Primary Sources and Archival ResearchMoakley Archive and Institute at Suffolk University Nicole Feeney 617-305-6277nfeeney@suffolk.edu

Research and Information Literacy Regardless of the source savvy researchers pay attention to:• Key names, places, dates, events• Authenticity

▫ Find a letter signed by Abraham Lincoln dated 12/13/1866 • Reliability

▫ Is what you’re reading is consistent with other records or scholars?• Authority

▫ Ph. D from Harvard or posted by screen name consprcythry1906• Audience

▫ To whom is the author writing?

Savvy researchers are:• Critical of the records • Asking questions while they researching• Considering that a collection reflects the point of view of one person or

organization• Thinking about what’s there and what’s missing

Conducting research in an archive is different than in a library because:

Archives Libraries

• Unique materials• Organized by creator• 1 collection may have

many parts • Closed stacks• Non-circulating• Primary source (first-

hand account)

• Published materials• Organized by subject• Open stacks• Collections circulate• Secondary source

(someone’s interpretation of the first-hand account)

Understanding and Using Archival Collections

Collections in an archive: Access collections through:

• Reflect the point of view of the creator

• Are primary sources▫ First hand accounts ▫ Un-interpreted ▫ Raw data

• Enable researchers to:▫ Conduct original research and draws

his own conclusion▫ Contribute new ideas to an existing field

• Require searching many places for one topic

• Aren’t exclusively made of paper and may have:▫ Audio/visual▫ Artifacts▫ Anticipated and unanticipated materials

or topics

• Finding aids:▫ Bio info, kind of info is in the

collection, format of materials available, restrictions, arrangement materials, a list of boxes and folders

• Archivists:▫ Can navigate the collection▫ Understand the value of their

resources▫ Guide and help researchers

• Web site:▫ Subject guides▫ Research topics▫ Searchable database (SMART)

“The Process”1. Begin with secondary source research

▫ Read about your topic (Web, newspapers, journals, etc.)▫ Look at bibliographies

2. Schedule a reference interview▫ Discuss potential topic and relevant sources

3. Consult Archives resources▫ SMART (searchable online catalog)▫ Subject guides

4. Schedule a research appointment▫ Keep your appointments▫ Book 2-3 hour slots

5. At the Archives ▫ Get a locker for coats, backpacks, laptop cases, etc.▫ Laptops, paper and pencils allowed▫ Food, drinks, digital cameras and loose papers not allowed

6. Begin primary source research▫ Use one box at a time, one folder at a time▫ Keep the documents flat on the table▫ Keep the documents in order within the folder▫ Take Notes!! Keep track of box and folder info for research paper

citations

Resources at the Moakley Archive and Institute•www.suffolk.edu/moakley•Archival collections•Collection descriptions (finding aids)•Research guides•Research topics•Oral History transcripts•SMART (our searchable database)

Congressman Joe Moakley- “Never forget where you came from”

Biographical Profile: Congressional Profile:

• 1927: born and raised in South Boston

1943-1946: served in WWII (forged birth certificate to enlist)

1950: loses first race 1952: wins MA State Rep (1952-

1960) 1957: Graduates SULS 1964-1970: MA State Senator 1970: loses 1st Congressional Race

1972: wins congressional race

(1973-2001) 1989: Chair of Rules Committee

Constituent Services Boston and District Development

Harbor Islands Big-Dig Waterfront Development Fair Housing

El Salvador Immigration Laws Human Rights

Fire-Safe Cigarettes Veterans

El Salvador’s Civil War 1980-1992Fast Facts: The Jesuit Case

• ARENA and military (right) vs. Guerillas/FMLN (left)

• About 75, 000 people killed (mostly non-combatants), 1 million displaced

• El Salvador is size of Massachusetts• Salvadoran government:

▫ Supported by Reagan and Bush▫ Received $5 billion in military aid

• Causes▫ Economic issues▫ Response to government repression and

“Death Squads” ▫ Resistance of the upper-classes to land

reform

• Jesuits at UCA: outspoken opponents of the war and repression in El Salvador

• 6 Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter murdered on Nov. 16th 1989 @ UCA campus

• Occurred at night, after curfew, in San Salvador during FMLN’s final offensive

• FMLN blames military, military blames FMLN

Moakley Commission:Investigation and ResultsTasks: Accomplishments:• Formed in Dec. 1989. Consists of:

Moakley (chair) and Congress people who work with Latin America

• Conduct fact finding trips to El Salvador (1989-1991)

• Determine what happened and how the murders occurred

• Monitor the Salvadoran government’s investigation

• Evaluate if U.S. military aid should continue

Meet with U.S. Embassy, the Salvadoran President and High Command, guerillas, labor leaders, etc.▫ Moakley is 1st U.S. Official to meet

with guerillas – major breakthrough

Military aid cut in ½ • 1991: Moakley Commission

Report:▫ Murdered and staged by Atlacatl

Battalion▫ Ordered by Minister of Defense,

Army Intelligence• 1991: Trial in El Salvador

▫ 2 convictions Col. Benavides and Lt. Mendoza

▫ Report used in trial• 1992 U.N. Peace Accords signed

and cease-fire• 2011 Reprosecution of Salvadoran

officials by Spanish High courts▫ Moakley Papers used in

proceedings

Moakley’s own words about El Salvador:

Read the following excerpt from Moakley’s oral history interview and then share your thoughts

…I got wind that there was some kind of correspondence between Buckland. So I stood up; I said, “Mr. Ambassador, that letter that Buckland wrote to General Ponce … I’d like to take a look at it.” He said, “Okay. We’ll let you see it tomorrow.” So tomorrow comes by, I said, “I’d like to see that letter.” He said, “Well, the secretary of state said it’s classified against you.” I said, “Look it, this is part of the investigation—this is the investigation. I need that letter.” “I’m sorry, it’s classified.”

So I said to McGovern, “Let’s go.” So we went to the El Salvador CIA equivalent. I saw the top guy, and I said, “Look it, I want to talk about Buckland and the letter that he talks about Colonel Aviles and the killing of the Jesuits.” He says, “Okay.” I said, “I left it at the hotel. … You got a copy?” He says, “Yeah. I’ll get you a copy.” So he runs off a copy and I said, “Geez, I left my glasses,” so that’s how I got the copy.

I couldn’t get it from our own place, but the whole thing was the same way. I’d tell the State Department—“Oh, yeah, we sent that down.” We’d find out they never sent it down. They just were stalling, because they just couldn’t tell the American people that we’ve spent six billion dollars to a military group that killed priests, sodomized churchwomen, you know, and did all these terrible things. Because they just thought they were immune to any kind of prosecution.