Michael DeCiantis papers (MSS-0001)

Series 1. Biographical sketches, circa 1937-1972
0.05 cubic feet

Series 2. Correspondence, circa 1925-1976
0.80 cubic feet

The correspondence mostly pertains to DiCiantis’ career, law practice, and court cases he decided, however some of the correspondence is more personal. Throughout the correspondence, there are letters relating to Rhode Island politics. Correspondents include: Christopher Del Sesto, Governor of Rhode Island; U.S. Representative John E. Fogarty (D-RI); Mayor of Providence James Doorley; U.S. Senator Theodore Francis Greene (D-RI); J. Howard McGrath, U.S. Attorney General; Rev. Russell J. McVinney, Bishop of Providence; John McWeeney, State Senator (D-RI); Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island John Notte Jr.; Robert E. Quinn, Governor of Rhode Island; John O. Pastore, U.S. Senator (D-RI); Frank Rao, Chairman of the Democratic State Committee. Arranged chronologically by folder.

Series 3. Court files, circa 1929-1976
1.85 cubic feet

This series contains cases from DeCiantis’ public and private career. The files include briefs, petitions, testimony, decisions, notes, and research materials. The series also includes three volumes of Family Court decisions rendered by DiCiantis, as well as a rescript of the volumes, and a list of all the cases he pled before the Rhode Island Supreme Court. The Family Court decisions concern divorce petitions, child custody cases, and juvenile rights.

Series 4. Speeches, 1932-1972
0.15 cubic feet

The series contains speeches given by Michael DeCiantis relating to topics such as the Democratic and Republican Parties in Rhode Island as well as elections and local campaigns, controversies in West Warwick, and the status and troubles facing youths. The series is arranged chronologically.

Series 5. Legal Studies, 1921-1924
0.95 cubic feet

This series consists of class notes taken by DeCiantis while at Boston University Law School.

Series 6. Clipping files, 1919-1980
0.6 cubic feet

The clipping files in the collection include loose clippings (subseries 6a) and clipping scrapbooks (subseries 6b). The newspaper clippings pertain to DeCiantis’ career and document public controversies, the Democratic Party in Rhode Island, government and law, and a variety of court cases. The entire series was microfilmed.

Series 6. Subseries 6a. Loose clipppings, 1928-1980
0.56 cubic feet

Most of the news clipping in this subseries pertain to DeCiantis’ career and document public controversies, the Democratic Party in Rhode Island, government and law, and a variety of court cases. The clippings in box 5, folder 18 are clippings related to Congressional Records. This subseries is mostly arranged chronologically and is also available on microfilm within the collection.

Series 6. Subseries 6b. Clipping scrapbooks, 1919-1966
0.04 cubic feet

For preservation purposes all scrapbooks were dismantled, digitized, and discarded (except scrapbook 26), however any photographs or original materials (not newspaper clippings) in the scrapbooks were removed and are indicated in the below inventory list. The scrapbooks are also available on microfilm. Most of the scrapbooks in this subseries contain news clipping relating to DeCiantis’ career and document public controversies, the Democratic Party in Rhode Island, government and law, and a variety of court cases. Item number 15 includes clippings related to the 1956 Rhode Island gubernatorial election and item number 26 contains newspaper clippings, poems, photographs, and other items which were collected by Michael DeCiantis’ mother-in-law, Mrs. John Glenn. This scrapbook was microfilmed and subsequently removed from the collection by DeCiantis.

Series 7. Political and government related papers, 1935-1965
0.15 cubic feet

Series 8. Personal papers and photographs, 1900-1975
1.05 cubic feet

Series 8. Subseries 8a. Papers and objects, circa 1916-1974
0.65 cubic feet

Series 8. Subseries 8b. Photographs, circa 1900-1976
0.35 cubic feet

Series 8. Subseries 8c. Postcards, circa 1907-1920
0.05 cubic feet

Many of the postcards of Massachusetts and Rhode Island have the name Earl R. Knight written on the back.

Series 9. Ethnic Heritage Studies Project interviews, undated, 1972-1975
0.20 cubic feet

In February 1972, Rhode Island College announced the establishment of the Ethnic Heritage Studies Project. The project set out to document the experiences of Rhode Island's many ethnic groups and to create curriculum materials, conferences, and the acquisition of ethnic materials for the then newly created Special Collections at Rhode Island College. While the interviews with DeCiantis seem to be completed under this project, they were never part of the Rhode Island College Ethnic Heritage Studies Project records given to the Rhode Island College Special Collections.

This series contains audiocassettes of the interviews as well as a transcript of one of the interviews and an edited version of another interview. The series also includes written recollections provided by DeCiantis. In the interviews and written recollections DeCiantis discusses his early life in Italy, being adopted and finding his birth family in Italy, politics, the Ku Klux Klan in Rhode Island, and his career. The materials relating to the Ethnic Heritage Studies Project were added to the DeCiantis papers in 1983.