Collections by Subject: Labor in America
A Selected List of Holdings in the Archives and Manuscripts Department, University of Maryland Libraries
For more information about how to access materials in this guide, please visit the Maryland Room web page or fill out an information request.
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Maryland Division of the American Association of University Women archives, 1935-2006. 46.00 linear feet.
Location: State of Maryland and Historical Collections
State and local chapters of this national women's organization among whose concerns have been the roles women play in the workforce, minimum wage legislation, pay equity, and child labor.
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Bakery, Confectionery and Tobacco Workers International Union archives, 1888-1982. 147.25 linear feet.
Location: State of Maryland and Historical Collections
Founded in 1886 as the National Union of Journeymen Bakers of North America, united with confectioners in 1902, and merged with Tobacco Workers International Union in 1978. Documentation of union operations at the national and local levels, including correspondence, financial records, publications, legal files, contract negotiations and agreements, and organizers' reports.
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Baltimore Federation of Labor archives, 1918-1969. 0.25 linear feet.
Location: State of Maryland and Historical Collections
The Baltimore Federation of Labor (BFL), an affiliate of the American Federation of Labor, was formed in 1883 by delegates from industry-specific unions. The BFL's purpose was to improve the lives and working conditions of all laborers through unionization and legislative action on issues such as the eight-hour work day and eliminating child labor. The organization still exists today as the Baltimore Council of AFL-CIO Unions. The collection consists primarily of microfilmed minutes of meetings from 1918-1965, and other documents including a constitution, union publications, and two oral histories of Baltimore union members.
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Paul Brenner papers, 1821-1905. 3.00 linear feet.
Location: State of Maryland and Historical Collections
Brenner's papers, consisting of minutes, constitutions, bylaws, reports, newspaper clippings, and other publications, document the early history of the Bakery, Confectionery, and Tobacco Workers International Union. The collection is unprocessed.
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Bureau of Business Practice Collection, 1944-2002. 4.50 linear feet.
Location: State of Maryland and Historical Collections
The publishing company that eventually became the Bureau of Business Practice (BBP) began as a small, private venture, the National Foreman's Institute (NFI), in Essex, Connecticut, in 1915. For the first thirty-five years of its existence, NFI was exclusively a publisher of training materials for the first line of industrial supervision. The collection consists of publications dating from the years when the BBP was known as the National Foreman's Institute to just prior to the closing of the BBP Branch of Aspen Publishers. Publications such as the "Better Secretaries Series" from the early 1960s focus on training for office employees through instruction in secretarial principles, such as accounting or letter writing. Topics range from labor issues in Labor Relations Bulletin to common concerns of the secretary in such publications as Just Between Office Girls and Office Guide for Working Women.
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Archives of the Cigar
Makers' International Union, 1856-1974. 30 reels of microfilm
and 5.50 linear feet.
Location: Historical Manuscripts
Formed in 1864 as the Cigar Makers National Union of the United States and became international in 1867 with the affiliation of Canadian locals. Merged with the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Workers Union in 1974. Samuel Gompers was instrumental in the growth of this union. CMIUA documentation includes administrative files, records of locals, financial records, convention proceedings, and publications.
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Dawkins Family papers, 1883-1931. 1.25 linear feet.
Location: State of Maryland and Historical Collections
Correspondence between family members concerning construction of the railroad station in Utica, New York.
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George Du Bois Collection of Maryland Labor History, 1865-1922. 3.50 linear feet.
Location: State of Maryland and Historical Collections
Photocopies of newspapers articles from the Baltimore Sun and other Maryland newspapers relating to labor issues gathered by Du Bois during work on his dissertation at the University of Maryland, Search for a Better Life: Baltimore Workers 1865-1916.
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Robert Garrett and Sons archives, 1830-1863. 2.00 linear feet.
Location: State of Maryland and Historical Collections
Business records of Robert Garrett and Sons, a Baltimore firm involved in wholesale grocery, transportation, and hotel ventures.
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Jesse Hughes papers, 1861-1879. 0.25 linear feet.
Location: State of Maryland and Historical Collections
Business records of Jesse Hughes, a manufacturer and dealer in boots and shoes in Easton, Maryland.
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Industrial Union of Marine and Shipbuilding Workers of America (IUMSWA) archives, 1934-1970. 188.75 linear feet.
Location: State of Maryland and Historical Collections
Formed in 1934 to unite all shipyard workers, regardless of trade/craft or level of skill. Records include extensive documentation of locals' activities and contracts; national administration; organizing efforts; negotiations; conventions; National Labor Relations Board and National War Labor Board cases; actions taken to stabilize the shipbuilding industry; and relationships with other unions.
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International Association of Siderographers archives, 1899-1991. 6.25 linear feet.
Location: State of Maryland and Historical Collections
The siderographers, first organized in 1899, are printing plate engravers employed primarily in the printing of paper money, securities, bonds, and other similar documents. The union's archives consist of membership records; correspondence; minutes; constitutions; bylaws; programs; financial records; certificates; and newspaper clippings. The collection, which is unprocessed, also includes audio tapes, photographs, and memorabilia.
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International Labor Communications Association archives, 1944-1997. 57 linear feet.
Location: State of Maryland and Historical Collections
The International Labor Communications Association (ILCA), founded in 1955, is the professional organization of labor communicators in North America. The ILCA members work to strengthen and expand labor print publications, websites, and radio, television, and film productions by providing resources, expertise, and networking opportunities for labor communicators. The archives of the ILCA consists of financial records, correspondence, directories, and minutes of the organization, as well as audio-visual materials produced at ILCA's annual conferences.
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League of Women Voters of Maryland archives, 1910-1985. 32.25 linear feet.
Location: State of Maryland and Historical Collections
The League of Women Voters of Maryland, founded in 1921, has primarily dealt with issues relating to elections, voting, social and child welfare, government efficiency, education, women's rights, and world peace. The League has also addressed questions of child labor, employment, and labor-management relations. The organization's records consist of minutes, correspondence, reports, and publications.
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Maryland Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc. archives, 1940-2005. 248.50 linear feet.
Location: State of Maryland and Historical Collections
Association founded in 1929 to foster development of business and professional women throughout the state of Maryland. Concerns addressed by the federation and documented in their records include expanding the role of women in business and the professions and recognizing women's achievements.
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National Organizers Alliance archives, 1991-2004. 48 linear feet and 2 mapcase drawers.
Location: State of Maryland and Historical Collections
The National Organizers Alliance (NOA), founded in 1993 by organizers working across the spectrum of progressive social justice movements, has a two-fold purpose. NOA's mission is to advance progressive organizing for social, economic and environmental justice and to sustain, support and nurture the people of all ages who do it. The Archives of the National Organizers Alliance include working papers documenting the activities of the organization, including regional organizing, meeting notes, membership information, video and audio tapes, photographs, and posters. Also documented are recruitment efforts among minority groups, including African Americans and immigrants.
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Richard P. Newton Family papers, 1925-1956. 0.75 linear feet.
Location: State of Maryland and Historical Collections
Correspondence comprises the largest portion of the Papers of the Richard P. Newton Family and documents the daily lives of Richard Newton, Dorothy Speilman Newton, Lillian Boehm, and some of their friends in Baltimore during World War II and into the 1950s. Included in the collection is Dorothy's union membership card from the Soap and Glycerine Workers Union of the American Federation of Labor.
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Robert W. Pemberton papers, 1918-1999. 3.00 linear feet and 27 items.
Location: State of Maryland and Historical Collections
Working files of Robert W. Pemberton, Jr., who was active in the Industrial Union of Marine and Shipbuilding Workers of America (IUMSWA). He was a member of IUMSWA Local 24, and was most associated with the Sparrow Point and Key Highway shipyards in Baltimore. These papers mostly reflect his involvement with grievance arbitration, negotiations, insurance claims, pensions, election planning, training, productivity and contract costing as a Business Agent and later as National Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer of the union.
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Andrew Pettis papers, 1924-1972. 23.50 linear feet.
Location: State of Maryland and Historical Collections
Former president of the Industrial Union of Marine and Shipbuilding Workers of America who worked his way up through the ranks to positions in the union's national leadership. Papers include grievance files, shop steward reports, organizers' reports, conference proceedings, union publications, and photographs.
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Tobacco Workers International Union (TWIU) archives, 1896-1979. 136.00 linear feet.
Location: State of Maryland and Historical Collections
Founded in 1885 as the National Tobacco Workers Union of America and merged with the Bakery and Confectionery Workers International Union in 1979. Records include administrative files, organizers' correspondence and reports, documentation of locals' activities, financial records, and publications.
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United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners America (UBC) archives, 1840-2000. 643.50 linear feet.
Location: State of Maryland and Historical Collections
Founded in 1881 as the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and affiliated with the United Order of American Carpenters and Joiners in 1888. Records include administrative files, correspondence and writings of UBC leaders, convention proceedings, publications, locals' charters, photographs, films, and artifacts. The collection is unprocessed.
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United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBCJA), Local 132 archives, 1900-2007. 27.50 linear feet and 4 items.
Location: State of Maryland and Historical Collections
Local Union 132 of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBCJA) is the predominant local carpenters union in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The consolidation of four local unions located in Washington, D.C.,--884, 190, 1651, and 1103--formed Local 132. The new union received its charter on October 25, 1905. Originally, Local 132 had its headquarters in downtown Washington, D.C., and the local held its meetings every Friday at the Typographical Temple. Members of Local 132 broke ground on a Carpenter's Hall in 1926. This building served as a home for the local union until 1981, when Local 132 moved its headquarters from downtown Washington, D.C., to Suitland, Maryland. Shortly thereafter, Local 132 moved to Forestville, Maryland. In 2008, the union again moved its offices to its present location in Upper Marlboro where it shares the building with the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council of Carpenters (MARCC), the regional council associated with the UBCJA. Local 132 is one of 27 local unions affiliated with MARCC. The archives of Local 132 primarily consist of general administrative files, including meeting minutes and correspondence, as well as membership files that mainly consist of applications. Other items in the collection include financial records, publications, contractor files, memorabilia, and photographs. Among the topics addressed are building projects, equality for all unionized workers, and the national union.
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United Farm Workers Collection, 1963-1974. 0.50 linear feet.
Location: State of Maryland and Historical Collections
This collection includes an incomplete run (circa 1960s and 1970s) of the English-language edition of El Malcriado, a newspaper published by the United Farm Workers. The collection also contains miscellaneous newspaper clippings and two publications regarding agricultural labor issues.
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Leonard Weinberg papers, 1934-1945. 1.50 linear feet.
Location: State of Maryland and Historical Collections
The papers of Leonard Weinberg consist of scrapbooks of newspaper clippings documenting legal cases involving labor issues, in particular a case involving the Baltimore firm of L. Greif & Bros. The collection is unprocessed.
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Work Projects Administration in Maryland records, 1933-1943. 29.50 linear feet + 50 reels microfilm.
Location: State of Maryland and Historical Collections
Documentation of construction, recreation, local history, and arts projects undertaken by the Works Projects Administration in Maryland. Administrative files, local history research materials, and extensive photographic records.