Carl Jacobson collection of Hollywood Anti-Nazi League records, 1925-1942, bulk 1937-1939

Collection context

Summary

Creators:
Jacobson, Carl Ingold.
Abstract:
Carl Ingold Jacobson was the City Councilman for the 13th District on the Los Angeles City Council from 1925-1933. The Hollywood Anti-Nazi League for the Defense of American Democracy, commonly known as the Hollywood Anti-Nazi League, was a Los Angeles-based organization that conducted investigations and detailed surveillance into the political affiliations and daily activities of organizations and individuals suspected to be supporting Adolf Hitler, Nazi Germany, or the National Socialist movement. The Carl Jacobson papers relate mainly to his election campaigns, state and local news, and his political and religious stances. The Hollywood Anti-Nazi League records include papers relating to investigations about and surveillance of organizations and individuals suspected by the Hollywood Anti-Nazi League to be supporting Adolf Hitler, Nazi Germany, or the National Socialist party at home or abroad.
Extent:
4 boxes (2 linear ft.)
Language:
Finding aid is written in English.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection is comprised of two series: the Carl Jacobson papers and the Hollywood Anti-Nazi League records. Within the Carl Jacobson papers are newspaper clippings, transcriptions of speeches, and correspondence relating mainly to his election campaigns, state and local news, and his political and religious positions. The Hollywood Anti-Nazi League records include correspondence, publications, newsletters, newspaper clippings, photographs, negatives, interorganizational notes and detailed surveillance notes about and by organizations and individuals suspected by the Hollywood Anti-Nazi League to be supporting Adolf Hitler, Nazi Germany, or the National Socialist party at home or abroad.

Biographical / historical:

Carl Ingold Jacobson was the City Councilman for the 13th District on the Los Angeles City Council from 1925-1933. A resident of the Lincoln Heights neighborhood with his wife and daughter Edna Jacobson since 1909, Jacobson was an engineer with the Southern Pacific Railroad and chairman of the local Board of Adjustment of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineering before embarking upon his career in public service. Upon first running for the position of councilman in 1925, Jacobson narrowly lost the election. However, Jacobson was asked to take one of the recently-vacated seats on the City Council in the wake of a bribery scandal in October 1925. Jacobson served for multiple terms as Councilman before losing the 1933 election to Darwin William Tate.

The Hollywood Anti-Nazi League for the Defense of American Democracy, commonly known as the Hollywood Anti-Nazi League, was a Los Angeles-based organization active immediately preceding and during World War II. As part of the organization's routine activities, the organization conducted investigations and detailed surveillance into the political affiliations and daily activities of organizations and individuals suspected to be supporting Adolf Hitler, Nazi Germany, or the National Socialist movement.

Acquisition information:
This collection documents what seemingly two disparate collections: the Carl Jacobson papers and the Hollywood Anti-Nazi League records. There is no accession record or provenance information available for the collection, but in processing the collection it was noted that Carl Jacobson may possibly have been a member of the Hollywood Anti-Nazi League. It was decided to keep the collection together but to change the title of the collection from the Carl Jacobson Collection of Material about Jewish Persecution to its current title.
Arrangement:

Arranged in the following series:

  1. Carl Jacobson papers
  2. Hollywood Anti-Nazi League records
Within the Hollywood Anti-Nazi League records, files are arranged alphabetically according to the name of the individual or organization being investigated, the names of which were transcribed from the original folders.

Physical location:
Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library Special Collections for paging information.
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Access and use

Location of this collection:
A1713 Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575, US
Contact:
(310) 825-4988