New York State Division of Human Rights Executive Subject and Correspondence Files

19280-02: Alphabetical.

19280-12, 19280-10A: Chronological.

The Division of Human Rights (DHR) Executive Subject and Correspondence files document the activities of the DHR Commissioners. These records were created by the commissioner and agency executive staff.

The DHR is responsible for both enforcing and promoting awareness of the New York State Human Rights Law (Executive Law, Article 15, sect. 290-301), which involves complaint processing and adjudication, educating the public on matters of discrimination, and informing the public on the complaint adjudication process. It is under the jurisdiction of the DHR to combat violations of the Human Rights Law in cases involving discrimination in employment; housing, land and commercial space; public accommodations; training and education; and credit. Records types include correspondence; inter-agency memorandums; reports; information involving division activities such as budgeting, staffing changes, updates regarding legislation, committees and their roles, and commissioner directives; meeting minutes; policy material; as well as information on various subjects including abortion, civil rights, religious practices, school integration, statutes of limitations, and the various types of discrimination. The types of complaints received by the division include those involving discrimination based on age, race, sex, and marital status in cases of preemployment questions, insurance withholdings, retirement, and issues involving the purchasing of real estate. Correspondence relating to specific cases and complaints are also included in this series.

Commissioners represented in this series include George H. Fowler (1962-1967); Robert J. Mangum (1967-1970); Jack M. Sable (1970-1975); Werner H. Kramarsky (1975-1982); Robert Shaw (Acting Commissioner 1982-1983); H. Carl McCall (1983-1984); Douglas H. White (1984-1990); Evonne W. Jennings Tolbert (2000-2003); Michelle Cheney Donaldson (2003-2007); and Kumiki Gibson (2007-2008).

19280-19: Unpublished reports on case processing, including use of information technology; meditation training; economic costs of sexual harassment in the workplace; discrimination against individuals with HIV/AIDS; and other topics. Also present are a comprehensive description of the agency in 1995 and the Division's budget proposal for fiscal year 1995/1996.

B2119Series B2119, New York State Division of Human Rights Archived Websites, 2006, 2008

19283Series 19283, Minutes of the State Commission Against Discrimination, 1945-1957 and

19281Series 19281, New York State Division of Human Rights Office of Counsel Subject and Correspondence Files, 1985-1999, 2003-2005 contain related records.

19280-10: Folder list is available at the repository.

19280-19: These records were donated by Lynne A. Weikart, retired Executive Deputy Commissioner, Division of Human Rights, in 2018.

This series was transferred to the State Archives ca. May 2000, was misidentified, accessioned, and labeled as accretion 10409-00. Series was reaccessioned as 19280-02 in October 2002. 19280-02 was reassessed in August 2018.

Restricted in part. Series contains copies of documents relating to discrimination cases. Disclosable documents among these include the initial complaint and the final determination. Other documents will be disclosed as permitted by the New York State Freedom of Information Law (Public Officers Law Art. 6).