The papers of August Meier primarily document his student days at Oberlin College (1941-45), and his interest in interracial matters, Student Congress, and the Mock Convention. Records consist of materials related to the discrimination of blacks in Oberlin barbershops (1942-45), and the investigation of the discrimination of blacks on the Oberlin College campus (1942). Other files contain information concerning the Committees of Correspondence (1943-45), and the United States Student Assembly. Correspondence includes letters to family and friends (1940-45). Recipients include Joseph Bruder, Ruth Mandelbaum, Harold Wilson, and Walter Wallace. The biographical materials include copies of articles concerning August Meier (1989, 1993, n.d.) and a restricted file documenting his contributions to Oberlin College (1989-98). As noted below, the main body of his professional papers are with the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

Series 1. Biographical files, 1989-98, n.d. (2 folders, .20 l.f., one restricted file)

Consists of copies of articles related to the life of August Meier and a restricted folder concerning Meier’s contributions to Oberlin College (1989-98).

Series 2. Correspondence, Incoming and Outgoing, 1940-45, 1958-61 (27 folders, .50 l.f., two restriced files)

Letters (photocopies) from Meier to family members and friends concerning his daily activities at Oberlin, his involvement in activist movements and protests against racial injustice, World War II, and his family life. Recipients include Joseph Bruder, Ruth Mandelbaum, Harold Wilson, and Walter Wallace. These photocopies were received from the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library (1998/133). Also included are photocopies of letters concerning the Southern Historical Association's membership and discrimination against the Association's African-American members at Southern hotels, 1958-61. The original letters are held by the Southern Historical Society. [1999/086]

Series 3. Files Relating to Meier’s Student Life, 1939-45 (11 folders, .40 l.f.)

This series contains files related to the Oberlin Barbershop Discrimination controversy (1942-44), the investigation of discrimination on the Oberlin College Campus (1942); and, files related to the Committees of Correspondence, Oberlin Cooperatives, Student Congress, Mock Convention (1944), and the United States Student Assembly. Arranged alphabetically.

The papers of August Meier were received in three installments. Accessions 199 (1973) and 1998/040 were received from August Meier. Accession 1998/133 was received from Diana Lachatanere, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, the New York Public Library, 515 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, New York 10037-1801. The photocopies of the incoming and outgoing correspondence relating to the discrimination against African-American members of the Southern Historical Association [1999/086] were received from August Merier in July 1999. The original documents are held by the Southern Historical Association (#4030).

Papers of August Meier held by the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library, 515 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, New York 10037-1801. A copy of the finding guide for this collection is available at the Oberlin College Archives (on shelf with Meier Papers). A copy of the finding guide for this collection is available at the Oberlin College Archives.