Daniel and Joyce Stokes Papers
General International Standard for Archival Description
Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Creation of Daniel and Joyce Stokes Papers
Time of Creation of Daniel and Joyce Stokes Papers
Stokes, Daniel.
Biographical History for: Daniel and Joyce Stokes Papers
Historical Note A poet and writer, Daniel M. J. Stokes was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Dec. 27, 1950, the son of Ervin William and Elizabeth (Ray) Stokes. A former editor of the East River Review, Stokes has contributed work to a number of magazines and published several books of poetry, beginning with Wired/LSD: Poems (New York: Culture Review Press, 1974) and including The World and Other Places (Cambridge, Mass: Chthon Press., 1975), Poems from Mexico (Mexico City: s.n., 1987), and Poems on the Run, 1984-1988 (Mexico City: In Exile Press, 1995). From 1987 through early 1988, he and his wife, Joyce, published Into the Night, "a newsletter for freedom for political prisoners held in the United States." Based in Brooklyn, N.Y., this simply-produced publication offered updates and commentary on Americans imprisoned for politically-motivated acts. Reflecting both the legacy of 1960s radicalism and the resurgent activism associated with U.S. imperialism in Central America, Into the Night offered news on the Ohio 7 sedition trial, the MOVE organization, and the fate of Plowshares war resisters. Sent free of charge, the newsletter reached an audience of prisoners convicted of draft resistance, antinuclear protest, and anti-racist and anti-imperialist revolutionary activity, and it was read by others who had become radicalized during their imprisonment. From the outset, Into the Night generated significant resistance from prison authorities, and for unclear reasons, it appears to have ceased publication after its fifth number in March 1988.
Acquired from Robinson Street Books, 2010.
Scope and Contents of the Collection Centered around the newsletter Into the Night, the Stokes Papers contains correspondence from a range of self-identified political prisoners, accompanied by an interesting, but ultimately miscellaneous suite of publications from the radical press. As small and tightly focused as it is, the collection provides a valuable window into the radical edge of the late 1980s political spectrum, and particularly the conjunction of antiracist and anti-imperialist groups within the prison system. Although some of the correspondence is at best mundane -- mostly requests for subscriptions -- several prisoners provide compelling analyses of their political views and the conditions of imprisonment. Most correspondents are represented by only one or two letters, however the Ohio 7 "seditionists" (Ray Luc Levasseur and Carol Manning), the MOVE organization (Ramona Africa and William Phillips Africa), and members of the Black Liberation Army are somewhat better represented. Among other noteworthy items in the collection are letters from Chicano revolutionaries Alberto Aranda and Alvaro Hernandez, including protests filed with the Texas Department of Corrections regarding the decision to deny Aranda access to Into the Night, and two lengthy letters from Aranda discussing political prisoners. Marilyn Buck's letters provide a sharp analysis of the need for political ideology along with a copy of court proceedings filed by her and Mutulu Shakur (see also the folder relating to the Resistance Conspiracy Case). Several African American revolutionaries discuss their political motives and life in prison, including Ramona Africa (filed under MOVE), John Albury (Born Allah), Anthony Bottom (Jalil Muntaqim), Eric Clemmons-Bey, Kenneth Akbar Muhammad Jenkins, Ruchell Cinque Magee, and Richard Williams. Finally, the collection includes a small number of radical antiwar and antinuclear resisters, most notably Philip Berrigan, Carl Kabat, George Ostensen, and Gillam Kerley. While editing Into the Night, the Stokes kept copies of other radical publications, many intended for political prisoners or fellow revolutionaries, the more uncommon of which have been retained within the collection, which also includes an apparently complete run of Into the Night, including paste-ups of four of the five extant issues.
The collection is open for research.
Related Material A number of collections in SCUA contain materials on political prisoners and political trials in the United States, including: Ray Luc Levasseur Trial Transcript Collection, 1989 (MS 334)Christina Ryan Collection, 1978-1995 (MS 523)Tiyo Attalah Salah-El Papers, 1890-2006 (MS 590)
Processed by Dex Haven, July 2010.
African American prisoners.
lcsh
African American radicals.
Anti-imperialist movements.
Communists.
Ohio 7.
Political prisoners.
Prisoners.
Radicals.
Revolutionaries.
Into the Night.
Stokes, Daniel M. J.
usmu
Stokes, Joyce.
Africa, Ramona.
Aranda, Alberto.
Berrigan, Philip.
Buck Marilyn.
Gelabert, Ana Lucia.
Hernandez, Alvaro L.
Kabat, Carl.
Levasseur, Ray Luc.
Magee, Ruchell Cinque.
MOVE (Group).
Plowshares.
United Freedom Front.
file
Albury, John (a.k.a Born Allah)
Creation of Albury, John (a.k.a Born Allah)
Time of Creation of Albury, John (a.k.a Born Allah)
On Black consciousness, becoming a revolutionary
Anarchist Black Cross
Creation of Anarchist Black Cross
Time of Creation of Anarchist Black Cross
Arafat, David
Creation of Arafat, David
Time of Creation of Arafat, David
Aranda, Alberto
Creation of Aranda, Alberto
Time of Creation of Aranda, Alberto
On political prisoners, politicization behind bars, Alvaro Hernandez.
Barnes, Bill
Creation of Barnes, Bill
Time of Creation of Barnes, Bill
Berrigan, Philip
Creation of Berrigan, Philip
Time of Creation of Berrigan, Philip
Information flyers on Plowshares.
Bibliography and notes
Creation of Bibliography and notes
Time of Creation of Bibliography and notes
Bottom, Anthony L.
Creation of Bottom, Anthony L.
Time of Creation of Bottom, Anthony L.
On the definition of political prisoner.
Breakthrough: Political Journal of Prairie Fire Organizing Committee, no. 14, 1
Creation of Breakthrough: Political Journal of Prairie Fire Organizing Committee, no. 14, 1
Time of Creation of Breakthrough: Political Journal of Prairie Fire Organizing Committee, no. 14, 1
Includes an article on victory in the Ohio 7 sedition trial.
Brock, Melvin
Creation of Brock, Melvin
Time of Creation of Brock, Melvin
Buck, Marilyn
Creation of Buck, Marilyn
Time of Creation of Buck, Marilyn
On ideology and sustaining a revolutionary consciousness; brief filed with Mutulu Shakur on status of political prisoners.
Clemons, Darryl
Creation of Clemons, Darryl
Time of Creation of Clemons, Darryl
Clemons-Bey, Eric D.
Creation of Clemons-Bey, Eric D.
Time of Creation of Clemons-Bey, Eric D.
Committee for Justice to Stop the McCarran Act Deportations
Creation of Committee for Justice to Stop the McCarran Act Deportations
Time of Creation of Committee for Justice to Stop the McCarran Act Deportations
Includes issue no. 1 of Call for Justice, the Committee's newsletter.
We Want Peace: People of Nicaragua
Creation of We Want Peace: People of Nicaragua
Time of Creation of We Want Peace: People of Nicaragua
Community Church of New York. Social Action Committee
Crossroad: A New Afrikan Captured Combatant Newsletter, Vol. 1:1, 2:4
Creation of Crossroad: A New Afrikan Captured Combatant Newsletter, Vol. 1:1, 2:4
Time of Creation of Crossroad: A New Afrikan Captured Combatant Newsletter, Vol. 1:1, 2:4
Dandar, George
Creation of Dandar, George
Time of Creation of Dandar, George
Dysentery: Red Balloon Magazine, no. 23
Creation of Dysentery: Red Balloon Magazine, no. 23
Time of Creation of Dysentery: Red Balloon Magazine, no. 23
Ebner, Jerry
Creation of Ebner, Jerry
Time of Creation of Ebner, Jerry
John Brown and the Issue of Terrorism, GLF Occasional, no. 2
Creation of John Brown and the Issue of Terrorism, GLF Occasional, no. 2
Time of Creation of John Brown and the Issue of Terrorism, GLF Occasional, no. 2
Fellner, Gene
Gaye, David
Creation of Gaye, David
Time of Creation of Gaye, David
Gelabert, Ana Lucia
Creation of Gelabert, Ana Lucia
Time of Creation of Gelabert, Ana Lucia
On her near disappearance as a prisoner; willingness to be exchanged to Cuba.
Gilbert, David
Creation of Gilbert, David
Time of Creation of Gilbert, David
On his political history and involvement in the "Brinks case."
Guerre, Brian
Creation of Guerre, Brian
Time of Creation of Guerre, Brian
Harden, Donald Sanga
Creation of Harden, Donald Sanga
Time of Creation of Harden, Donald Sanga
On attempting to be classified as a POW
Creation of Hernandez, Alvaro L.
Time of Creation of Hernandez, Alvaro L.
On Prisoners United for Revolutionary Education; copy of Arm the Spirit, vol. 1:1 (newsletter of PURE); "The Prisoners Defense Committee report on brutality and torture in Texas Department of Corrections;" background to becoming a political prisoner while imprisoned
Into the Night, no. 1
Creation of Into the Night, no. 1
Time of Creation of Into the Night, no. 1
Articles: "United States at war with innocent Palestinians," Palestine, captive Iranian sailors, Philip Berrigan and Plowshares, Soviet Union and human rights, Alvaro Hernandez.
Into the Night, no. 1: paste-up
Creation of Into the Night, no. 1: paste-up
Time of Creation of Into the Night, no. 1: paste-up
Into the Night, no. 2
Creation of Into the Night, no. 2
Time of Creation of Into the Night, no. 2
Articles: Escape of Assata Shakur; MOVE, Brian Wilson, Ramona Africa on "Long live John Africa! Long live John Africa's revolution!"
Into the Night, no. 3
Creation of Into the Night, no. 3
Time of Creation of Into the Night, no. 3
Articles: updates on MOVE and other political prisoners, "The Government calls it conspiracy -- we call it resistance" (on the Ohio 7), Ray Luc Levasseur on "VVAW article," "Kazi Toure: Community threat?"
Into the Night, no. 3: paste-up
Creation of Into the Night, no. 3: paste-up
Time of Creation of Into the Night, no. 3: paste-up
Into the Night, no. 4
Creation of Into the Night, no. 4
Time of Creation of Into the Night, no. 4
Articles: "The crime is treason the punishment" (on Felipe Noguera's testimony regarding the Ohio 7 Sedition trial), Gillam Kerley on "Political oppression and the struggle against the draft."
Into the Night, no. 4: paste-up
Creation of Into the Night, no. 4: paste-up
Time of Creation of Into the Night, no. 4: paste-up
Into the Night, no. 5
Creation of Into the Night, no. 5
Time of Creation of Into the Night, no. 5
Articles: "For freedom, nothing less," on the spirit of Malcolm X and John Brown and Mutulu Shakur and Marilyn Buck, "State of California trying to silence Ruchell Cinque Magee," on censorship of Into the Night, Ray Luc Levasseur's "Memere" (poem), Ray Luc Levasseur on "Free the Ohio 7."
Into the Night, no. 5: paste-up
Creation of Into the Night, no. 5: paste-up
Time of Creation of Into the Night, no. 5: paste-up
Into the Night: Miscellaneous
Creation of Into the Night: Miscellaneous
Time of Creation of Into the Night: Miscellaneous
Into the Night: subscription requests
Creation of Into the Night: subscription requests
Time of Creation of Into the Night: subscription requests
Jenkins, Kenneth Akbar Muhammad
Creation of Jenkins, Kenneth Akbar Muhammad
Time of Creation of Jenkins, Kenneth Akbar Muhammad
On unjust conviction, racial disparities in prison system, revolution.
Jonah House
Creation of Jonah House
Time of Creation of Jonah House
Jones, Ted
Creation of Jones, Ted
Time of Creation of Jones, Ted
Kabat, Carl
Creation of Kabat, Carl
Time of Creation of Kabat, Carl
Circular letters on political prisoners.
Kerley, Gillam
Creation of Kerley, Gillam
Time of Creation of Kerley, Gillam
Committee Against Registration and the Draft
Kirklin, Andrew
Creation of Kirklin, Andrew
Time of Creation of Kirklin, Andrew
Krueger, Jack
Creation of Krueger, Jack
Time of Creation of Krueger, Jack
Levasseur, Ray Luc
Creation of Levasseur, Ray Luc
Time of Creation of Levasseur, Ray Luc
On Ohio 7 sedition trial; Vietnam Veterans Against the War.
Libertad: Official Organ of the National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of War, vol. 9:3
Creation of Libertad: Official Organ of the National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of War, vol. 9:3
Time of Creation of Libertad: Official Organ of the National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of War, vol. 9:3
Magee, Ruchell Cinque
Creation of Magee, Ruchell Cinque
Time of Creation of Magee, Ruchell Cinque
Copies of three legal briefs, letters, "Black August," Kazi Toure.
Manning, Carol Saucier
Creation of Manning, Carol Saucier
Time of Creation of Manning, Carol Saucier
Miscellaneous
Creation of Miscellaneous
Time of Creation of Miscellaneous
Mordechai Vanunu Legal Defense Fund
Creation of Mordechai Vanunu Legal Defense Fund
Time of Creation of Mordechai Vanunu Legal Defense Fund
MOVE
Creation of MOVE
Time of Creation of MOVE
News releases from Ramona Africa and Wiliam Philips Africa.
Nuclear Resister
Creation of Nuclear Resister
Time of Creation of Nuclear Resister
Ogun, Iyapo Olugbala
Creation of Ogun, Iyapo Olugbala
Time of Creation of Ogun, Iyapo Olugbala
Ohio 7
Creation of Ohio 7
Time of Creation of Ohio 7
Transcript of testimony of Felipe Noguera, Sedition Committee updates, posters and publicity
Oluyomi, Geoffrey
Creation of Oluyomi, Geoffrey
Time of Creation of Oluyomi, Geoffrey
On Gogol Boulevard, vo. 1:1-2
Creation of On Gogol Boulevard, vo. 1:1-2
Time of Creation of On Gogol Boulevard, vo. 1:1-2
Ostensen, George
Creation of Ostensen, George
Time of Creation of Ostensen, George
Palestine Focus, no. 22
Creation of Palestine Focus, no. 22
Time of Creation of Palestine Focus, no. 22
Palestine Solidarity Committee
Creation of Palestine Solidarity Committee
Time of Creation of Palestine Solidarity Committee
Peltier, Leonard
Creation of Peltier, Leonard
Time of Creation of Peltier, Leonard
Perotti, John
Creation of Perotti, John
Time of Creation of Perotti, John
Appeal for help from "IWW union organizer and jailhouse lawyer."
Plowshares-Disarmament Actions, September 1980-November 1986
Creation of Plowshares-Disarmament Actions, September 1980-November 1986
Time of Creation of Plowshares-Disarmament Actions, September 1980-November 1986
Plowshares Newsletter, vol. 4:4, 5:1, 5:2, 5:4
Creation of Plowshares Newsletter, vol. 4:4, 5:1, 5:2, 5:4
Time of Creation of Plowshares Newsletter, vol. 4:4, 5:1, 5:2, 5:4
Vol. 5:2 enclosed in letter filed with Gillam Kerley.
Prison News Service, no. 21, 22
Creation of Prison News Service, no. 21, 22
Time of Creation of Prison News Service, no. 21, 22
Progressive Periodical Directory
Creation of Progressive Periodical Directory
Time of Creation of Progressive Periodical Directory
Resistance Conspiracy Case
Creation of Resistance Conspiracy Case
Time of Creation of Resistance Conspiracy Case
Rosenthal, Harold
Creation of Rosenthal, Harold
Time of Creation of Rosenthal, Harold
Struggle: A Magazine of Proletarian Revolutionary Literature, vol. 6:1-2
Creation of Struggle: A Magazine of Proletarian Revolutionary Literature, vol. 6:1-2
Time of Creation of Struggle: A Magazine of Proletarian Revolutionary Literature, vol. 6:1-2
Taylor, Brent
Creation of Taylor, Brent
Time of Creation of Taylor, Brent
Member of the Squamish Five; includes two poems.
Thomas, Martha
Creation of Thomas, Martha
Time of Creation of Thomas, Martha
Thompson, Harold H.
Creation of Thompson, Harold H.
Time of Creation of Thompson, Harold H.
Turning the Tide: LA Anti-Racism Newsletter
Creation of Turning the Tide: LA Anti-Racism Newsletter
Time of Creation of Turning the Tide: LA Anti-Racism Newsletter
Williams, Richard
Creation of Williams, Richard
Time of Creation of Williams, Richard
Includes update on Ohio 7 Sedition trial and information on Kazi Toure.
Woodson, Helen
Creation of Woodson, Helen
Time of Creation of Woodson, Helen
World Socialist, no. 1
Creation of World Socialist, no. 1
Time of Creation of World Socialist, no. 1
Year One
Creation of Year One
Time of Creation of Year One
Zeller, Barbara
Creation of Zeller, Barbara
Time of Creation of Zeller, Barbara