Published Social Welfare History Sources
A wide variety of published sources are available to provide an excellent starting point for research in the history of social work and social welfare. In general, these sources are the best starting point for familiarizing oneself with the historical landscape before digging in to unpublished archival sources. Three types of sources are listed: the professional literature of social work; published documentary editions; and reference works focusing on the history of social work and social welfare. In each case, the sources availability at the University of Minnesota is listed - in the Social Welfare History Archives' noncirculatling collections and/or in the general, circulating collections of Walter or Wilson Libraries.
Historical Professional Literature: "Published Primary Sources"
These sources comprise the core of the professional social work literature as it evolved through the twentieth century. They provide important contextual information that is critical for preparing to begin research in archival sources.
Social Work Yearbook / Encyclopedia of Social Work, 1929-
Begun in 1929 as the Yearbook, it was published in two-, then three-, then five year intervals. Since 1965 it has been published in a larger, less frequent format as the Encyclopedia. This is probably the best introductory source for U.S. topics since 1930 because it provides short state-of-the-art articles on many topics pertinent to social work at the time. It is often revealing to trace changes in the way a topic is treated over time. Equally valuable are the bibliographic listings appended to each article.
Locations: Wilson Library: 339.073 So13; Social Welfare History Archives (noncirculating)
National Conference on Social Welfare, The Social Welfare Forum, 1874-1983
Selected papers presented at the annual meeting of the NCSW (earlier known as the National Conference on Charities and Correction), which was THE meeting place for leaders in the field. As with the yearbook, the value here lies in the continuity of coverage and the ability to follow a topic over a period of time.
Locations: Wilson Library 339 N21; Social Welfare History Archives (noncirculating)
Also available online at: NCSW Proceedings web site
Proceedings of the Minnesota State Conference of Social Work 1895-1930+
There is a state-level equivalent in the variously-named published proceedings of what is now the Minnesota Social Service Association. The published proceedings are available for approximately 1895 through 1930.
Locations: Wilson Library 339.0768; Social Welfare History Archives (noncirculating)
Survey Graphic / Survey Midmonthly 1897-1952
For the first half of the twentieth century, the Survey magazines (and their predecessors, Charities Review and Charities and the Commons) provided a unique combination of information about developments in the charities, settlement house, public health, and related service fields together with in-depth commentary and investigative reporting on contemporary social issues and conditions. From 1921 until 1948 there were two separate editions: the Survey Graphic, designed as a magazine of "social interpretation" for concerned laymen; and the Survey Midmonthly, a "modern service periodical" directed toward social workers. The journals featured investigative articles by the editorial staff and solicited and commissioned first-hand accounts from leading authorities.
Location: Social Welfare History Archives (noncirculating)
The Compass / Social Work Journal / Social Work 1920-
Published first by the National (previously "American") Association of Social Workers, this is the central journal of the profession. It began more or less as a newsletter and gradually moved toward longer research articles.
Locations: Wilson Library Periodicals; Social Welfare History Archives (noncirculating)
The Family / Journal of Social Casework / Social Casework 1920-
The principle professional journal of the family casework field, published by the Family Service Association of America
Locations: Wilson Library Periodicals; Social Welfare History Archives (noncirculating)
Child Welfare, 1922-
Published by the Child Welfare League of America, this is the principle journal in the child welfare area, focusing mostly on adoption, day care, and foster care services.
Locations: Walter Library, Education/Psychology Periodicals; Social Welfare History Archives (noncirculating)
Social Welfare History: Selected Primary-Source Documents
The editors of these series selected documents that represent developments in various aspects of social welfare and published them, along with explanatory comments.
Pumphrey, Ralph E. and Muriel, eds., The Heritage of American Social Work: Readings in its Philosophical and Institutional Development (Columbia University Press, 1961)
A collection of selected primary-source documents (laws, court decisions, speeches, agency reports, etc.) covering the period 1601-1937. This is the most convenient source for getting a flavor of social work developments in the colonial and early national (pre-Civil War) periods.
Locations: Wilson Library: HV91.P8; Social Welfare History Archives (noncirculating): HV91.H47x
Bremner, Robert, et al. Children and Youth in America: A Documentary History (Harvard University Press, 1970) 3 vols.
A very extensive selection of documents (newspaper articles, court decisions, statutes, agency reports) that illustrate developments in all aspects of the history of children in the U.S., 1600-1970.
Locations: Wilson and Walter Libraries: 339.4 B75; Social Welfare History Archives (noncirculating):
Abbott, Grace, The Child and the State (University of Chicago Press, 1938) 2 vols.
Selected documents, similar to Bremner, but focused more specifically on laws, legislation, and judicial decisions relating to children.
Locations: Wilson Library: 339.4 Ab26; Social Welfare History Archives (noncirculating): KF3552 .A74 1938
Social Work History: General Reference Works
These works are very helpful in providing information about individuals and institutions that is often critical to making effective use of archival sources. They also provide leads to additional published materials.
Romanofsky, Peter, ed. Greenwood Encyclopedia of American Institutions: Social Service Organizations (Greenwood Press, 1978)
Short historical essays on all the major national organizations in the social service field.
Locations: Wilson Library, Reference: HV88.S59; Social Welfare History Archives (noncirculating)
Trattner, Walter, Biographical Dictionary of Social Welfare in America (Greenwood Press, 1986)
Biographical essays on individual leaders in U.S. social work.
Locations: Wilson Library Reference: HV27.B57; Social Welfare History Archives (noncirculating)
Trattner, Walter, Social Welfare in America: An Annotated Bibliography (Greenwood Press, 1983)
A very extensive classified listing of sources for the history of social welfare.