Guide to the Derek Winans Papers 1862-2004 MG 1673

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Descriptive Summary
Biographical Note:
Scope and Content Note
Access Points
Administrative Information

Container List

Winans documents

Guide to the Derek Winans Papers
1862-2004
MG 1673

The New Jersey Historical Society52 Park Place
Newark, New Jersey 07102
Contact: NJHS Library
(973) 596-8500 x249
library@jerseyhistory.org
https://www.jerseyhistory.org
© 2006 All rights reserved.
The New Jersey Historical Society, Publisher
Processed by Evan Panayi.Finding aid encoded by Julia Telonidis. July 2006. Production of the EAD 2002 version of this finding aid was made possible by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.Finding aid written in English.


Descriptive Summary

Creator: Winans, Derek, 1938-2004.
Title: Derek Winans Papers
Dates 1862-2004
Abstract: The collection consists mostly of materials belonging to Newark, NJ based civil rights and community activist Derek Winans
and his father James Winans.
Quantity: .66 linear feet (2 boxes)
Collection Number: MG 1673

Biographical Note:

This collection contains various materials from the life of Derek Torrey Winans. He was born in Newark, New Jersey, to Elizabeth Carrington and James Dusenberry Winans on September 4th, 1938. Throughout his childhood, Derek lived in New York and Washington D.C. and attended Harvard University. In 1974, he returned to Newark. Throughout his adult life, he held many positions, working as a journalist, both writing and editing for the Herald Advance, Plainfield-Courier News and Wall Street Journal. According to his close personal friends, his work in journalism did not satisfy him completely, and he turned to full time activism. He worked in various Newark related activist organizations, including the International Youth Organization. He was also a fixture in many other activist circles, including being the director of the United Community Corporation (an anti-poverty program). He worked with Newark Councilman Donald Tucker on education and housing issues and co-founded the Newark Community Project for People with AIDS. He also dealt with such issues such as welfare and tenants rights in the 1970s and 1980s. Until his last days, he worked as an activist for the people of Newark. He died on June 19th, 2004.

Also featured prominently in the collection is Derek’s father, engineer and community leader James Dusenberry Winans. He was the son of Carlton George Winans (1869-1925). James was founder of the Newark Boys’ Club and was once chairman of the Newark Chapter of the Red Cross. He married Elizaberth Carrington in 1928 and had two children Peter Torrey Winans and Derek Torrey Winans. He seems to have remarried later to a Polly Winans. Being a descendant of a Revolutionary War veteran John Winans, he has an American genealogy that stretches back to the Colonial era. He was a Dusenberry on his mother’s side. Her ancestor Augustus Dusenberry was a noted Civil War veteran whose papers are also featured in this collection.

Return to the Table of Contents


Scope and Content Note

This collection contains materials from all aspects of Derek Winans’s life, both professional and personal. There are a series of photographs that chronicle Mr. Winans’s life, particularly his later years. Many of these photographs are of his partner of 15 years, Al Jordan, and of family and friends. There is correspondence and publication articles that he either wrote or is mentioned in. There are a number of different issues of various magazines, which were of interest to Mr. Winans. There is also a lot of miscellaneous documents, which are from the various activist programs that Mr. Winans took part in during his life, including the International Youth Organization.

The papers Derek’s father James Dusenberry Winans consist of correspondence, genealogical information and notes tracing the Winans family back many generations. There is a personality test given by his employer “C.G. Winans Co.” of Newark and his passport. There is also his wife, Polly Winans’s, schedule book.

In addition, there are items pertaining to ancestor Augustus Dusenberry, mostly military related documents pertaining to his service in the Civil War.

There are also three issues of Socialist magazines from the early 1920s, including “The Clarion : Organ of New Jersey” and “The Young Socialists’ Magazine. It is unknown which family member these belonged to.

Return to the Table of Contents


Access Points

The entries below represent persons, organizations, topics, forms, and occupations documented in this collection.
Subject Names:
Dusenberry, Augustus.
Jordan, Al.
Tucker, Donald.
Winans,
Elizabeth Ella Carrington, b. 1907.
Winans, Derek Torrey, 1938-2004.
Winans, James Dusenberry, 1902-1994.
Winans, John, 1745-1825.
Winans, Polly Dudley.
Winans, William T.
Subject Organizations:
Harvard Young Democratic Club.
Harvard University.
International Youth Organization.
Newark Boys’ Club.
Society of the War of 1812 (N.J.)
United States. Army. New York Infantry Regiment, 9th.
C.G. Winans Co. (Newark, N.J.)
Grace Church (Newark, N.J.)
St. Paul’s School (Concord, N.H.)
United Community Corporation (Newark, N.J.).
United States. Army. New Jersey Infantry Regiment, 35th.
Subject Topics:
AIDS (Disease)
Gay rights–New Jersey.
Gay activists–New Jersey.
Gay men–New Jersey.
Journalists–New Jersey.
Personality tests.
Political activists–New Jersey.
Public welfare.
Youth–Services for–New Jersey.
Subject Places:
Newark (N.J.)
Summit (N.J.)
United States–History–Civil War, 1861-1865.
Document Types:
Certificates.
Clippings.
Flyers.
Greeting cards.
Letters (Correspondence)
Newsletters.
Obituaries.
Passports.
Photographs.
Programs.

Return to the Table of Contents


Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

This collection should be cited as: Manuscript Group 1673, Derek Winans Papers, The New Jersey Historical Society.

Acquisition Information

Donated by Gail Malmgreen, 2006.

Return to the Table of Contents


Container List

Winans documents
Box Folder Title Date
1 1 Augustus Dusenberry Civil War related documents 1862-1900
1 2 Socialist publications The Clarion : Organ of New Jersey and The Young Socialists’ Magazine 1918-1921
1 3 James Winans correspondence, notes, genealogy 1902-1959
1 4 James Winans personality test, passport, publications ca. 1950s-1960s
1 5 Polly Winans schedule/address book ca. 1980s-1990s
1 6 Derek Winans Harvard University writings/publications 1958-1962
1 7 Derek Winans correspondence 1990s
1 8 Newspaper Clippings (mostly related to Derek Winans) 1960s-1990s
1 9 International Youth Organization booklets/printouts ca. 1990s
1 10 Derek Winans miscellaneous receipts, business cards, issues of the Congressional Record 1960s-1990s
1 11 Derek Winans oral histories/notes ca. 1990s
1 12 Derek Winans Human Rights/Civil Rights/Gay and Lesbian activist literature/flyers 1993-1996
1 13 Derek Winans Newark related (Grace Church, Ironbound, Newark 300th Anniversary) 1966-1996
1 14 Derek Winans St. Paul’s School (Concord, N.H.) related 1990s
1 15 Derek Winans remembrances and obituary 2004
1 16 Derek Winans’ Will; this is not the will that was in effect when Derek died in 2004. But it’s interesting as it illustrates his thinking, and his circle of friends at age 35. 1974
Box Folder Title Date
2 1 Derek Winans greeting cards ca. 1970s-1990s
2 2 Miscellaneous photographic items/postcards ca. 1900s-1920s
2 3 Derek Winans and Al Jordan photographs ca. 1970s-1980s
2 4 Derek Winans and Al Jordan photographs ca. 1970s-1980s
2 5 Derek Winans and Al Jordan photographs ca. 1950s-1980s
2 6 Derek Winans and Al Jordan photographs ca. 1970s-1980s
2 7 Derek Winans and Al Jordan photographs ca. 1970s-1980s
2 8 Derek Winans and Al Jordan photographs ca. 1970s-1990s

 

Return to the Top of Page

Print Friendly, PDF & Email