Roger W. Axford Papers

This collection houses agendas, minutes, reports, interviews, flyers, correspondence, promotional literature, clippings, syllabi, photographs, and other materials documenting Roger W. Axford’s work as a peace activist; career as a professor and adult educator in Wisconsin, Maine, and Arizona; and author of such works as Adult Education: The Open Door (1969), Spanish-Speaking Heroes (1973), Native Americans: 23 Indian Biographies (1980), Black American Heroes (1981), Too Long Been Silent: Japanese Americans Speak Out (1982), and Successful Recareering: How to Shift Gears Before You're Over the Hill (1983). Also included is correspondence between Roger Axford and his mother and sister and certificates, essays, clippings, programs, and other materials documenting members of the Axford family.

Series I: Activism houses correspondence, clippings, agendas and minutes, programs, promotional literature, flyers, and other materials focusing primarily on Axford’s peace activism, including his sponsorship of ASU’s Coalition for World Peace (a student organization devoted to Inform[ing] Students and Faculty of Ways to Non-Violent Solutions to Conflict); work with conscientious objectors; opposition to nuclear weapons, including promotion of a bilateral nuclear weapons freeze and nuclear-free zones; and participation in such peace organizations as the Arizona Center to Reverse the Arms Race, Beyond War in Arizona, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. Other materials document Axford’s work with incarcerated people, including his participation in the Alliance for Correctional Justice and service on the Arizona Department of Corrections Religious Advisory Committee. Finally, subject files record Axford’s interest in such social and political issues as elections, Central American and Middle Eastern conflicts, civil disobedience, and programs and services targeted towards older people in Maricopa County.

Series II: Teaching, Consulting, and Academic Service houses memoranda and other correspondence, agendas, minutes, syllabi, reports, clippings, and other materials documenting Axford’s work in higher education. Sub-Series A: Arizona State University shows Axford’s teaching and research regarding adult education, service on the Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee, and participation in the governance of the College of Education and its Department of Higher and Adult Education. Sub-Series B: Other Universities shows Axford’s time with Indiana University of Pennsylvania, the University of Maine system, and the University of Wisconsin system. Sub-Series C: Community Colleges primarily houses materials documenting Axford’s work with Arizona’s community college system, including his campaign for and term on the Arizona Community College Board. Sub-Series D: Professional Correspondence houses letters written to and from colleagues in the field of education around the world. These letters discuss such subjects as conferences, research, professional organizations, job changes, and other matters directly related to the correspondents’ work in the field. Sub-Series E: Presentations and Workshops documents Axford’s presentations on subjects related to adult education to a wide variety of audiences. Frequently presented programs include an adult education seminar in China, Hong Kong, and Japan; How Adults Learn; and Successful Recareering. Sub-Series F: Consulting houses reports, correspondence, and other materials documenting Axford’s consulting work with the Affiliated Indian Centers of Arizona Adult Education Program and the Utah Navajo Development Council’s Adult Education Program.

Series III: Conferences houses programs, proceedings, correspondence, newsletters, and other materials documenting Axford’s attendance at and participation in professional conferences in the fields of education and specifically adult education. Frequently attended conferences include the Adult Education Research Conference, the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education conference, the Arizona Adult Education Association conference, the Arizona Personnel and Guidance Association conference, the Indian Education Conference, the International League for Social Commitment in Adult Education conference, and the National Adult Education Conference.

Series IV: Professional Organizations houses correspondence, newsletters, flyers, agendas, minutes, and other materials documenting governance of and Axford’s work with a variety of professional organizations, including the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education, the Arizona Adult Education Association, and the Arizona Personnel and Guidance Association. Axford served as president of the Arizona Adult Education Association from 1986-1987, so this period is particularly well documented.

Series V: Publications consists primarily of interview transcripts, photographs, notes, and other materials documenting Axford’s Spanish-Speaking Heroes (Sub-Series A), Native Americans: 23 Indian Biographies (Sub-Series B), Black American Heroes (Sub-Series C), Too Long Been Silent: Japanese Americans Speak Out (Sub-Series D), and Successful Recareering: How to Shift Gears Before You're Over the Hill (Sub-Series E). Also included are materials regarding such other books as Adult Education: The Open Door and Mirror for Marriage (Sub-Series F), articles and other short works like speeches (Sub-Series G), correspondence with publishers and potential publishers (Sub-Series F), and works by other authors (Sub-Series G).

Series VI: Personal Papers consists primarily of letters from Roger and Geri Axford to Naida L. and Marian Axford. These letters discuss the Axford family’s activities, including Roger Axford’s career, Geri Axford’s social and volunteer work, travel, and the Axford children’s progress in school and extracurricular activities. During the late 1960s and 1970s, this correspondence also discusses care for Naida L. Axford, on which Roger and Marian Axford, who served as Naida's primary caregiver, often disagreed. Roger Axford typed many of these letters on paper placemats taken from restaurants in locations that the family was currently visiting. Also included are programs, photographs, certificates, notes, and other materials documenting members of the Axford family.