Graham, Peter S.

Peter S. Graham (1939-2004) was an American librarian, writer and professor. He held positions at Columbia University, Indiana University and the Research Libraries Group, and was University Librarian at Syracuse University (SU) from 1998 to 2003. He also taught English and textual studies at SU from 2000 to 2003, and throughout his career served on numerous advisory boards and governing bodies for organizations relating to libraries, books and scholarly publication. In his early twenties he became involved in the civil rights movement, participated in sit-ins and protests, and was once arrested with Stokely Carmichael. He worked for Bayard Rustin as office manager during the organization of the 1963 March on Washington.

From the guide to the Peter Graham Papers, before 2004, (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)

Bayard Rustin (1912-1987) was an American civil rights activist. An advocate of peaceful protest (his grandmother, with whom he grew up, was a Quaker), he worked with civil rights leaders including Martin Luther King, George Houser and A. Philip Randolph, encouraging non-violent approaches to protest and social reform. With Houser he organized the "Journey of Reconciliation" in 1947, the first of the celebrated Freedom Rides, and with Randolph he organized the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. In the 1970s and 1980s Rustin served on the board of trustees for Notre Dame University and as a human rights and election monitor.

Rustin's obituary in the 25 Aug 1987 New York Times quoted him as saying that "The principal factors which influenced my life are 1) nonviolent tactics; 2) constitutional means; 3) democratic procedures; 4) respect for human personality; 5) a belief that all people are one."

Peter S. Graham (1939-2004) was an American librarian, writer and professor. He held positions at Columbia University, Indiana University and the Research Libraries Group, and was University Librarian at Syracuse University (SU) from 1998 to 2003. He also taught English and textual studies at SU from 2000 to 2003, and throughout his career served on numerous advisory boards and governing bodies for organizations relating to libraries, books and scholarly publication. In his early twenties he became involved in the civil rights movement, participated in sit-ins and protests, and was once arrested with Stokely Carmichael. He worked for Rustin as office manager during the organization of the 1963 March on Washington.

From the guide to the Peter Graham Collection Relating to Bayard Rustin, circa 1960-2002, (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)