Guide to the John Broesamle Suddenly A Giant: A History of CSUN Collection

Special Collections & Archives

University Library

California State University, Northridge

18111 Nordhoff Street

Northridge, CA 91330-8326

URL: https://library.csun.edu/SCA

Contact: https://library.csun.edu/SCA/Contact

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Language of Material: English

Contributing Institution: Special Collections & Archives

Title: John Broesamle Suddenly A Giant: A History of CSUN Collection

Creator: Broesamle, John J.

Identifier/Call Number: UAC.SAG

Extent: 6.89 linear feet

Extent: 29.7 Gigabytes

Date (inclusive): 1956-1993

Abstract: John Broesamle was a distinguished Professor of History at California State University Northridge (CSUN) for over three decades, beginning his career at San Fernando Valley State College in 1968 and retiring from CSUN in 1998. At that time, CSUN commissioned Dr. Broesamle to write the history of the university, the first to appear in published form. The collection consists predominantly of articles, correspondence, and newspaper clippings from the Daily Sundial and other related campus publications used in researching and writing, Suddenly A Giant: A History of CSUN.

Language of Material: English

Biographical Information:

John Broesamle was a distinguished Professor of History at California State University Northridge for over three decades, from 1968 until his retirement in 1998. Dr. Broesamle received his B.A. degree in 1964 from University of the Pacific, his M.A. and PhD from New York's Columbia University. Dr. Broesamle specialized in United States 20th Century political history, and published several books, including William Gibbs McAdoo: A Passion for Change, 1863-1917, Reform and Reaction in Twentieth Century American Politics, as well as writing a crime novel, Exile to Murder, published under the pseudonym Jack Donovan.

In 1988, California State University, Northridge commissioned Broesamle to write a history of the university, the first to appear in published form. Dr. Broesamle took on the challenge, and concentrated on the use of primary sources from the University Archives as well as the personal papers of former University administrators, faculty and alumni for the writing of his book. He also conducted interviews with over forty past and current administrators, faculty members, and alumni to help compose the framework of Suddenly A Giant.

Though the author himself acknowledges his book did not encompass the whole of important faculty, administrators, and student leaders involved with the history of the university, his careful selection of interviewees made sure the book and its contents would be representative of the university's illustrious history, with numerous perspectives. Dr. Broesamle also took great caution to ensure the oral histories would be presented unabridged in his book, eliminating any editing liberties that might have altered the authenticity of its recorded history.

In 1993, he published Suddenly A Giant: A History of California State University Northridge through the University's Santa Susana Press. Dr. Broesamle's book is today considered the definitive writing on the history of California State University Northridge.

Scope and Contents

The John Broesamle 'Suddenly A Giant: A History of CSUN' Collection consists predominantly of articles, correspondence, and newspaper clippings from the Daily Sundial and other related campus publications. Numerous photographs, speeches, memoranda, yearbooks, and CSUN fact books were utilized in Mr. Broesamle's research. Other material in the collection includes forty oral history interviews on cassette recordings and in digital file format, as well as transcribed interviews. The collection has been divided into five series: Research Material, Chapters 1-5 (circa 1950-1992), Topical Files (1958-1992), Alphabetical Files (1970-1991), Correspondence, Interview Notes and Release Forms (1956-1992), and Oral Histories and Photographic Agreements (1977, 1989-1991).

Series I, Research Material, Chapters 1-5, contains articles, newspaper clippings, college bulletins, interview notes, memorandums and minutes from faculty and senate meetings, as well as the papers on anti-war activities at SFVSC and general notes. The files are arranged in chronological order by decade, beginning with the 1950s and ending with the 1990's, with correspondence in chronological order in the chapters as found in the book.

Series II, Topical Files, contains articles, newspaper clippings, college bulletins, interview minutes, memorandums and minutes from faculty and senate. The files are arranged in alphabetically by subject.

Series III, Alphabetical Files, contains articles, newspaper clippings, college bulletins, interview minutes, memorandums and minutes fromCSUN faculty and senate. The files are arranged in alphabetical order.

Series IV, Correspondence, Interview Notes, and Release Forms, contains memorandums and newspaper clippings arranged in chronological order. It also contains correspondence and interview notes from 1992, grouped with their corresponding Oral History Agreements and Photographic Agreements.

Series V, Oral Histories and Photographic Agreements, includes legal agreements, correspondence notes, and oral history audio recordings. Materials are arranged alphabetically by last name and are physically separated by format.

Arrangement of Materials:

Series I: Research Material, Chapters 1-5, circa 1950-1992

Series II: Topical Files, 1958-1992

Series III: Alphabetical Files, 1970-1991

Series IV: Correspondence, Interview Notes, and Release Forms, 1956-1992

Series V: Oral Histories and Photographic Agreements, 1977, 1989-1991

Electronic format:

Digital reproductions of items in Series V are available electronically as a part of the John Broesamle Interviews project.

Conditions Governing Access:

The collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use:

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.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

John Broesamle. 1995.

Preferred Citation:

For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual, or see the Citing Archival Materials guide.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Documents

Audiovisual materials

Series I: Research Materials, Chapters 1-5,ca. 1950-1992

Box 1, Folder 1

1950's - General: college bulletin; faculty minutes; interview notes; report [C/R Beck, Julian (Judge); Fleming; Oviatt, Delmar T.; Williams, "Red"]

Box 1, Folder 2

General: budget report; faculty minutes and resolution; Faculty senate minutes; newspaper clippings, ca. 1960-ca.1969

Box 1, Folder 3

1968 General and Campus Militancy: articles and newspaper clippings

Box 1, Folder 4

1968 General and Campus Militancy: articles and newspaper clippings

Box 1, Folder 5

1968 General and Campus Militancy: articles and newspaper clippings

Box 1, Folder 6

1968 General and Campus Militancy: memoranda; faulty and senate minutes; interview notes

Box 1, Folder 7

1968 General and Campus Militancy: memoranda; faulty and senate minutes; interview notes

Box 1, Folder 8

1968 General and Campus Militancy: memoranda; faulty and senate minutes; interview notes

Box 1, Folder 9

1968 General and Campus Militancy: papers; anti-war activities at SFVSC

Box 1, Folder 10

1968 General and Campus Militancy: papers; SFVSC: A Microcosm of Campus Unrest

Box 1, Folder 11

1968 General and Campus Militancy: papers, The Case of Amnesty

Box 1, Folder 12

1970's - General: memoranda; minutes; mission statement; notes; report

Box 1, Folder 13

General: articles; memoranda; minutes; newspaper clippings; notes, ca. 1980-ca.1999

Box 1, Folder 14