Scope and Content Note
The papers of Beny J. Primm (1928-2015) span the years 1937-2012, with the bulk of the material dating from 1969 to 2012. The collection documents Primm's career as a physician, specializing in the fields of addiction and HIV/AIDS, particularly in African American communities and among high-risk populations. The papers are primarily in English with some French and German. The collection is organized into five series: Personal Papers, General File, Photographs, Speeches and Presentations, and Oversize.
The collection documents Primm's work as a physician, including his establishment and management of addiction treatment centers in New York, use of methadone as a treatment for heroin addiction, and his subsequent involvement in HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention efforts. His papers include material relating to his work at the Harlem Hospital Center, where he established a drug treatment center, and at the Addiction Research and Training Corporation, founded by Primm, which opened methadone treatment centers in Brooklyn and Manhattan. The collection further explores Primm's involvement in the treatment of HIV and AIDS and his advocacy for prevention, including needle exchange programs and information campaigns and education initiatives aimed at high-risk populations, community leaders, government officials, and medical professionals.
The collection’s series are listed and briefly described below. A fuller description of each series and a list of its contents can be accessed in the series descriptions within the container list.
The Personal Papers series largely documents Primm's education and training, with a small amount of material relating to his military service and personal life.
The General File series documents Primm's career, including his early work as an anesthesiologist, his involvement in the treatment of addiction, including the use of methadone, and subsequent work to address HIV and AIDS in the Black community through education and needle exchange programs.
The Photographs series documents professional events and meetings with public figures including elected officials and athletes.
The Speeches and Presentations series largely consists of slide presentations on topics relating to addiction and HIV/AIDS, in the form of 35mm slides and PowerPoint slide decks.
The remaining series contains Oversize material.