The YMCA of Greater New York was started in 1852 to provide young men new to the city the Christian support they needed to adjust to urban life. The organization evolved over time, responding to changing demographics and social customs. It formed separate branches for black members but ultimately integrated its buildings and programs. It admitted Jews in the 1920s and women by the 1940s into membership. It developed special programs for boys and youth. It dealt with issues of urban decay and drug abuse. As women entered the workforce, the YMCA of Greater New York designed camps, after-school programs and day care initiatives to address the needs of children affected by this societal change. It continued to reach out to those new to the city and developed programs for immigrants and non-English speakers. Although best known for its swimming instruction, the YMCA became a place where New York City residents could participate in a wide range of physical activities.
The number of branches rose and fell, reflecting different economic conditions, shifting populations and increased mobility. In 2008, the YMCA of Greater New York had 18 branches and numerous service centers throughout the city and beyond. To accomplish its goals, the YMCA developed an organizational structure that included paid and volunteer staff, boards and trustees. It often partnered with other non-profit organizations and public agencies to deliver services. It conducted fund drives and building campaigns and sold unneeded property to secure resources. It frequently worked with celebrities to promote programs and encourage public support. From its earliest days, the YMCA acknowledged the service of staff and volunteers with regular award dinners and events. It promoted all these efforts using print, audio, and film and video, placing its promotional materials in journals and on radio and television.
In the 21st century, the YMCA sees itself as a community-building organization. It strives to maintain institutional flexibility so it can adjust to the changing needs of the people in the city of New York.
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The collection includes videocassette copies of promotional materials and events such as annual dinners, general assemblies, and celebrations, primarily from the 1980s and 1990s. The collection also includes color slides documenting programs such as Youth in Government, Holiday Hills Camp, McBurney schools, and the Northeast Regional Gymnastics Championships. Other media in the collection include audio cassette recordings of radio and television publicity and interviews; 16 mm and 35 mm microfilm of corporate records such as minutes, check stubs and proxies, magnetic recording tape of YMCA events, primarily from General Assemblies and dinners from the 1960s;and filmstrips and films from the period before 1970.
This collection is protected by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code). It is the user's responsibility to verify copyright, ownership, and to obtain all the necessary permissions prior to the reproduction, publication, or other use of any portion of these materials.
Processed by: Louise Merriam and Ashley Hasti, August, 2008.
Catalog Record ID number: 5313230
The following section contains a detailed list of the materials in the collection. To request materials, please note the corresponding box number.
Box contents: YMCA Day Camp, Channel 9; Refugee and Rehabilitation Presentation, 1988; How Healthy is Your Diet?; Youth and Government, Bob's Near Fatal Reunion with his Past; The YMCA's Soaring Beyond Excellence; YMCA Oral History, 1986; General Assembly; On Common Ground: A Tour of the UN; public service announcements, 1991.
Box contents: Search for Excellence; Youth in Government: 10th Anniversary; Tot Swim; YMCA Clinic with Curly Neal, 1993; Teens of Tomorrow; Y's Way to a Healthy Back; Volleyball.; Healthy Lifestyles; Model UN, 1987; Kids on Sports; Reaction to Magic at Bed-Stuy Y, 1991; Change the Beat on the Street; General Assembly, 1987; Adult CPR; Youth in Government, 1985; Get Your Back on Track; YMCA Retirees' Interviews, 1985-1986; Proud Heritage; Artworks Youth Program, 1992; Les Productions 'YMCA' Fond au Noir; This Morning: YMCA Moms in Motion, 1992; Y's Way to Physical Fitness; The Wet Way to a Healthy Body; Y's Way to Water Exercise; public service announcements, 1991. .
Ron Darling Spot, 1987; 1990 General Assembly; It's 3 O'clock YMCA, 1990; Healthy Kids Day public service announcement; YMCA Child Care spots; 3/4" tape PR spots (2).
Box contents: Harlem Mentor, 1991; YMCA, 1991 (3 copies); Channel 11 News, 1991; Ron Darling public service announcements; YMCA Moms in Motion, 1992; Artworks, 1992; Chan Yee Yip; YMCA: It's a Great Place; Kids Playground, Central Park; Day Care Activities (3 copies); ATT Work and Family Benefits; 1" tape PR spots, 1991.
Box contents: Seniors, 1988; Ron Darling public service announcements; Greenpoint Y, 1992; 3/27 Bond Meeting; Christmas Festival, 1987; Y Mentor Program; Campaign for Youth, 1993; Y Family Day, 1991; McBurney Fundraiser, 1990; Reaction to Magic at Bed-Stuy; Paula Gaun Public Service Announcement, 1991; Sloane House/Brooklyn Nursery; Children's Daycare Activities; Y Moms in Motion, 1992 (2 copies); YMCA of Greater New York, 1991; Curly Neal with Joe White, 1993, public service announcements.
Box contents; music for ads (8 copies); YMCA: It's a Great Place (7 copies); YMCA Music; Ron Darling public service announcement; Positive Alternative to the Streets, 1992; Fund Raising Day in 1989; New York Works; Paula Gaun Interview, 1992; AM Morning Edition: Infant Swimming, 1993; New York Kids, 1993; 140th Birthday Interviews (2 copies); news interviews for Gulf War, 1990; Grand Rapids for YMCA (3 copies); YMCA of Greater New York Radio public service announcement, 1993 (3 copies); miscellaneous public service announcements, 1991; customer service message demo.
Box contents: film negatives, unidentified subject, 1970s; Tips$ Fundraising Software, 1990; film containers, unidentified subject, 1960s; There is More to the Y than Meets the Eye, TV slides; YMCA of Greater New York, audiocassette; miscellaneous slides of athletics, graphics, presentations (40 sheets of slides); Summer Camping spots, audio reel.
Box contents: slide carousels, unidentified subject ( 4 carousels); National YMCA Programs slide presentation booklet; miscellaneous slides in boxes, unidentified subject (2 boxes); New York State Youth in Government slides (2 boxes); Children Working in Groups; What's in a Name filmstrip.
Box contents: Quannacut; What's the YMCA?; To the Children With Love; SOS and PACRS Program.
Box contents: Counseling Today and Tomorrow, 1973 (4 copies); Why Kids Come to the Y; activities, youth, gymnastic slides (22 boxes); Dial-A-Y (12 reels); Human Rights slide presentation.
Box contents: Locker Room film; Annual Dinner film; fitness market tool film; Dial-a-Y film, 1979; slides, unidentified subject; YMCA Basketball League film; YMCA 125 Years Young film; YBA TV advertisement film; Fitness Clinic film; untitled filmstrip (2); Harlem YMCA audiotape; Y's Way to a Healthy Back audiotape; Dodge Birthday Luncheon audiotape, 1978 (3 copies); YBA promotion audiotape; YMCA National Plan audiotape (2 copies); slides of people, senior citizens and physical education; 1978 donation award photographs.
Box contents: slides, unidentified subjects (8 boxes); Nature Scenes slides; negative of group photograph; Executive Portraits, 1950s; indoor floor plans; Environmental Education slides; face shots slides; Holiday Hills slides; Independence House slides; McBurney Schools slides; miscellaneous older slides.
Box contents: Dinner Ceremonies; YMCA Graphics; Northeast Regional Gymnastics Championships, 1979; YMCA stock shots.
YMCA Promotional; International Program Services; Slides, unidentified subjects (2 binders).
Box contents: film for TV commercial; Runner in the Park video; Phone-a-thon video; JC Penny video, 1986, 1994 (3 copies); The Forgotten Customer; meeting sessions video; administrative correspondence microfilm, 1932-1984 (2 copies); minutes microfilm, 1906-1944, 1945-1970, 1945-1979; dissolution proxies (2 copies; members biographical information (2 copies); check stubs (2 copies); Tributes, 1957-1984 (2 copies); assorted files (6 copies).
Box contents: YMCA logo and live actions scenes (2 copies); YMCA 1987 graduation; Listen to Communicate, 1980; The Power to Zone, 1990; A Passion for Customers; Willy Y's Workout, 1989; Jump In, 1990; See What's New at HIP; YMCA/Business COBY Presentations; Earth Corps; Search for Excellence; Land Use Committee Mock Hearing; New American Schools Development Corp.; How Fit Are You, Short Version; Healthy Lifestyles, 1990; How Well Do you Manage Stress? (2 copies); Managing the Separation Meeting; Friday's Child satellite hookup, 1993; Working Well; Can You Help Me?; How Healthy is Your Diet?; Campaign for Youth, 1993 (2 copies); ReFlotron System for Cholesterol Screening; Chinatown YMCA; JC Penney YMCA; Corporate Fitness.
Box contents: Includes
Box contents: General Assembly, 1962, 1968, 1970-71; Y Centennial, 1973 (2 copies); multimedia presentation narration; Report Lunch, 1963 (2 copies); 114th Anniversary Dinner, 1966; 1968 General Assembly session; Bonny Richardson, 1962; Annual Dinner, 1965; Seminar, 1963; Members Workshop, 1962, 1971 (2 tapes); Career Conference, 1967; President's Conference, 1962; What Did you Learn in School Today?; Martin Luther King, Jr., sermon, 1962; Members PR Seminar, 1967; Retirement Event, 1968; Annual Dinners, 1964, 1964 (2 tapes); untitled reels.
Box contents: Grab Bag-YMCA Activities video; Vanderbilt Branch Pool photographs; radio spots vinyl recording, 1977-1978; Summer Camp radio spots vinyl recording, 1980; YMCA public service announcement videos, 1986,1987 (2 VHS); Olympic Torch Relay video, 1983; untitled slides (7 boxes); Camp Quannot slides, 1973-1974; Southern Westchester video, 1983; YMCA public service announcement audiocassette; ABC News 20/20 video, 1988; Youth in Government video.
Box contents: The Way to Go, 1962; Back Care; YMCA World Action; The Time of your Life; Helping: Safety.
Box contents: Priority Africa; On Becoming a Champion; Blue Hill/Bobby; Life, a YMCA historical film; A Plan for Life, 1981; Y Indian Guides, 1930s-1940s; arts and crafats scenes with script, 1930s-1940s; Every Y is a World Y.
Box contents: public service announcemnts, 1970s-1980s; General Assembly, 1960s-1970s (5 tapes); Opening Session, 1965; Laymans' Conference, 1967; Layman's Confernece, 1965 (4 reels); untitled audio reel, 1964; speech by James Lee Ellenwood; General Assembly, 1960, 1978; third session; Dodge Dinner, 1979; Indian Guides radio spot recording, 1940s-1950s; Y's Way to a Healthy Back (6 copies); Sound and Pulse, 1978; Employees Alliance members meeting, 1983 (2 copies); Wellness Revolution, 1984; 30-second soundbite; Rooms for the Convention, 1980; YMCA, 1978; radio spots; blanks and unknowns (7 tapes/reels).
Box contents: Pied Piper program, 1971.
Box contents: YMCA public service announcements audio and film recordings, 1987 (5 copies); Flushing YMCA slides, 1960s (3 envelopes); Keeping Pace with Growing Industry filmstrip; New York State Youth in Government video; untitled film reels (5).
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.