Finding Aid of the California Hands Accross America records 0227
Finding aid prepared by Rebecca Hirsch
The processing of this collection and the creation of this finding aid was funded by the generous support of the National
Historic Publications and Records Commission.
USC Libraries Special Collections
2010
Doheny Memorial Library 206
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, California, 90089-0189
213-740-5900
specol@usc.edu
Title: California Hands Across America records
Collection number: 0227
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
4.96 Linear feet
5 boxes
Date: 1986
Abstract: The records of the California office of Hands Across America include correspondence, memoranda, promotional materials, newspaper
clippings, and ephemera. Held on May 25, 1986, Hands Across America was a benefit event staged to raise money to fight hunger
and homelessness.
[Box/folder# or item name], California Hands Across America records, Collection no. 0227, Special Collections, USC Libraries,
University of Southern California.
One 500ml bottle of 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection USP was removed from the collection.
The collection contains published articles; researchers are reminded of the copyright restrictions imposed by publishers on
reusing their articles and parts of books. It is the responsibility of researchers to acquire permission from publishers when
reusing such materials. The copyright to unpublished materials belongs to the heirs of the writers. Permission to publish,
quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. Advance notice required for access. Consult finding aid for additional information.
Hands Across America was a benefit event staged on May 25, 1986, in which millions of people held hands for fifteen minutes
along a path across the continental United States. The event was intended to raise money to fight hunger and homelessness
and was the brainchild of the group USA for Africa. The event netted about $15 million, $1.2 million of which was disbursed
to charities in California in 1987. The Director of the California Hands Across America office was Roger Carrick. Edd Hernandez
was the Field Director, while Kenneth Fitzgerald was in charge of promotions and Victoria Pipkin was the office's Press Secretary.
Kevin Irion was the Volunteer and Customer Service Coordinator.
This collection contains the records of the California office of Hands Across America. The materials present in this collection
include correspondence, internal memoranda, promotional materials, press releases, ephemera, newspaper clippings and artifacts.
Please see the Scope and Content notes of individual series for more information.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Hands Across America. -- Archives
USA for Africa. -- Archives
Charities--California--Archival resources
Clippings
Correspondence
Ephemera
Fund raising--Archival resources
Memorandums
Press releases
Volunteers--California--Archival resources
Box 1
Box 1
Box 1-2
Promotions Files
Series contains the files of Kenneth Fitzgerald, who was in charge of promoting Hands Across America in California, and Lynn
Baltimore, who coordinated the house parties at which promotional videos about Hands Across America and its mission were shown.
Included in this series are files of correspondence with corporate sponsors of the event, of whom Coca-Cola was one, and on
promotional events like Mall Day.
Box 2, 5
Volunteers and Customer Service Files
Series contains the files of Kevin Irion, who coordinated the volunteers and customer service for California Hands Across
America. His files consist of correspondence with individual and group participants, donors and field offices. Also included
in this series are the general correspondence files for the California Hands Across America office.
Separated Materials with Restricted Access
Two folders of individual participant registration forms have been put into Box 5. Due to the personal and financial information
contained on these forms, access to them is not permitted.
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2-3
Ephemera and Artifacts
Series contains ephemera created by Hands Across America, including brochures, tickets, stickers, folders of promotional material
and information packets. The artifacts contained in this series include ten beta videocassette tapes, one 1" master video
reel, four VHS tapes, one banner, six rubber stamps, a t-shirt and buttons.
Box 3
Ephemera
Box 3-4
Artifacts