National Conventions Project records

The National Conventions Project collection contains both incoming and outing correspondence (1975-2000). The majority of these correspondence are related to the NCP in some regard. For example, most of the outgoing correspondence detail Dansker’s effort to promote the project and acquire internships for his students. The incoming correspondence are from editors, students, or, to a lesser extent, university administrators responding to Dansker’s enquiries or asking questions of their own. The correspondence are one of the more extensive and complete aspects of this collection.

This collection also contains an informative variety of subject files, such as course files (1976-2000), assignments (1980, 1984), budget information (1980, 1992-1993), and housing (1980-2000). The course files include class syllabuses, bibliographies, workshop proposals, and instructive information for students.

Media credentials (1976-2000) include the requests for accreditation to both the DNC and RNC. Furthermore, the responses from accrediting bodies are also provided. These letters offer a comprehensive look at which newspapers were interested in covering the conventions. Furthermore, physical copies of press credentials (1976-1992) are available to peruse.

Documents from spin-off programs, such as the Olympics Project (1984-1996) and Presidential Inauguration Project (1982-1993) are made available in this collection. In addition, papers from organizations which Dansker associated with while working on the NCP are also accessible. These include, but are not limited to, the News Election Service (1976-1984) and the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars (1988-2000).

The NCP’s literary productions are available for examination. These include the rough drafts of news articles (1980-1996) written by the students and Dankser. News snippets for the radio station KUTY (1984-1992) are also provided. Finally, rough drafts of interviews (1984-1992) conducted by the students top off this section.

The NCP collection contains a handsome variety of documents taken from the conventions. These are divided by convention year and party affiliation and span from 1976 to 2000. Documents include press releases, guide books, media information guides, delegate selection procedures, rolls of delegates, fact books, convention folders, calendars of events, press kits, and telephone service handbooks. Furthermore, this collection also contains a CNN poll of delegates(1988) identification cards (1992) and rough drafts of new articles focusing on the NCP (1976-1996).

A sizable assortment of magazines and journals can be found within this collection, with one dating back to 1952, but the majority falling within 1976-2004. These include Time Magazine, Congressional Quarterly, Gannetteer, First Monday: The Republican Magazine, Columbia Journalism Review, Campaigns & Elections, Newsweek, Rising Tide, US News & World Report, and The Nation. One may also find several newspapers (1980-2000) which were released during the convention.

Photographs (1976-1996) can be found at the end of this collection as well as artifacts (1992-2004). These artifacts include bumper stickers, trading cards, and post cards, as well as items from the conventions.

Divided up by outgoing and incoming correspondence. Includes correspondence between Dansker or Spragens and students, editors, or university administrators.

National Conventions Project – Course Files; 1976-2000; Arranged chronologically. Includes class syllabuses, bibliographies, workshop proposals, and instructive information for students.

Course Assignments; 1980, 1984; Arranged chronologically. Includes completed assignments by students such as journals and bi-weekly reports.

NCP Budget; 1980, 1992-1993; Arranged chronologically. Includes budgetary information for both the BGSU and CSU eras.

National Conventions Project – Fundraisers; 1983-1984; Arranged chronologically. Includes ideas to raise money for student expenses.

Housing; 1980-2000; Arranged chronologically. Includes requests to BGSU alumni for housing and correspondence to the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, which offered housing to NCP students.

Media Credentials – Requests/Responses; 1976-2000; Arranged chronologically. Includes requests from news media for accreditation and responses from convention bodies.

Press Credentials; 1976-1992; Arranged chronologically. Includes physical copies of credentials.

Election Experience Program; 1972-1974, 1980-1982; Arranged chronologically. Includes documents from this companion program to the NCP.

Olympics Project; 1984-1996; Arranged chronologically. Includes documents from this spin-off program to the NCP.

Presidential Inauguration Project; 1981-1993; Arranged chronologically. Includes documents from this spin-off program to the NCP.

The White House – Office of the Press Secretary; 1984. Includes documents released by the Office of the Press Secretary.

News Election Service; 1976-1984; Arranged chronologically. Includes documents released by the News Election Service.

Department of the Treasury – United States Secret Service; 1980-1996; Arranged chronologically. Includes documents released by the Secret Service.

The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars; 1988-2000; Arranged chronologically. Includes documents released by the Washington Center.

Inaugurations; 1981, 1985, 1989, 1993, 1997, 2001; Arranged chronologically. Includes documents from the inaugurations of Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush.

News Articles – Rough Drafts; 1980-1996; Arranged chronologically and divided by party affiliation. Includes the rough drafts of news articles written by the students and Dansker.

KUTY Broadcasts – Rough Drafts; 1984-1992; Arranged chronologically. Includes rough drafts of news snippets for radio broadcasts.

Interviews – Rough Drafts; 1984-1992; Arranged chronologically. Includes rough drafts of interviews conducted by students.

Republican National Conventions; 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000; Grouped by convention year. Includes documents received during the RNC such as press releases, guide books, media information guides, delegate selection procedures, rolls of delegates, fact books, convention folders, calendars of events, press kits, and telephone service handbooks.

Democratic National Conventions; 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000; Grouped by convention year. Includes documents received during the DNC such as press releases, guide books, media information guides, delegate selection procedures, rolls of delegates, fact books, convention folders, calendars of events, press kits, and telephone service handbooks.

CNN Poll – Democratic Delegate Survey; 1988. Includes the results of a survey asking democratic delegates their opinions of contemporary issues.

Identification Cards; 1992. Includes ID cards for the press.

Miscellaneous Packet; 1992. Includes a packet composed of a variety of news articles.

News Releases – re: National Conventions Project; 1976-1996; Arranged chronologically. Includes rough drafts of news articles focusing on the NCP.

Magazines and Journals; 1952, 1976-2004; Arranged chronologically and/or by publication. Includes a variety of magazines and journals focusing on the conventions such as Time Magazine, Congressional Quarterly, Gannetteer, First Monday: The Republican Magazine, Columbia Journalism Review, Campaigns & Elections, Newsweek, Rising Tide, US News & World Report, and the Nation.

AP Logs; 1976, 1992; Arranged chronologically. Includes publications from the Associated Press.

Pacific Bell Folder; 1984. Includes a folder released by Pacific Bell, the manager of telecommunications for the DNC of 1984.

Chicago Folder; 1996. Includes a folder released for the 1996 DNC.

Newspapers; 1980-2000; Arranged chronologically. Includes newspapers released at the time of conventions.

Negatives; 1976, 1992; Arranged chronologically. Includes the film negatives of photographs.

Positive Prints; 1976-1996, undated; Arranged chronologically. Includes positive prints of photographs.

Includes post cards, trading cards, bumper stickers, and convention items.