Collections : [Rare Book & Manuscript Library]

The collection consiste of correspondence, memoranda, reports, bulletins, clippings, photographs, awards, and printed material. The files, arranged by genre and topic and reflect her philanthropic and legislative work in the areas of health, specifically cancer, heart disease, and mental health. Her civic and legislative work is covered in detail, as well as her private interests and activities.

Papers concerning both the administration of the Henry Street Settlement and Wald's involvement in numerous philanthropic and liberal causes. Her office files trace the foundation and growth of the Henry Street Settlement from 1895 until 1933. Her other activities include child welfare, civil liberties, immigration, public health, unemployment, and the peace movement during World War I. The correspondence files contain letters from public figures and writers including Jane Addams, Roger N. Baldwin, Van Wyck Brooks, Lavinia L. Dock, John Galsworthy, Samuel Gompers, William D. Howells, Charles Evans Hughes, Mabel Hyde Kittredge, Frances Perkins, Dorothy Thompson, Norman Thomas, Ida Tarbell, Margaret Sanger, and Jacob A. Riis.

The Corporation awards grants to nonprofit organizations and institutions for projects that are broadly educational in nature and that show promise of having national or international impact. Certain appropriations are made for activities, such as Corporation-led initiatives that are administered by the foundation's officers. The trustees set the overall policies of the foundation and have final authority to approve all grants above $50,000 recommended by the program staff. Grants of $25,000 or less, called discretionary grants, are made upon the approval of the president and are reported to the board; larger discretionary grants, those between $25,000 and $50,000, are also reviewed by a Corporation-wide group, which makes recommendations to the president. (from Program Guidelines 2003-2004 (http://www.carnegie.org/sub/program/areas.html))

Organizational records of the nonprofit Human Service Employees Registration and Voter Education Fund (Human SERVE), which advocated for Americans to have the opportunity to register to vote at government-run social services agencies. The collection includes records of Human SERVE's funding sources, organizational partnerships, and campaigns. There are also records of Human SERVE's involvement in the passage and implementation of laws on both the state and federal levels that resulted from the organization's advocacy work. The bulk of the state-level records are from New York State. Finally, there are internal records related to the organization's staffing, Board, and legal compliance.

Correspondence, memoranda, manuscripts, documents, photographs, printed material, and memorabilia of Ascher. Also, his notes and diary/datebooks, as well as typescripts for many of his reports, articles, and reviews. Among the major correspondents are Roger Nash Baldwin, Mary Steichen Calderone, Julian Huxley, Margaret Mead, Jo Mielziner, Lewis Mumford, Alva Myrdal, Edwin Herbert Samuel (2nd Viscount Samuel), Percy E. Sutton, and Constantine D. Tsatsos.