Collection Summary
Marquette University. Department of Special Collections and University
Archives.
Cullen, Michael Denis
Michael Denis Cullen papers
1942,
1953-2001
4.3 cubic feet (16 boxes).
Papers of a religious educator who
co-founded Milwaukee's Casa Maria Catholic Worker House of Hospitality (1966) and
destroyed draft records in the "Milwaukee Fourteen" anti-war action in 1968, for
which he served 9 months in federal prison before being deported to Ireland. (He was
readmitted to the United States in 1991.)
MDC
English
Biography of Michael Denis Cullen
Michael Denis Cullen was born in Ireland in 1941 and raised in County Wicklow. As a
teenager, he joined the White Friars missionary order. In 1961 Cullen emigrated to
the United States, spurred by an encounter with an American priest from Pueblo,
Colorado who encouraged him to seek ordination in the Pueblo diocese. Cullen studied
in Pueblo for a year and then spent time at the Benedictine monastery in Conception,
Missouri before settling at St. Lawrence Seminary at Mt. Calvary, Wisconsin. Cullen
left the seminary in 1964 to marry Annette "Netty" Rhody. The two established a home
in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, where Cullen managed an insurance office.
In 1966 Michael and Netty left their home and careers in Cedarburg to found the Casa
Maria Catholic Worker House of Hospitality in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A
supporter of the civil rights movement, Cullen also became an outspoken opponent of
U.S. involvement in Vietnam.
On September 24, 1968, Cullen and thirteen other anti-war protesters broke into
Milwaukee's Selective Service office, seized draft records, and then burned them
publicly in a park across the street. The "Milwaukee Fourteen" were arrested and
prosecuted in high-profile trials. In 1970 a court convicted Cullen for his
involvement in the Milwaukee Fourteen action and sentenced him to a year at the Federal
Penitentiary in Sandstone, Minnesota. He began serving his sentence in March 1970
but was released in February 1971 for time served. Following Cullen's release, he
and Netty lived for a year in northern Wisconsin before returning to the Milwaukee
area.
In 1973 the U.S. Government ordered Cullen deported. Michael and Netty settled with
their children in Ireland, where he became active in lay ministry and retreat
direction. Over the next eighteen years, Cullen tried repeatedly to return to the
United States, but U.S. authorities refused his requests. Cullen was finally
readmitted to the country on October 17, 1991. He and Netty subsequently settled on
a farm in northern Wisconsin.
Scope and Contents of the Collection
Includes correspondence, legal records (including case files from the office of his
attorney, James Shellow), manuscripts, photographs, press clippings, publications,
and audiotape recordings, largely relating to Cullen's social ministry, anti-war
activism, and imprisonment. Correspondents include Daniel and Philip Berrigan,
Dorothy Day, James Groppi, and Albion Ross.
Arrangement of the Papers
This collection is arranged into the following series.
- 1 General Correspondence, 1960-1977, undated
- 2 Family Correspondence, 1961-1977, undated
- 2.1 Correspondence between Michael and Annette Cullen - Restricted,
1963-1976
- 3 Manuscripts by Michael Cullen, 1963-1977, undated
- 4 Financial Records, 1964-1971
- 5 Material pertaining to Michael Cullen, 1953-1991, undated
- 6 Audio Recordings, 1962-1973
- 7 Legal Records, 1942, 1964, 1968-2001
Restrictions on Access
Correspondence between Michael Cullen and his wife, Annette, is closed to research
use except by permission of the donor. Several audio recordings are also restricted
and are marked as such under Series 6 of the finding aid.
Restrictions on Use
The archives staff will assist researchers in determining if copyright restrictions
apply, although responsibility for copyright and obtaining necessary permissions
rests with the researcher.
Related Materials
Index Terms
This collection is indexed under the following headings in MARQCAT, the online
public access catalog of the Marquette University Libraries. Researchers
desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the
catalog using these headings.
Persons:
Berrigan, Daniel
Berrigan, Phillip
Cullen, Michael, 1941- --
Archives
Day, Dorothy, 1897-1980
Groppi, James, 1930-
Ross, Albion, 1906-1988
Subjects:
Casa Maria Catholic Worker Community
(Milwaukee, Wis.)
Catholic Worker Movement
Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Draft
resisters -- United States
Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Protest
movements -- United States
Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Protest
movements -- Wisconsin -- Milwaukee
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Series Number, Box Number, Folder Number (if applicable).
Michael Denis Cullen Papers. Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives.
Marquette University.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Michael Denis Cullen, 1977.
Accruals
No further accruals expected for this collection.
Detailed Description of the Collection
Series 1: General Correspondence,
1960-1977, undated.
0.5 cubic feet.
1
1
Correspondence,
1960-1972
1
2
Correspondence,
1973-1977, undated
Series 2: Family Correspondence,
1961-1977, undated.
0.3 cubic feet.
1
Correspondence,
1961-1977, undated
Series 2.1: Correspondence Between Michael and Annette Cullen
(RESTRICTED),
1963-1976.
0.6 cubic feet.
1
Correspondence,
1963 - 1970
November
1
Correspondence,
1970 December -
1976
Series 3: Manuscripts by Michael Cullen,
1963-1977, undated.
0.2 cubic feet
1
1
"An Awakening Giant,"
1963 April 6
1
2
"A Problem of Today,"
1963 May 2
1
3
"The Forgotten Glories of an Island,"
1964 January 14
1
4
"Yeates and the Folk-Theatre,"
1964 May 15
1
5
"Peace Be with Youth,"
1966 May 11
1
6
"Bible Vigil,"
1966 September 14
1
7
"Poverty and the Family in the Church of Renewal,"
1969
1
8
Spiritual Diary (fragmentary),
1970
1
9
Editorial Correspondence (A Time to
Dance),
1971-1972
1
10
Journal (fragmentary),
1972
1
11
"An Open Letter to the Sioux Nation at Wounded Knee,"
1973 March 25
1
12
Miscellaneous Manuscripts,
1967-1972, undated
Series 4: Financial Records,
1964-1971.
0.3 cubic feet.
1
1
Financial Records,
1964-1971
1
2
Income Tax Returns for 1964,
dated 1965 March 29
Series 5: Materials Pertaining to Michael Cullen,
1953-1991, undated.
0.5 cubic feet.
1
1-3
Deportation,
1970-1985
1
4
Diploma (in Gaelic),
1959
1
5
Employment Records,
1964-1965,
1968
1
6
Immigration and Naturalization Documents,
1964,
1968
1
7
Manuscripts by Others,
1969-1976, undated
1
8
Marriage Records,
1964
Milwaukee Fourteen,
1
9
Court Documents,
1969-1971
1
10
General Information,
1968-1970
1
11
Letters for Room 24, 5th Street School (Milwaukee),
1969 February 13
1
12
Miscellaneous Records,
1953,
1965-1971, undated
1
13
Petition for Apostolic Blessing,
1963 April 10
1
14
Photographs,
1961-1970,
1978,
1987, undated
1
15
Photographs of Michael Cullen,
circa 1960-1976
2
1
Prison Records,
1970-1971
2
2
Speaking Engagements,
1966-1973
Writings by and about Michael Cullen,
2
3
"Violence in Search of Peace: An Interview with Michael
Cullen." Scholastic, 1969 May 9, pp.
18-20.
2
4
Gintoft, Ethel. "Why would a Person Burn Draft Records?"
U.S. Catholic/Jubilee, 36
(September 1971): 6-13.
2
5
Cullen, Michael. "Surprised by Grace." New Creation, 3 (1985): 7-11.
2
6
Circulars and Newsletters,
1969-1990
2
7-8
Clippings and Ephemera concerning Michael Cullen,
1964-1991
Series 6: Audio Recordings,
1962-1976.
0.5 cubic feet.
All recordings have been reformatted from the original reel-to-reel tapes or
audiocassettes. Unrestricted recordings are available on CD or as .wav or
.mp3. Running times are expressed in the following format:
(hours:minutes:seconds).
Michael Cullen's Christmas message to his family in Ireland
(54:02) [RESTRICTED],
circa 1962
Draft Resistance Meeting, Milwaukee, (readings and talks by
several speakers, including Michael Cullen) (44:08),
Spring 1968
Discussion of Catonsville Action by Rev. Paul Mayer, Mary Moylan,
and George Mische, Milwaukee(?) (31:09),
July(?) 1968
Talk by Michael Cullen, (24:25),
1968 August 25
Baptism of Brigid Cullen (31:42) [RESTRICTED],
undated
Michael Cullen on WOKY-Talky talk
show, WOKY-AM, Milwaukee (1:38:34),
circa 1969
Interview of Michael Cullen by Fr. Don Ranly (basis for A Time to Dance), (6:12:17),
1970 January
Talk by Michael Cullen at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
(2:08:00),
circa 1970 February
Michael Cullen on The Stan Major
Show radio talk show) (55:59),
1971 May 3
Discussions of Christian radicalism, led by Michael Cullen,
evidently at a college in northern Wisconsin (1:24:20),
1972 January
Interview of Michael Cullen by Peter Genovese and David Vogel of
the Marquette Tribune, Milwaukee (59:30),
1973 September 6
Reflections and songs by Michael Cullen, recorded at the home of
Monica and Thomas Cornell, Newburgh, NY(34:37) [RESTRICTED],
1973 September 6
Michael Cullen on Ira Fistell's talk show, WEMP-AM, Milwaukee
(48:35),
1973
Conversations between Michael and Annette Cullen and Charles and
Betsy Boyle, Dublin, Ireland (1:28:40) [RESTRICTED],
1976 September 21-23
Series 7: Legal Records,
1942,
1964,
1968-2001.
1.5 cubic feet.
United States v. Michael Denis Cullen
Trial Transcripts,
1
1
Volume I,
1970
1
2
Volume II,
1970
1
3
Volume III,
1970
1
4
Volume IV,
1970
1
5
Volume V,
1970
1
6
Volume VI,
1970
1
7
Volume VII,
1970
1
8
Volume VIII,
1970
1
9
Transcript of Testimony of Defendant,
1970
1
10
Transcript of Sound Track of Movie Film Exhibited in Open
Court,
1970
1
11
Transcript of Sound Track of Video Tape Marked
Plaintiff's Exhibit I,
1970
1
12
Transcript of Proceedings Upon Testimony of Defendant,
1970
2
1
Appeal Papers, court documents, correspondence, notes,
1969-1970
2
2
Appeal Preparation, research notes,
1968-1970
2
3
Closing Statement, notes, clippings, court documents,
correspondence,
1968-1970
2
4
Correspondence,
1970
2
5
Costs, receipts, correspondence, schedules,
1968-1970
2
6
Court Documents,
1970
2
7
In Forma Pauperis court
documents, correspondence, income tax returns,
1968-1971
2
8
Instructions to Jury, notes, court documents,
1970, undated
2
9
Jury, notes, court documents, jury lists,
1969-1970
3
1
Legal Research,
1968,
1971,
1972, undated
3
2
Orders, Indictment, Pretrial Motion Briefs,
1968-1971
3
3
Subpoenas for Witnesses,
1970, undated
3
4
Trial Correspondence/Dates,
1968-1971
3
5
Trial Research, court documents, research notes,
1970, undated
3
6
Witnesses, lists, correspondence, petitions,
1970, undated
3
7
Witnesses, transcripts of Grand Jury Inquest,
1970
3
8
Citizenship, correspondence, court documents, birth and marriage
certificates,
1942,
1964,
1968,
1970,
1971,
1977,
1991
3
9
Corum Nobis legal documents,
1968,
1969,
1977
3
10
Cullen, Michael and Annette, Part I, correspondence, court
documents, reports,
1970,
1971,
1973,
1987,
1991
4
1
Cullen, Michael and Annette, Part II, correspondence, court
documents, reports,
1970,
1971,
1973,
1987,
1991
4
2
Deportation, transcripts, cassette tapes, clippings, court
documents,
1972-1973
4
3
Forms, affidavits, applications,
1973,
1985
4
4
INS (Immigration and Naturalization Services), court records,
correspondence,
1991,
1998-2001
4
5
Legal Records-Cullen Letters, correspondence,
1980,
1985-1987,
1991
4
6
Legal Records-INS Orders and Findings, reports, correspondence,
1977,
1978,
1980,
1985
4
7
Legal Records-Summary History, notes, correspondence,
1973,
1977,
1981,
1985,
1986,
1991
4
8
Legal Research, notes, federal documents,
1970,
1973,
1985
4
9
Letters-Correspondence,
1987,
1989,
1990-1991
4
10
Letters of Support, correspondence, clippings,
1970,
1972-1973,
1979
4
11
Letters of Support, correspondence,
1985
5
1
Pardon Application, legal documents, correspondence,
1985
5
2
Publications: "Delivered into Resistance" and "Who Loses if Mike
Cullen is Deported,"
1969,
1973
5
3
Publicity, news clippings,
1968,
1970
5
4
Re-entry Application, correspondence, news clippings, cassette
tape, court document,
1972,
1973,
1977-1979
5
5
Re-entry Application District Director and Regional Appeal,
correspondence, court documents,
1977-1978
5
6
Senate Bill Materials, Senate bill, correspondence, forms,
1979
5
7
1985 Notes, news clippings, articles, notes, correspondence,
1985-1986