Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Aptheker, Bettina
- Abstract:
- The Bettina Aptheker papers contain biographical material, correspondence, instructional materials, research notes, grant proposals, writings, speeches, lectures, and material concerning her political activism, including the Free Speech Movement and the trial of Angela Y. Davis. Aptheker is a professor of feminist studies, political activist, and author.
- Extent:
- 54 Linear Feet 41 document boxes, 27 half cartons, 15 cartons, 1 flat boxes, 1 half document box, 1 OS folder and 0.304 GB 122 digital files
- Language:
- English .
- Preferred citation:
-
Bettina Aptheker Papers. MS 157. Special Collections and Archives, University Library, University of California, Santa Cruz.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The Bettina Aptheker papers contain biographical material, correspondence, instructional materials, writings, speeches and lectures, and material concerning her political activism.
The biographical material contains date books, material related to her education, and awards and diplomas. The collection also contains correspondence related to the Free Speech Movement (FSM), Aptheker's Communist Party membership, Angela Davis' trial, Aptheker's publications, appreciation from students, and personal and family correspondence.
The material related to Aptheker's writings includes her articles, essays, manuscripts, and research material. Also included are grant proposals, transcripts of her speeches and interviews, and teaching materials, such as course outlines, bibliographies, lecture notes, and syllabi.
The collection also contains material related to Aptheker's activism, particularly her involvement in the Communist Party, the Free Speech Movement, and Angela Davis' trial.
Also included in the collection are newspaper clippings used for research, photographs, slides, and audio visual material.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Date Event 1944 September 2 Bettina Fay Aptheker born in Fort Bragg, North Carolina to Fay Phillippa Aptheker, a life-long activist and member of the U.S. Communist Party, and Herbert Aptheker, member of the U.S. Communist Party and a prominent Marxist historian in African American history.1958-1962 Attends Erasmus Hall High School, Brooklyn, New York1962 Fall Moves to California to attend the University of California at Berkeley1964 September - 1965 April Serves on the steering committee which led the Free Speech Movement (FSM) at UCB1965 August 29 Marries Jack H. Kurzweil on Long Island, NY1967 June Graduates from the University of California at Berkeley with an A.B. in History1967 Summer While seven months pregnant serves sentence at the Santa Rita Prison Farm for conviction stemming from FSM activity1967 October 19 Son Joshua Mark born1971 March National United Committee to Free Angela Davis and all Political Prisoners (NUCFAD) begins its work1971 September If They Come in the Morning: Voices of Resistance (co-edited with Angela Y. Davis) published in England1971 December If They Come in the Morning: Voices of Resistance (co-edited with Angela Y. Davis) published in the United States1971-1972 Works as legal investigator in the defense of Angela Y. Davis1972 The Academic Rebellion in the United States: A Marxist Appraisal published1972 February 23 Angela Y. Davis released on bail1972 February 28 Angela Y. Davis murder and conspiracy trial begins1972 June 4 Trial ends with "not guilty" verdicts on all counts1974 The Morning Breaks: The Trial of Angela Davis published1974-1975 Assistant Instructor, Speech-Communication, San Jose State University1975 January 14 Daughter Jennifer born1976 June Master's Degree in Speech Communication from San Jose State University1976-1979 Lecturer, Women's Studies, San Jose State UniversityInstructor, Speech/Drama, San Jose State University1978 April Separates from Jack Kurzweil, who agrees to a divorce1978 Spring Teaches (as a lecturer) her first Women's Studies class at the University of California at Santa Cruz1978 Summer Attends the (for her) "life changing" 4th Berkshire Conference on the History of Women1978 Fall Lecturer, Afro-American Studies, San Jose State University1979 Summer Moves with her children to Santa Cruz1979 Fall Starts on a Ph.D. track in the History of Consciousness program at UCSC1979 October 19 Meets her life partner, Kate Miller, at a Holly Near concert at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium1980-1987 Lecturer, Women's Studies, UCSC1981 October 19 Resigns from the Communist Party1982 Women's Legacy: Essays on Race, Sex, & Class in American History published1983 March Doctorate in the History of Consciousness, UCSC1983 Fall Comes "out" as a lesbian instructor1987-1989 Assistant Professor of Women's Studies at UCSC1988 Gets tenure at UCSC1989-1997 Associate Professor of Women's Studies at UCSC1989 Tapestries of Life: Women's Work, Women's Consciousness and the Meaning of Daily Experience published1993 Fall Takes bodhisatva vows in Tuscon, Arizona1993-1995 Takes a sabbatical from UCSC, followed by a leave1996 June Chancellor Karl Pister authorizes the establishment of Women's Studies as a Department at UCSC1997 Becomes Professor of Women's Studies at UCSC1997 May 29 Excellence in Teaching Award, UCSC1999 January Her mother, Fay Aptheker, dies1999 The Morning Breaks: The Trial of Angela Davis published with a new Introduction and Afterward2001 Receives the Alumni Association's Distinguished Teaching Award2003 March Her father, Herbert Aptheker, dies2006 The autobiographical Intimate Politics: How I Grew Up Red, Fought for Free Speech, and Became a Feminist Rebel published2008 Introduction to Feminist Studies course lectures releases on 17 disc DVD set2012 Co-appointed with Karen Yamashita to the UC Presidential Chair in Feminist Critical Race and Ethnic Studies2017 Receives the John Dizikes Teaching Award in HumanitiesInaugural appointee of the endowed Peggy and Jack Baskin Foundation Presidential Chair for Feminist Studies2018 Retires from UC Santa Cruz2022 September Publishes Communists in Closets: Queering the History 1930s-2023 October Receives the UCSC Ethos Award for her commitment to social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusionBettina Aptheker (1944-) is a professor of feminist studies, political activist, and author. Both of her parents were political activists and members of the U.S. Communist Party. Her father, Herbert Aptheker, was a prominent Marxist historian in African American history and author. Aptheker's first job was in W.E.B. Du Bois' home. Her father was Du Bois' friend and literary executor. Aptheker attended the University of California, Berkeley from 1962-1967 and received her A.B. in History. While at UC Berkeley, she was an activist in the W.E.B. Du Bois Club of the Communist Party USA and a leader in the Berkeley Free Speech Movement. In the 1970s, Aptheker worked for the defense in Angela Y. Davis' murder and conspiracy trial. Aptheker wrote a book about the trial, The Morning Breaks: The Trial of Angela Davis, which was published in 1974.
In 1965, Aptheker married Jack Kurzweil and they had two children together. They divorced in 1978. Aptheker has been with her wife, Kate Miller, since 1979.
Aptheker completed her masters degree in Speech Communication at San Jose State University in 1976 and was a Women's Studies and African American Studies lecturer there until 1979.
In 1979, Aptheker began her Ph.D. in the History of Consciousness program at University of California, Santa Cruz, which she completed in 1983. In 1980, she was the sole lecturer in the Women's Studies Program at UCSC and began teaching WMST 101, Introduction to Feminism. By 1987, she became the department's first ladder-rank faculty member. In 2008, her Introduction to Feminism Studies lectures were released in a 17 DVD set. Aptheker was co-appointed with Karen Yamashita to the UC Presidential Chair in Feminist Critical Race and Ethnic Studies at UCSC in 2012 and in 2017 she was the inaugural appointee of the endowed Peggy and Jack Baskin Foundation Presidential Chair for Feminist Studies. Aptheker retired in 2018.
- Acquisition information:
- Inital purchase from Bettina Aptheker in 1997. Additional accruals donated by Aptheker in 2009, 2015, 2020, 2022, and 2024
- Processing information:
-
Processed by UCSC OAC Unit in March 2008. EAD encoded finding aid by Mathew E. Simpson, 2007, updated in 2014 by M. Carey. Multiple additions from 2009-2022 processed by Zoe MacLeod in 2024.
- Arrangement:
-
The Bettina Aptheker papers are organized into eight series:
- Series 1. Biographical Material
- Series 2. Correspondence
- Series 3. Writings
- Subseries 3.1 Instructional Material
- Subseries 3.2 Grant Proposals
- Subseries 3.3 Writings and Research
- Subseries 3.4 Speeches and Interviews
- Series 4. Activities
- Subseries 4.1 Activism
- Subseries 4.2 Conferences and Workshops
- Subseries 4.3 Women's Studies
- Series 5. Clippings and Newspapers
- Series 6. Angela Y. Davis Trial
- Subseries 6.1 Trial Correspondence
- Subseries 6.2 Manuscripts
- Subseries 6.3 Related Material
- Series 7. Photographs and Slides
- Series 8. Non-Print Materials
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Collection open for research. Audiovisual media is unavailable until reformatted. Digital files are available in the UCSC Special Collections and Archives reading room. Some files may require reformatting before they can be accessed. Technical limitations may hinder the Library's ability to provide access to some digital files. Access to digital files on original carriers is prohibited; users must request to view access copies. Contact Special Collections and Archives in advance to request access to audiovisual media and digital files.
- Terms of access:
-
Copyright for the items in this collection is owned by the creators and their heirs. Reproduction or distribution of any work protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the copyright owner. It is the responsibility of the user to determine whether a use is fair use, and to obtain any necessary permissions. For more information see UCSC Special Collections and Archives policy on Reproduction and Use.
- Preferred citation:
-
Bettina Aptheker Papers. MS 157. Special Collections and Archives, University Library, University of California, Santa Cruz.
- Location of this collection:
-
Special Collections and Archives, University Library1156 High StreetSanta Cruz, CA 95064, US
- Contact:
- (831) 459-2547