USC California Social Welfare Archives

The California Social Welfare Archives (CSWA) was organized in 1979 to collect materials that portray the development of social welfare in Southern California. Our goal is to ensure that pertinent knowledge, information and documents of historical significance are acquired, preserved, and made accessible for contemporary researchers and policy makers and for future generations. The CSWA also conducts an active Oral History Program consisting of focused interviews with lay and professional social welfare leaders in southern California. This program especially seeks to identify persons from the early years. Approximately 100 oral history tapes or disks are in the collections. Donated funds support the transcription and editing of these tapes. The organization conducts its activities under the umbrella of the University of Southern California School of Social Work, which provides some support services. It functions in collaboration with the Doheny Memorial Library's Archival Research Center (ARC), and CSWA collection is used in the ARC's Specialized Libraries and Archival Collections' reading room in the Doheny Library. Major collections include: Family Service of Los Angeles / Family Welfare Association of Los Angeles records from 1930 - 1937; The Los Angeles County Community Relations Conference / Community Relations Conference of Southern California records from 1947 - 1991; the Los Angeles Roundtable for Children records 1982; All nations Church and Foundation records and papers 1925 - 1965; Board of Social work Examiners records 1949 - 1955; California Association for Health and Welfare papers 1933 - 1969; Los Angeles County Coordinating Councils records 1930 - 1948; Gladys H. Culp papers 1945 - 1968; El Nido Services papers 1933 - 1986; Jessie E. Dean papers 1916 - 1943; Los Angeles Area federation of Settlements and Neighborhood Centers, Inc records 1961 - 1975; Rev. Dr. R.A. McKibben papers 1938 - 55; Metropolitan recreation and Youth Services Council papers 1944 - 72; Economic and Youth Opportunities Agency of Greater Los Angeles records 1963 - 1970; Neighborhood Adult Participation Project, Inc. records 1962 - 1978; California Association of School Social Workers papers 1927 - 1974; Board of Behavioral Science examiners records 1976 - 1982; Competence Certification Board records 1979 - 1982; Los Angeles Council of Social Agencies records 1926 - 1944; Special Service for Groups records 1948 - 1977; Anietta Tidball papers 1950 - 1956; Welfare Council of Metropolitan Los Angeles records 1945 -1954; Welfare Federation of the Los Angeles Area records 1925 - 1962; Southern California Building Funds records 1961 - 1992; Rancho Los Amigos records 1900 - 1990; Midnight Mission 1916 - ; and Carmen Combs papers 1923 - 1979.