Gwartney American Legion and Anti-Communist Collection, 1937-1981 | Special Collections & University Archives

Title: Gwartney American Legion and Anti-Communist Collection, 1937-1981

ID: MS-0063

Extent: 4.45 Linear Feet

Barsh E. (Bill) Gwartney was active in several American Legion posts in Southern California in the 1950s and 1960s. He chaired the Americanism Committee of the Los Angeles City Council Post in the early 1960s, and aided the effort to arrange the Southern California School of Anti-Communism in 1960-1961. He later served in the American Legion, San Diego Post. Mr. Gwartney was a real estate agent and was also active in the La Mesa Writers Club and the Congress of California Seniors.

Creators

Gwartney, Barch E.

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Administrative Information

Acquired: 1986. 1988

Restrictions: This collection is open for research.

Rights: The copyright interests in these materials have not been transferred to San Diego State University. Copyright resides with the creators of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. The nature of historical archival and manuscript collections is such that copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine. Requests for permission to publish must be submitted to the Head of Special Collections, San Diego State University, Library and Information Access. When granted, permission is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical item and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder(s), which must also be obtained in order to publish. Materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials.

Preferred Citation: Identification of item, folder title, box number, Gwartney American Legion and Anti-Communist Collection, Special Collections and University Archives, Library and Information Access, San Diego State University.

Collection Material Type: Personal Papers

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Scope and Contents:

This collection documents Barsh E. (Bill) Gwartney's service as a member of several American Legion Posts in Southern California, including correspondence and notes from his tenure as chairman of the Americanism Committee for the L.A. City Council Post in the early 1960s. Dating primarily from the 1960s, the collection consists of correspondence, notes, resolutions, unpublished reports, newsletters, memos, programs, newspaper clippings, and a scrapbook about the Southern California School of Anti-Communism in 1961, produced with the Christian Anti-Communism Crusade. There is one oversize folder of posters from World War II. The collection consists of four series: American Legion Activities, Reports and Catalogs, Newsletters, Personal, Newsclippings, and Oversize.

American Legion Activities documents Gwartney's involvement as chair of the Americanism Committee and his involvement in the Southern California School of Anti-Communism.

Reports and Catalogs consists of unpublished American Legion conference reports and national Americanism Committee catalogs.

Newsletters consists of scattered issues of newsletters from mostly conservative organizations.

Personal consists of materials relating to Gwartney's involvement in the La Mesa Writers Club and documents from his real estate career.

Newspaper Clippings consists of clippings from various Southern California newspapers, mostly regarding communism and possible communist activities.

Oversize consists of a scrapbook about the Southern California School of Anti-Communism, and homefront propaganda posters from World War II.

Finding Aid with Box List
Series 1: American Legion Activities
Series 2: Reports and Catalogs
Series 3: Newsletters
Series 4: Personal
Series 5: Newsclippings
Series 6: Oversize: Scrapbook and WWII Posters