• Identification00064882
  • TitleDescriptive inventory for the Chicago Association for Retarded Citizens records, ca. 1963-1973
  • PublisherChicago Historical Society
  • RepositoryChicago History Museum Research Center 1601 North Clark Street Chicago, IL 60614-6038
  • OriginationChicago Association for Retarded Citizens
  • Dateca. 1963-1973
  • Physical Description6 linear ft. (15 boxes)
  • LocationMSS Lot C
  • LanguageEnglish

Box 8, folder 3 is closed until 2037.

Copyright may be retained by the creators of items, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law, unless otherwise noted.

Accession #: M1976.0023

Chicago Association for Retarded Citizens records (Chicago History Museum) plus a detailed description, date, and box/folder number of a specific item.

Correspondence, financial records, meeting minutes, membership lists, memoranda, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, photographs, proposals, research files, and other administrative and legal documents of the Chicago Association for Retarded Citizens (CARC). The collection consists largely of board of director meeting minutes, committee meeting minutes, correspondence written by two of the organization's executive directors, Myron Binky and Otto Whitehall, and financial records. Also present are research materials related to people with mental disabilities and position statements, such as a statement in support of the lead poisoning amendment to the housing code of Chicago, 1967-1972. Other materials relate to external associations, boards, committees, councils, government offices, and departments of interest to the organization.

The Chicago Association for Retarded Citizens (CARC), formerly the Chicago Association for Retarded Children, is the successor agency to Retarded Children's Aid; the Association for Retarded Children, Southwest Chicago; and the Project for Mental Retardation. In 1964, these three organizations pooled their resources and established a single institution to represent the interests of people with mental disabilities in the city of Chicago. On June 30, 2010, CARC changed its name to become Envision Unlimited.

Language note: Historical material often contains violent acts, offensive language or negative stereotypes reflecting the culture and language of a particular period or place. These items are presented as part of the historical record. The Chicago History Museum has an institution-wide initiative to critically consider the language used to describe people and materials, and we invite you to read more about our related projects: https://libguides.chicagohistory.org/research/criticalcataloging

  • Names
    • Binky, Myron
    • Whitehall, Otto
    • Chicago Association for Retarded Citizens--Archives
    • Chicago Association for Retarded Children--Archives
  • Subject
    • Charities--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
    • Children with mental disabilities--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
    • Intellectual disability--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
    • People with mental disabilities--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
  • Geographic Coverage
    • Chicago (Ill.)--Social conditions--20th century
    • United States--Illinois--Cook County--Chicago

The collection is arranged arranged in two series: Series 1. Administrative files, ca. 1963-1972 (box 1-3) Series 2. Working papers, ca. 1963-1973 (box 4-15) Box 8 folder 3 CLOSED until 2037.

Series 1. Administrative files, ca. 1963-1972 (box 1-3)

Series 1 consists of organizational records and meeting minutes. Records document the structure, constitution, purpose, and history of CARC. Many materials relate to board of directors meetings, nominations, and recognition. Files about the board of directors are arranged alphabetically. Also included are committee meeting minutes, which are arranged alphabetically by committee name and then chronologically.

Series 2. Working papers, ca. 1963-1973 (box 4-15)

Series 2 contains the working papers of CARC. Included are financial records related to contributions, donations, grants, and taxes; correspondence, including correspondence of executive directors Myron Binky and Otto Whitehall; memoranda and memorials; facilities documents; files on other associations, boards, committees, councils, government offices, and departments, such as the Chicago Committee of Urban Opportunity (CCUO) and the National Association for Retarded Children (NARC); forms; mailing lists; grant and project proposals; union documents; and photographs. Original order is maintained; files are largely alphabetical. RESTRICTION: Folder 3 in box 8 is CLOSED until 2037