Research Catalog

Title

Jack Hunter O'Dell papers, 1962-2004.

Author

O'Dell, Jack (Jack H.)

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

5.8 linear feet (14 archival boxes, 1 oversize folder)

Subject

• O'Dell, Jack (Jack H.)
• Jackson, Jesse, 1941-2026
• King, Martin Luther, Jr., 1929-1968
• National Rainbow Coalition (U.S.)
• Operation PUSH (U.S.)
• African American political activists
• Political activists > United States
• African Americans > Political activity
• African Americans > Civil rights > Southern States
• Black people > Reparations
• African American communists
• Protest movements
• Social movements
• United States > Politics and government

Source (note)

• Jack O'Dell

Biography (note)

• Born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1923, Jack Hunter O'Dell attended Xavier University in New Orleans in 1941, where he studied pharmacology. With the outbreak of World War II, he dropped out of college and joined the Merchant Marines, which introduced him to many leftist ideas, progressive political movements, and the fight against exploitation and racism. In 1946, O'Dell joined other freedom fighters at the Southern Negro Youth Congress summit in Columbia, South Carolina. In 1960, O'Dell became head of fund raising and voter registration in several Southern states for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), where he became associated with Martin Luther King, Jr; however, O'Dell's affiliation with the Communist party forced him to resign from SCLC and sever his relationship to Dr. King. It most likely did not completely end his contact with Dr. King, but forced him to keep his consultations free from public exposure. In 1963, O'Dell became the associate editor of "Freedomways" magazine, a Black intellectual and arts journal, and around 1970, he joined the faculty of Antioch College's Graduate School of Education in Washington, D.C. He joined People United to Save Humanity (Jesse Jackson's Operation PUSH) as a foreign policy adviser in 1976, and later became a consultant on international affairs for Reverend Jackson during his presidential bids in 1984 and 1988. In 1984, he became the director of international affairs at the National Rainbow Coalition, a position he held until the early 2000s. Additionally, O'Dell was a Board of Directors' member of various organizations, including SANE/Freeze Peace Organization, the Pacifica Foundation radio station group (where he served as the chair), and the Palestine Human Rights Campaign, among others. He also served as a consultant for the Southern Organizing Committee for Economic and Social Justice (SOC) and the Institute for Community Leadership. O'Dell died in October 2019.

Call Number

Sc MG 497

OCLC

144658322

Author

O'Dell, Jack (Jack H.)

Title

Jack Hunter O'Dell papers, 1962-2004.

Type of Content

text

Type of Medium

unmediated

Type of Carrier

sheet

volume

Summary

The Jack O'Dell papers mostly consist of professional papers related to his work with Operation PUSH, the National Rainbow Coalition, and various other civil rights organizations. There is a limited amount of personal matter, which mostly includes correspondence, some memorabilia (souvenir programs), and a transcript of an oral history interview done with James Early in 1997. The Professional papers consist of material related to his early career and activism efforts with the Committee to Defend Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), among others. These files contain correspondence, memos, reports, printed matter, and meeting minutes. The majority of the Professional papers documents O'Dell's role as policy adviser to Reverend Jesse Jackson and director of international affairs for Operation PUSH and the National Rainbow Coalition (NRC) in Washington, D.C. during the 1980s-1990s. Included in these files are correspondence (with such correspondents as Jesse Jackson and Manning Marable) and notes; conference packets and other materials related to civil rights; solidarity movements in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America; materials related to O'Dell's role as an adviser to Jesse Jackson during his presidential runs; papers related to various Marches on Washington for different causes; speeches and statements written on behalf of Jackson; and printed matter. Additionally, there are materials related to O'Dell's work with other organizations as a Board member and consultatnt; materials related to appearances and engagements outside of his work with PUSH and the NRC (interview requests, conference materials, and printed matter); and writing samples (published and unpublished). Finally, the Subject files contain printed matter (newsletters, reports, speeches, meeting minutes and resolutions, articles, and clippings) on various subjects related to civil rights and international relations.

Biography

Born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1923, Jack Hunter O'Dell attended Xavier University in New Orleans in 1941, where he studied pharmacology. With the outbreak of World War II, he dropped out of college and joined the Merchant Marines, which introduced him to many leftist ideas, progressive political movements, and the fight against exploitation and racism. In 1946, O'Dell joined other freedom fighters at the Southern Negro Youth Congress summit in Columbia, South Carolina. In 1960, O'Dell became head of fund raising and voter registration in several Southern states for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), where he became associated with Martin Luther King, Jr; however, O'Dell's affiliation with the Communist party forced him to resign from SCLC and sever his relationship to Dr. King. It most likely did not completely end his contact with Dr. King, but forced him to keep his consultations free from public exposure. In 1963, O'Dell became the associate editor of "Freedomways" magazine, a Black intellectual and arts journal, and around 1970, he joined the faculty of Antioch College's Graduate School of Education in Washington, D.C. He joined People United to Save Humanity (Jesse Jackson's Operation PUSH) as a foreign policy adviser in 1976, and later became a consultant on international affairs for Reverend Jackson during his presidential bids in 1984 and 1988. In 1984, he became the director of international affairs at the National Rainbow Coalition, a position he held until the early 2000s. Additionally, O'Dell was a Board of Directors' member of various organizations, including SANE/Freeze Peace Organization, the Pacifica Foundation radio station group (where he served as the chair), and the Palestine Human Rights Campaign, among others. He also served as a consultant for the Southern Organizing Committee for Economic and Social Justice (SOC) and the Institute for Community Leadership. O'Dell died in October 2019.

Connect to:

Finding Aid

Local Subject

Black author.

Research Call Number

Sc MG 497