UNDERGROUND COLLECTION

[John Dolva]

continuity: from prev page

There are handwritten one issue jobs, The Berkley Barb, Texan uni mags etc etc. At the moment I'm trying to digitize an interview with the custodian and will post it then. Meanwhile should anyone wish a particular issue of anything I'll see if it's there. There are many thousands of items in the entire collection.

A major part of the collection, in terms of numbers of images, is about 230 rolls of microfilm each with hundreds of images produced by Bell and Howell (who didn't follow up on a commttment to do more). There are other sections that are hard copies. Fortunately the collection has slept quite peacefully over the years.

It was the great fore sight of the (3) collectors that made it possible by scouring US sources (libraries etc) in the mid 70's to gather the unofficial (though the touch of COINTELPRO is undoubtedly there too, good in a way, it's by cross referencing to the OFFICIAL slant of the same event) street story.

To thoroughly go through everything would take a lifetime. But it's a unique snapshot (like this hyperlinked Forum) of a particular period of time that will probably be the basis of studies (like this Forum) in centuries to come for students of the late 20'th early 21'st century. As the custodian (one of the three) says, : 'priceless'. There is an ongoing process to eventually digitize the lot

There's a need, due to the size of the collection, to have specific dates, names, events, in order to fit it in with times available... they're in storage, not digitized, there's a process to digitize and make available.

An overalll impression is that a large number of US citicens seem to have been sane and believed in freedom and were prepared to fight for it, and were well organised through this, (perhaps rudimentary Forum), connected and united. COINTELPRO with various 'anonymous' input tried to create disunity. eg Fly United (safe tripping a la KoolAid parties), led to a derogatory and offensive poster from the FBI that appeared to be of radical origin but very provocative in a divisive. This is how they seemed to operate, divide and try to rule, so time was sometimes wasted dealing with that and just defending the right to disagree with the establishment who came down on them like a ton of bricks with sanctified murder, arrests and intimidation. In a way, the collection is a manual of how to deal with the crap the establishment throws and trying to sort out right from wrong.

I agree with the custodian, it's 'priceless', and it MUST be protected, digtized, and disseminated, and quickly and with regard to safety. If it can contribute positively then that is thanks enough, that's a motivator of the collectors. I mean to regard someone worthy of an exemplary quality amongst a nest of vipers, the only honorable thing is to consider what he would have wanted. RFK can be said to reflect this. So analyzing Kennedys method one must take into account his inclusive, informed scholarly approach with the gathering of data. This is a very large repository of data, much of it unknown to me, much of it very revealing to anyone wanting to immerse their study through the minds of the people there then from their perspective. The posted items are just so easy to come across and are posted just as samples of a little bit of what is there, to inspire ANY help, it's jampacked with stuff like that. Anyone can afford it, come here, I'll put you up and we can scour the collection from whatever perspective (agency personell need not apply)

I got to mid a's and realised the thing to do is to create a searchable database. Something where all are categorised by name, state, date, subject matter of mag. Some are philosophical. Some are artistic, others are devoted to the antiwar movement, others to race issues, others general news and so on. Too much time is spent searching and being distracted by other things. What would work better is a printout or on memstick saved listing derived from that.

_____________________

Thank you, Robert and Nathaniel, the input has been most helpful.

The best thing, it seems to me, is to create a searchable database with an ocr feature, perhaps a pdf doc? ,

I'll continue to zero in on those issues requested and post anything I come across, plus generally interesting stuff.

I want to camp there and put in a concerted effore to do this, but other life committments have to be incorporated, so it may take some time, but the commitment and (I feel) urgency is there. The collection spreads from 63 onwards. Driving there, a couple of hours, dealing with some problems that comes out of an oldtime linear classification, locating items (which on occasion are not where they 'should' be, copying, driving back and posting, must be streamlined, so I'll focus on a database to start with. I'll find someone who can help me with that, re which program to use et.c., Then I can post the database and requests can be more efficiently followed up.

It's the efficiency that seems to me most important to start with, so thank you for giving an exercise in order to find this out. Meanwhile also a start on a systematic digitizing of everything, with ongoing posting of items.

[John Dolva]

Had a brief moment (2 hours) to begin looking through the index to the microfilm part of the collection to see what parameters there are and grabbed the following : the earliest publication (feb 63, 'Despite Everything') I could find (so far), and noted that there are also many from other countries. Included is a Finnish one (Tahti) hoping Annti might have a look and comment on whether it has any relation to the matters discussed.

tahti01.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c168/yanndee/tahti01.jpg

tahti02.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c168/yanndee/tahti02.jpg

tahti03.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c168/yanndee/tahti03.jpg

tahti04.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c168/yanndee/tahti04.jpg

tahti05.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c168/yanndee/tahti05-1.jpg

sunrise01.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c168/yanndee/sunrise01.jpg

sunrise0b.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c168/yanndee/sunrise0b.jpg

despite everythingfeb63_cover.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c168/yan...feb631cover.jpg

despite everythingfeb64_01cover.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c168/yan...hing01cover.jpg

despite everythingfeb64_01.jpg

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c168/yan...verything01.jpg

The images go through the following. The original is very clear in almost all instances. The scanning saves them as jpg's, at this point thyey're up to 3meg, I reduce them 50% (dimension) upload and photobucket auto reduces each to below 1meg. So the actual scan is very good, the end post is not quite as good, but zooming to right level helps to read.

[John Dolva]

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c168/yan...itystarny74.jpg

[Antti Hynonen]

John Dolva Posted Today, 03:03 AM

Had a brief moment (2 hours) to begin looking through the index to the microfilm part of the collection to see what parameters there are and grabbed the following : the earliest publication (feb 63, 'Despite Everything') I could find (so far), and noted that there are also many from other countries. Included is a Finnish one (Tahti) hoping Annti might have a look and comment on whether it has any relation to the matters discussed.

John,

The paper enclosed is indeed a Finnish underground paper, apparently from the 1970's.

Is there something in particular you are searching for? (Sorry I have not followed this thread so closely). Seems like the issues covered in "Tähti" range from music, to cartoons, to human rights issues in Nepal.

[John Dolva]

John Dolva Posted Today, 03:03 AM

Had a brief moment (2 hours) to begin looking through the index to the microfilm part of the collection to see what parameters there are and grabbed the following : the earliest publication (feb 63, 'Despite Everything') I could find (so far), and noted that there are also many from other countries. Included is a Finnish one (Tahti) hoping Annti might have a look and comment on whether it has any relation to the matters discussed.

John,

The paper enclosed is indeed a Finnish underground paper, apparently from the 1970's.

Is there something in particular you are searching for? (Sorry I have not followed this thread so closely). Seems like the issues covered in "Tähti" range from music, to cartoons, to human rights issues in Nepal.

Thank you Annti.

Regarding this particular publication I'm interested in its focus, where it's coming from et.c., (as I am in all the other issues in the collection from many countries whose languages I cannot read. It may help to classify it in a process of creating a searchable database of the whole collection.) From what you say it seems a variety mag with a political bent?

[Antti Hynonen]

This is what they say in the paper about where it is "coming from".

"The general line the paper takes is one that relates calmly to world events. Our purpose is to bring to light various issues and topics, not to go into the tabloid type writing........."

[Nathaniel Heidenheimer]

Look what John Dolva dragged in (along with lots of other interesting stuff) The First CCR Review? Happy Birthday John Fogerty!

(see small article called The Iron Fist Exposed)

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c168/yanndee/alley3.jpg

[John Dolva]

Nathaniel. Thank you for bringing this topic back.

Ive estimated there are possibly up to 150 000 items to digitise, if I take a 10 hour day and get the process down to a routine i might be able to process 10 to 20 an hour. That would mean 750 days or about two years non stop. Impossible. Yet in the archive there may very well be buried some gems, and that makes it desirable to do. If two people devoted themselves to it (it invioves placing, scanning then sending to a computer for processing, maybe redoing, and saving plus cataloguing and everything methodical. Some of this stuff hasnt seen the light of day for 30 odd years. Two could speed up the process phenomenally. So a firm invite to anyone to come and help.

Otherwise I need dates events names so I can go through the existing catalogue and also scour the hardcopies. Thats the only way at the moment I can devote time to this.

[Kathleen Collins]

Here's a larger version of 'money troubles'.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c168/yanndee/1.jpg

I still have a Dick Gregory dollar.

Kathy C

[John Dolva]

Here's a larger version of 'money troubles'.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c168/yanndee/1.jpg

I still have a Dick Gregory dollar.

Kathy C

_____

Kathy, I was hoping someone would. If you can, reading it's story would be interesting

_____

To ilustrate the diversity of stuff in the collection some samples (they take a lot of processing so one at a time.)

pls make requests on specifics its the only way i cant but wander through the collection sans input, pm or something if you wish. note : the time involved is always a factor but ill do my best)

[John Dolva]

sample two. (I can send the full (BIG) bitmaps if needed, Way beyond posting previleges)

[John Dolva]

Some more including dallas UG mag 67'...

[John Dolva]

[William Kelly]

UNDERGROUND COLLECTION

This is a sample of a huge collection of US Underground Magazines. I was just looking through it to find something related and quickly came across this to illustrate the various info that was recorded by unofficial organs. There are handwritten one issue jobs, The Berkley Barb, Texan uni mags etc etc. At the moment I'm trying to digitize an interview with the custodian and will post it then. Meanwhile should anyone wish a particular issue of anything I'll see if it's there. There are many thousands of items in the entire collection.

attachment

readable :

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c168/yan...GSB_j68p5_L.jpg

John,

Back in the mid-late 60s there was a slick, glossy Advant Guard magazine called the Evergreen Review, published, I think, by Grove Press.

Let me know if you come across any back issues.

Thanks for the samples,

BK

[John Dolva]

Will do William. I'll do my best in the next couple of days. Gotta also see if i can come across the 1963 volumes of the Dallas underground mag. The earliest ive found so far is 1958 from argentina, the collection spans on from there till the late seventies across many countries but primarily the US. One interesting one was the guerilla from toronto.