Van De Bogart, Jane

Social advocate.

Involved with many social causes, including: the Caribbean-Latin America Support Project (CLASP), NAMES Project AIDS Quilt in Havana, Woodstock Women in Black, Veterans for Peace, Saugerties Committee for Peace and Social Justice, and Quilters for Peace. Van De Bogart made five trips to Cuba, often in defiance of the U.S. government's travel ban. One such trip, taken in 1964, prompted the U.S. State Department to demand that she turn in her passport. She fought the revocation of her passport in court and her case wound through the justice system to the United States District Court of Appeals. The Court of Appeals ultimately affirmed the State Department's revocation of Van De Bogart's passport unless she complied to the Secretary of State's condition to refrain from traveling to restricted areas.

From the description of Jane Wittman Van De Bogart papers, 1958-2001. (University of South Florida). WorldCat record id: 642218318

Jane Wittman Van De Bogart (1941-2008), daughter of Walter and Jeanette Wittman, Paramus, New Jersey.

Jane Wittman Van De Bogart’s interest in Cuba began in the early 1960s when she and other students of Antioch College (Ohio) traveled to the country to study its educational system. Over the years, Van De Bogart made four additional trips to Cuba, often in defiance of the U.S. government’s travel ban. One such trip, taken in 1964, prompted the U.S. State Department to demand that she turn in her passport. She fought the revocation of her passport in court and her case wound through the justice system to the United States District Court of Appeals. The Court of Appeals ultimately affirmed the State Department’s revocation of Van De Bogart’s passport unless she complied to the Secretary of State’s condition to refrain from traveling to unrestricted areas. Van De Bogart’s final trip to Cuba coincided with the first unveiling of the NAMES Project AIDS Quilt in Havana (1997), a cause for which she became an advocate, both in the US and Cuba, after her brother’s death in 1986.

In later in years, Van De Bogart became an advocate for many causes and was heavily involved in Woodstock, New York’s local politics, serving as Councilwoman, member and President of the Woodstock Library Board of Trustees, Assistant to the town assessor, and Secretary to the Town Planning Board. In addition, she advocated for many causes, including: the Caribbean-Latin America Support Project (CLASP), Woodstock Women in Black, Veterans for Peace, Saugerties Committee for Peace and Social Justice, and Quilters for Peace.

From the guide to the Jane Wittman Van De Bogart collection, 1958-2001, 1960-1997, (USF Tampa Library - Special & Digital Collections)