Description
Harvey and Connie Lapin's son Shawn was
diagnosed with severe autism as a child. In the 1970s, they became activists in advocating
for autistic children and adults, and Shawn became national poster child for the National
Society for Autistic Children shortly after. The
Harvey and Connie
Lapin Collection
documents the couple's advocacy work with various agencies
beginning in 1971 and continuing through the 2000s. The collection consists primarily of
manuscript materials, scrapbooks, audio visual materials, and photographs.
Background
Harvey and Connie Lapin, residents of Northridge California, have three children, including
an autistic son, Shawn Lapin. Shawn became the national poster child for the National
Society for Autistic Children in 1973, at age 5. Over several decades they have founded or
worked with various organizations promoting awareness and advocacy for the people and
families affected by autism.
Restrictions
Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of
this collection has not been transferred to California State University, Northridge.
Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials
protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires
the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be
commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any
use rests exclusively with the user.
Availability
The collection is open for research use.