SHAD Alliance

Records, 1978-1983

Document Group: DG 142

Provenance: Deposited by Jacob Aftel, Bruce Birnber & Ken Gale, September 1983 (83A-124)

Size: 1 linear foot (30.5 cm.)

Restrictions: None

Microfilm: None

Finding aid: Checklist prepared by Barbara Addison, December 1992

This checklist is the property of the Swarthmore College Peace Collection

---

Historical Introduction

The SHAD Alliance (Sound-Hudson Against Atomic Development) was a collection of more than 20 local groups of people in southern New York State who were concerned about nuclear proliferation, low-level radiation, the nuclear fuel cycle, and the possibility of nuclear accidents. It was a "grassroots" alliance which took action by means of demonstrations, civil disobedience, educational forums, and leafletting. Nonviolence was always emphasized, and safe energy alternatives were promoted. SHAD's structure was very loosely organized. There was a central office in New York City which coordinated the antinuclear activity of between 20 and 30 "locals" (affiliates) which participated in varying degrees. The New York City SHAD was the largest and most active local.

At the first SHAD-wide (general) congress in September 1978, it was decided that the Shoreham (N.Y.) reactor, scheduled to open in the spring of 1980, would be the focus of a regional SHAD campaign. SHAD affiliates also took part in actions against the Indian Point (N.Y.) and Seabrook (N.H.) reactors. In March, 1979, the entire antinuclear movement was galvanized by the near-meltdown of the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor in Pennsylvania, and SHAD's membership grew accordingly.

SHAD affiliates also took part in the Manhattan Project's Wall Street Action (October 28-29, 1979), which attempted to close down the New York Stock Exchange. The SHAD Alliance encouraged the withholding of payments from Consolidated Edison, the New York utility which built the Indian Point reactor.

Involvement in this region's antinuclear movement seemed to peak around the end of 1979. By 1980, the minutes of the Coordinating Committees of both SHAD-wide and New York City SHAD reflect a decrease in interest and falling-off of activity. Internal dissension and chronic lack of funds caused frustration and further limited SHAD's viability. By the end of 1981, it was almost defunct. The office of SHAD was dismantled in 1982, but it may have issued some publications as late as 1988, as noted on OCLC, a national bibliographic database.

One committee, the SHAD Education Task Force attempted to carry on and broaden the work of the SHAD Alliance, without the civil disobedience component. It changed its name to Last Chance in 1981.

The SHAD Alliance published three serials: Fallout Forum, N.Y.C. SHAD Newsletter, and New Rising Sun. The latter two titles were both published by the New York City SHAD local; New Rising Sun seems to have superseded N.Y.C. SHAD Newsletter.

Names of individuals most active in the SHAD Alliance include: Jacob Aftel, Bruce Birnberg, John Breitbart, Ken Gale, Barbara Kropf, Barbara Padjack, Esther Pank, and Sharon Persinger.

The papers were received in no discernable order, including many duplicates. They are arranged with the materials of the general "SHAD-wide" group first, then the New York City SHAD, followed by other local SHAD affiliates, called "locals" or "affinity groups". These are in chronological order. Next come the materials (leaflets, pamphlets, scattered serial publications) of various antinuclear groups with which SHAD shared a common interest (including the actions against the Indian Point, Seabrook, and Shoreham nuclear reactors) arranged alphabetically, followed by miscellaneous antinuclear newspaper clippings, reprints, and one poster. Photographs had been received in two large envelopes; removal sheets for these are in the last folder. The photos were removed to the Peace Collection photograph collection DG 142. All sizes are boxed together. Serial publications are with their issuing bodies.

Checklist

Box 1: SHAD Alliance; New York City SHAD; SHAD locals and affiliates
SHAD Alliance leaflets, memos, fact sheets, flyers (1978-1981)

SHAD Alliance Coordinating Committee minutes (1978-1981)

SHAD Alliance general meeting minutes, miscell. minutes (1978-1982)

SHAD Alliance Finance & Fundraising Task Force minutes (1980)

SHAD Alliance COWS (Collective Office Workers) minutes (1980)

SHAD Alliance congress (1979)

SHAD Alliance Education Task Force (later called Last Chance) (1979-1980)

SHAD Alliance Disarmament Task Force, Nuclear Weapons Task Force (1980-1981)

SHAD Alliance civil disobedience/nonviolence training (1979-1980)

Fallout Forum (serial publication) (1978-1979)

NYC SHAD Alliance leaflets, memos, fact sheets, flyers (1978-1981)

NYC SHAD Alliance Coordinating Committee minutes (1979-1982)

N.Y.C. SHAD Newsletter (1978-1979)

New Rising Sun (1981?-1983)

SHAD Alliance locals and affinity groups (except New York City) (1979-1980)

 

Box 2: Other antinuclear groups and protest actions

Con Ed Rate Withholding Coalition

Manhattan Project

Manhattan Project Wall Street Action

Indian Point nuclear reactor protests

Seabrook nuclear reactor protests

Shoreham nuclear reactor protests

Shoreham nuclear reactor protests, legal action against

WESTPAC (Westchester Peoples Action Coalition)

 

Box 3: Other antinuclear groups, miscellaneous; Antinuclear reference material, miscellaneous

Antinuclear groups, miscellaneous, A-M

Antinuclear groups, miscellaneous, N-Z

Antinuclear reference materials: clippings, poster, reprints

Photographs (removal forms)

 

Photograph Collection

Photographs have been removed to the Peace Collection photograph collection, DG 142. In this collection there are:

1 postcard

23 photos, size 5 x 7

21 photos, size 8 x 10, including 2 sets of duplicates

16 contact sheets, size 8 x 10.

Subjects include demonstrations and rallies, nonviolent civil disobedience, community gardening, and one picture of a bomb-

blasted office. All sizes are boxed together.

For more information, contact Wendy Chmielewski, Curator, at wchmiel@ swarthmore.edu or call 610-328-8557.