CLOSED MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE ONLY WITH PERMISSION OF THE DONOR
BACKGROUND
The Nationalities Service Center is a non-profit agency that provides information and guidance to immigrants, refugees and other non-English speaking peoples who have come to reside in the United States. Services provided by the agency include counseling to individuals and families in matters, areas of housing, education, employment immigration and naturalization matters, interpreter services, language services (English classes), and intergroup services incorporating various nationality and ethnic programs. These programs and activities are aimed at helping new immigrants to bridge gap and thus make it easier for them adapt to their new a environment. The Center also aims at promoting and conserving the cultural values of various ethnic groups for the enrichment of American life.
Nationalities Service Center was originally established in 1921 as the International branch of the Philadelphia YWCA. It had evolved from a national movement started in 1911 to aid new immigrants in America. In 1934, the agency joined the national American Federation of International Institutes. In 1937 NSC was incorporated as an independent organization. The national organization changed its name to the American Council Nationalities Service in late 1950s. Subsequently, the Philadelphia chapter changed its name to the Nationalities Service Center in 1963. Since early 1960s, the Center has been funded by the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania.
ORGANIZATION
This collection is organized into ten series:
- Series I: Administration (Box 1-8)
- Series II: Departments (Box 9-15)
- Series III: Program and Activities (Box 16-40)
- Series IV: Casework Studies (Case Anonymity) (Box 41-43)
- Series V: Other Organizations (Box 44-57)
- Series VI: Ethnic Groups (Box 57-63)
- Series VII: Intermed Project (Box 64-66)
- Series VIII: Miscellaneous (Box 67-70)
- Series IX: Audio-Visual Materials (Urban Archives General Collection)
- Series X: Closed Files (Box 71-72)
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
The administrative material is sub-divided into four subseries: general information containing organizational histories, by-laws, agency manuals, annual reports and materials relating to annual meetings; administrative correspondence, which consists of general correspondence to and from the President and the Executive Director of the Nationalities Service Center, as well as correspondence between the Center and other organizations; file relating to the activities of the Board of Director, which includes board minutes and files of individual board members; committee files, which embraces the executive committee, financial committee, membership committee, nominating committee, and personnel committee.
Deposits made by Michael Blum, Executive Director of the Nationalities Service Center, May 1972, July 1973, January 1979, September 1974 and July 1986.
RELATED MATERIAL
Nationalities Service Center (Philadelphia, Pa.) Photograph Collection (PC-27).
INVENTORY
Box 1
Agency Structure, 1979
Annual Reports, 1940, 1959-1985 (2 folders)
Articles of Incorporation, September 1937
Background and Historical Information on NSC, 1930-1965
Bylaws and Change of Name, 1933, 1959, 1962
Committee Function Description, 1960
Committee Goals for Winter and Spring of 1960
Committee Minutes, Miscellaneous, 1934-1951, 1965, 1969-1970
Committee Roster, 1950-1951, 1961, 1967
Committees
Ad hoc Committee for Immigration Policy, 1964
Case Committee
Correspondence, 1946-1963
Minutes
1947-1954
1957-1959
1960-1963
Committee of Management
Minutes
1925-1926
1927
1928
1929
1930-1931
1932-1934
Personal Record, 1922-1927
Committee on Change of Name for Institute 1961-1963
Committee on the Foreign Born
Case Conference on the Foreign Born 1951-1956
Conference on U.S. Immigration
Correspondence
1946-1952
1958-1967
1968
1969-1970
Directory, 1968
History, 1943-1953
Minutes
1946-1947
1948-1949
1950-1951
1960-1970
Miscellaneous Material, 1959-1962
Proposed Revisions to Immigration Law, 1957
Box 2
Executive Committee
Minutes
1950-1951
1973-1977
Finance Committee, 1950
House Committee
Correspondence
1961-1967
1968-1970
Inventory and Use of Space, 1960
Maintenance Contract, 1968
Membership Committee
Membership Map, 1912
Minutes
1933-1961
1962-1965
1966-1970
Miscellaneous, 1953-1956
Nationality Events Committee Mailing Lists, 1941-1955
Nominating Committee
Correspondence, Minutes, Reports
1941-1955
1962-1980 (12 folders)
Miscellaneous, 1972-1980
Personnel Committee Correspondence, Minutes, and Reports, 1945-1968
Program Committee
Correspondence, Minutes, Reports
1956-1958
1959-1965
1971-1977
Survey of Policy and Advisory Members, 1978-1979
Property Committee, n.d.
Public Affairs Committee, 1949
Public Relations Committee, 1961-1969
Social Action Policy Committee
Correspondence, 1974-1976
Materials on Social Issues, 1975-1976
Box 3
Correspondence, Administrative
General Correspondence, 1943-1970, (12 folders)
Executive Director General Correspondence
1958-1980 (14 folders)
Box4
1981-1985 (2 folders)
Executive Director Specific Correspondence
Action with U.S. Congress and Pennsylvania State Legislature, 1964-1971
Catholic Social Service, 1979-1984
Clark, Joseph S., Senator, 1965
Commission on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children, 1983
Commission on Services to the Aging, 1981 1983
Community Legal Services, 1981
Consuls and New Citizens Receptions 1969-1970
Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children, Inc., 1983
Free Library of Philadelphia, 1975-1985
Gimbels, 1965
Heinz, John H. Senator, n.d
Jaipaul, Inder, 1968-1970
Lagakus, Gregory G, Judge, 1973
Multicultural Resource Center, 1984
Pennsylvania Department of Health, Speech and Hearing Programs, 1984-1985
Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, 1981-1984
Penn Hospital, 1981-1983
Penn Intergovernmental Council, 1985
Philadelphia Area Refugee Consortium, 1985
Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations, 1985
Philadelphia Daily News, No Date
Philadelphia District Health Center, 1984
Philadelphia Office of Mayor, 1984-1985
Philadelphia Urban Coalition, 1984-1985
Restitution Fund Commission, 1971-1972
Smith, Joe E., 1975
Swain, Isabel A., President of NSC, 1949-1976
Temple University, 1976
Thank-you Letters to NSC, 1976-1986
Union Benevolent Association, 1972-1978
United Fund of Philadelphia Area, 1970-1976
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1982-1984
United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, 1982-1984
University of Pennsylvania, 1985
Utility Emergency Fund, 1984
Volunteers, 1963-1970
NSC President Correspondence Files
1942-1963
1972-1973
1974
1975
1976-1977
1978-1980
1981-1985
Telephone Conversation Record with Ms. Hatch and Mr. Coates, Director of Adult
Education, Philadelphia School District, 1963
Box 5
NSC Annual Meetings, Correspondence, Minutes, Reports and Publications
1940
1942-1967 (50 Folders)
Box 6
1968-1984 (11 Folders)
NSC Board of Directors
Board Advisory Council Membership Lists, 1944-1945
Board Manuals
1965
1977, 1979-1981
1983-1984
Board Membership, A-Z, 1962-1984 (81 Folders)
Composition, Tenure and Attendance, 1969-1973
Directory, 1945-1974
General Correspondence, 1961-1985
General Information on Board Activities, 1963
Meeting Attendance Records, 1975-1979
Box 7
Meeting Minutes and Agendas, 1934-1969 (31 Folders)
Box 8
Meeting Minutes and Agendas, 1970-1984 (10 Folders)
Qualifications for Selection to Board, 1973
Questionnaires from Board Members on Community Affiliations, 1967
Reference Manual for Board Members
1963
1965
Report to Board by Irv Segal, 1966
Survey of Board and Advisory Council Members, 1978-1979
NSC Membership Information
Delinquent and Renewed Members Lists, 1959-1964
Group Members, 1960-1970
Life Members and Merited Members List, 1964
Membership Complaints, 1967-1968
Membership Correspondence
1951-1962
1963
1964-1965
1966-1970
Membership Drive, 1971-1980
Membership Drop-outs
1963-1964
1967-1971
Membership Lists, 1958, 1962-1964
Membership Picnics, 1966-1967
New Members and Reinstatements Lists, 1970-1971 (2 Folders)
New Members and Renewals Lists, 1965-1969 (5 Folders)
Payment Records, 1963-1964
Prospective Members Lists, 1963
Questionnaires to New Members, 1968-1970, (4 Folders)
Referrals Record Cards, 1955
