The New York African American Institute was initiated under SUNY Chancellor Clifton R. Wharton, Jr.   The Chancellor appointed a planning committee made up of Drs. Monroe Fordham (Chair), Ena Farley, Ralph Watkins, Ken Hall, and Mr. Rudy Johnson  to design and write a rational for the Institute to be presented to the New York State Legislature for funding.  The committee worked during the first four months of 1986, meeting in Albany for two days each week to prepare their recommendations.  The papers in this collection are the records of that planning committee.