neighborhood, social, religious and community organizations.