Series 6: Institute for American Democracy, 1949-1980s (bulk 1966-1976), includes records related to the IAD, which was founded in 1966 as an agency to expose political extremism in American society. Littell was a founding member and served as its chairman, beginning in 1966. The records in this series pertain to Littell’s and the IAD’s general efforts to curb extremism in America, as well as their response to altercations with radical groups, particularly those associated with the far right, like the John Birch Society, Carl McIntire and Billy James Hargis. The series holds records of annual meetings, reports of the Executive and Sponsoring Committees, general correspondence, collected materials on the John Birch Society and Fairness Doctrine, clippings, printed materials, and issues of the IAD newsletter, Homefront. The correspondence files offer communications with leaders of the radical right as well as printed materials produced by radical right groups, including some in which Littell is the primary subject.

Researchers interested in Littell’s work with the IAD and his encounters with extremists in the 1960s should also consult Series 1: General correspondence; Subseries 4.5: Iowa Wesleyan College; Subseries 12.1: Books and edited volumes, particularly files documenting his volume Wild Tongues; and Series 13: “Journal file.” In Series 13 there are two particularly excellent files dating from 1965, detailing his run-ins with Billy James Hargis, as well as the “Let Freedom Ring” phone campaign.

314          1          By-laws and organizational structure (photocopies)          1949-1966, undated
314          2          Annual meeting          1967
314          3          Annual meeting          1968
314          4          Executive committee          1967-1968, undated
314          5          Sponsoring committee          1966-1968
314          6          Sponsoring committee          1969-1971
314          7          Sponsoring committee          1973-1976, undated
314          8          Assorted newsletters and other publications          1961-1968
578          10          American Security Council          1967
314          9          John Birch Society          1964-1967, undated
315          1          Assorted materials related to John Birch Society and other extremist groups          1950s-1980s (bulk 1960s)
315          2          Assorted materials related to extremist groups          1960s, undated
315          3          Fairness doctrine          1966-1968
315          4          Correspondence. Baker, Charles          1967-1968
315          5          Correspondence. Baker, Charles          1968
315          6          Correspondence. Spingarn, Stephen J.          1966-1967
315          7          General correspondence, clippings and other records          1944, 1951, 1960-1962
316          1          General correspondence, clippings and other records          1963-1965
316          2          General correspondence, clippings and other records          January-September, 1966
316          3          General correspondence, clippings and other records          October-December, 1966
316          4          General correspondence, clippings and other records          1966-1967
316          5          General correspondence, clippings and other records          January-March, 1967
316          6          General correspondence, clippings and other records          April-June, 1967
317          1          General correspondence, clippings and other records          July-December, 1967
317          2          General correspondence, clippings and other records          January-July, 1968
317          3          General correspondence, clippings and other records          August-September, 1968
317          4          General correspondence, clippings and other records          October-December, 1968
317          5          General correspondence, clippings and other records          January-April, 1969
317          6          General correspondence, clippings and other records          May-December, 1969, undated
318          1          General correspondence, clippings and other records          1970, 1971, 1976, undated
318          2          General correspondence, clippings and other records          1972
318          3          General correspondence, clippings and other records          undated
318          4          Homefront          1967-1969
318          5          Homefront          1967-1968
318          6          Homefront          1969-1972
318          7          Homefront          1970-1971
319          1          Homefront          1972-1976
319          2          "Pardon me, but…" a newsletter edited by Nord Davis, Jr.          1960s
319          3          Assorted printed materials by IAD and other creators          1960s
319          4          Assorted printed materials by IAD and other creators          1960s
319          5          Assorted printed materials by IAD and other creators          1960s, 1970s

Finding Aid links

Collection Overview

Series 1: General correspondence, 1940-2009
Series 2: Youth work, 1934-1991 (bulk 1936-1945)
Series 3: Germany, 1934-2005 (bulk 1949-1960)
Series 4: Academic appointments, 1946-2012 (bulk 1951-1996)
Series 5: Holocaust remembrance work, 1950-2014 (bulk 1970-2009)
Series 6: Institute for American Democracy, 1949-1980s (bulk 1966-1976)
Series 7: Organized support for the State of Israel, 1969-2008
Series 8: Religious Liberty work, 1970-2006 (bulk 1981-1999)
Series 9: Waco Branch Davidian Disaster, Texas, 1993-2003 (bulk 1993-1996)
Series 10: Small projects file, 1948-2008 (bulk 1955-1995)
Series 11: Professional affiliations, 1950-2008
Series 12: Research, writing and speaking, 1938-2006
Series 13: “Journal” file, 1936-2008
Series 14: Personal and family papers, 1859-2010 (bulk 1934-2000)
Series 15: General reference, 1863-2006 (bulk 1940-1990)