The Charles S. Young Papers are a collection of very uncertain provenance. They are difficult to describe because of the short-lived, fluid, and contentious nature of the groups which they document, and because the organizational work done to them prior to donation to the Historical Society destroyed any of the clues about their origin which may have existed. The majority of the collection consists of handbills, posters, position papers, and other kinds of distributions. Taken together, the collection does not seem to represent official records, although there are files of organizational records comprised of primary source documentation such as handwritten meeting minutes, agendas, and notes and some speeches. Quite possibly, the collection represents the personal collection of an unidentified member. Despite the uncertain history of the papers, the collection contains rare and important documentation on the activities of the anti-war movement in Madison and on the evolution and discord within the Communist Party.
Because the papers were received in a highly confusing order, the collection has been reorganized primarily by organization and by issue, together with a small quantity of miscellany.
ORGANIZATIONAL FILES consist of agendas, minutes, position papers, speeches, notes, and miscellany arranged by organization name. Where possible, the organizations have been arranged chronologically, although there are several files on miscellaneous organizations which could not be dated. The majority of the files pertain to the Madison Anti-Imperialist Organization and the Madison Attica Brigade, with the files on the Revolutionary Student Brigade, although still substantial, consisting of less primary source material. A large number of publications and newsletters, including RSB's Seize the Times, have been separated to the Historical Society Library.
Material which could not be identified by organization, which related to more than one Madison organization, or which related to Madison organizations and organizations in other cities is filed alphabetically as ISSUE FILES. These files consist primarily of posters, handbills, and other informational distributions.
MISCELLANY consists of unidentified notebooks and draft speech material created by an unidentified Madison activist and various distributions and handbills.
