Introduction | West Side Neighbors | Dr. Juliet Saltman | National Neighbors | Conclusion
Introduction
The West Side Neighbors (WSN), Inc. was a neighborhood organization formed in Akron, Ohio’s West Akron neighborhood in 1967 to promote racial integration and stabilization of the neighborhood. This digital exhibition introduces the topic and provides a brief history of the West Side Neighbors, National Neighbors, and founder Dr. Juliet Saltman. It also provides information about the contents of the West Side Neighbors, Inc. Records at The University of Akron Archives and Special Collections of University Libraries.
The West Side Neighbors, Inc. Records contain 50 boxes of materials dating from approximately 1967 to 1990. A majority of the materials in the records were created by the West Side Neighbors and include meeting minutes, reports, correspondence, newspaper clippings, research materials, newsletters, and photographs. Other materials in the records pertain to people, organizations, and topics that are relevant to WSN. The inclusion of these additional materials are helpful in understanding the work and operation of WSN and its place within a local and national context. These supplemental materials pertain to other like-minded neighborhood organizations in the U.S.; schools and segregation in Akron and in other U.S. cities; papers from WSN co-founder Dr. Juliet Saltman; newsletters and conference materials from National Neighbors; and materials from the Fair Housing Contact Service.
This exhibition was created in Fall 2024 by Melanie Mohler as part of her capstone project for the MA in the Applied History and Public Humanities program at The University of Akron.
If you would like to consult the West Side Neighbors, Inc. Records for research and study, please schedule an appointment to visit The University of Akron Archives and Special Collections.
Do you have information you can share about the West Side Neighbors, or any of the other people or organizations represented in this digital exhibition? If so, please contact The University of Akron Archives and Special Collections at 330-972-7670 or archives@uakron.edu.