Levinson (Robert) papers, 1880-1979,, bulk bulk 1962-1979

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Summary

Title:
Robert Levinson papers
Dates:
1880-1979,, bulk bulk 1962-1979
Creators:
Levinson, Robert E., 1938-1980
Abstract:
The collection consists of Robert Levinson's correspondence; files, drafts, and a card file relating to Levinson's dissertation on Jews and the California Gold Rush; and a small number of files on Camp Swig.
Extent:
Number of containers: 9 cartons, 1 box, 1 oversize box, and 3 cardfile boxes Linear feet: 10.2
Language:
Collection materials are in English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Robert Levinson papers, BANC MSS 2010/715, The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection consists of Robert Levinson's correspondence; files, drafts, and a card file relating to Levinson's dissertation on Jews and the California Gold Rush; and a small number of files on Camp Swig, a California youth camp affiliated with the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (now the Union for Reform Judaism). The correspondence includes personal correspondence, professional correspondence (on writings, conferences, and general academic matters), research correspondence, correspondence relating to Levinson's work with the Commission for the Preservation of Pioneer Jewish Cemeteries and Landmarks, genealogy and family history correspondence, correspondence with historical societies, museums and other Jewish heritage organizations, and correspondence from Levinson's cantorial and rabbinical work. The research correspondence, which dates between 1962 and 1979, is particularly rich with information about the Jews of California and the western United States during the Gold Rush. Among the dissertation materials in the collection are research files on a range of Gold Rush era subjects, towns, and families; drafts of Levinson's thesis; and a card file that consists of Levinson's attempt to index Mother Lode newspapers from circa 1850 through 1880 for Jewish content. Newspapers indexed include those from the following California towns: Angels, Columbia, Downieville, Grass Valley, Jackson, Mammoth Tree Grove, Mariposa, Mokelumne Hill, Nevada City, Placerville, San Andreas, San Francisco (for content relating to Jews in the Mother Lode counties), Sonora, Sutter Creek, and Volcano. The Camp Swig series in this collection consists of files relating to Levinson's work with the camp during the 1960s and 1970s.

Biographical / historical:

Robert Levinson was an historian, educator, and author who specialized in the history of Jews in the western United States. His doctoral dissertation, "The Jews in the California Gold Rush", was published in 1978 and it remains the major work about the history of the Jews during the California Gold Rush. Levinson was a professor of history (1967-1980) and the director of the Sourisseau Academy for State and Local History (1973-1976) at California's San Jose State University. He played a leading role in founding San Jose State's Jewish Studies Program in 1975 and he was its first director. As an executive vice-president for the Judah L. Magnes Museum's Commission for the Preservation of Pioneer Jewish Cemeteries and Landmarks (1968-1973, 1977-1978), Levinson helped renovate and publicize pioneer Jewish cemeteries in California's Mother Lode. He also served as a cantor for Congregation Beth David in Saratoga, Caliifornia and as a cantor, leader of services, and a lecturer for Congregation Shir Ami in Castro Valley, Calif.

Acquisition information:
The Robert Levinson papers were gifted to The Bancroft Library by the Judah L. Magnes Museum in 2010.
Processing information:

Processed by the Judah L. Magnes Museum staff in 1968. Additional processing by The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life staff in 2011.

Arrangement:

Collection is arranged into 3 series: Correspondence; Dissertation materials; and Camp Swig Files.

Accruals:

No future additions are expected.

Physical location:
Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite and advance notice may be required for use. For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding Aid written by The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life staff
Date Prepared:
© 2011
Date Encoded:
Machine-readable finding aid generated by Finding Aid author(s) via EAD XPress; markup validated by The Bancroft Library staff using OAC validation tools; Date of source: May 2011

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, 94720-6000. Consent is given on behalf of The Bancroft Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner. See: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/reference/permissions.html.

Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, 94720-6000. Consent is given on behalf of The Bancroft Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner. See: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/reference/permissions.html.

Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.Materials in this collection may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction of some materials may be restricted by terms of University of California gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright 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 owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley 94720-6000. See: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/reference/permissions.html.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Robert Levinson papers, BANC MSS 2010/715, The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Location of this collection:
University of California, Berkeley, The Bancroft Library
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000, US
Contact:
510-642-6481
bancref-library@berkeley.edu
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