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West Virginia and Regional History Center

A. Philip Randolph, Civil Rights and Labor Leader, Papers

0 Linear Feet Summary: 45 pages
Papers of Asa Philip Randolph, a prominent civil rights and labor leader, who founded and edited The Messenger, an influential black radical labor newspaper of the 1920s and who organized and presided over the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the only independent, viable black trade union in the American labor movement. Much of the correspondence deals with raising subscriptions for The Messenger, gaining an International Charter as an independent affiliate to the American Federation of Labor and the early organizing strike actions against the Pullman Company. This correspondence emphasizes the difficulties of convincing black workers of the feasibility of an independent fledgling black trade union; the necessity of organizing black workers for the benefit of the whole labor movement; and the challenge of maintaining jurisdictional independence from competing trade unions with predominantly white membership, such as the Hotel Workers union. These letters also reflect Randolph's desire to attain full civil rights for blacks.
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A. Philip Randolph, Civil Rights and Labor Leader, Papers 0 Linear Feet Summary: 45 pages

Randolph, A. Philip (Asa Philip), 1889-1979
Papers of Asa Philip Randolph, a prominent civil rights and labor leader, who founded and edited The Messenger, an influential black radical labor newspaper of the 1920s and who organized and presided over the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the only independent, viable black trade union in the American labor movement. Much of the correspondence deals with raising subscriptions for The Messenger, gaining an International Charter as an independent affiliate to the American Federation of Labor and the early organizing strike actions against the Pullman Company. This correspondence emphasizes the difficulties of convincing black workers of the feasibility of an independent fledgling black trade union; the necessity of organizing black workers for the benefit of the whole labor movement; and the challenge of maintaining jurisdictional independence from competing trade unions with predominantly white membership, such as the Hotel Workers union. These letters also reflect Randolph's desire to attain full civil rights for blacks.
West Virginia and Regional History Center

Matewan Massacre Records

0.2 Linear Feet Summary: 1 1/2 in. (2 folders)
Correspondence between Harold Houston, chief attorney for UMWA District 17 and Floyd Evans of the legal firm of Evans and Sampselle concerning trials after the "Matewan Massacre." Legal affidavits pertaining to the miners' trials of 1922 in Charles Town, West Virginia and to the Red Jacket Coal and Coke Co. and Hitchman Coal and Coke Company's suits against John L. Lewis and John Mitchell of the UMWA. Proclamations of Governor E.F. Morgan concerning the 1921 Mingo County mine strikes. An affidavit dated 1934, complaining of unauthorized union dues check offs by the Lang Coal Co. of Eskdale, WV.
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Matewan Massacre Records 0.2 Linear Feet Summary: 1 1/2 in. (2 folders)

Correspondence between Harold Houston, chief attorney for UMWA District 17 and Floyd Evans of the legal firm of Evans and Sampselle concerning trials after the "Matewan Massacre." Legal affidavits pertaining to the miners' trials of 1922 in Charles Town, West Virginia and to the Red Jacket Coal and Coke Co. and Hitchman Coal and Coke Company's suits against John L. Lewis and John Mitchell of the UMWA. Proclamations of Governor E.F. Morgan concerning the 1921 Mingo County mine strikes. An affidavit dated 1934, complaining of unauthorized union dues check offs by the Lang Coal Co. of Eskdale, WV.
West Virginia and Regional History Center

West Virginia Labor Federation AFL-CIO Records

181.2 Linear Feet 421 document cases, 5 in. each; 3 record cartons, 15 in. each; 1 flat storage box, 5 in.; 1 flat storage box, 3 in.; 3 clamshell boxes, 3 in. each; 2 unboxed ledgers, 1.09 in. each; 3 reels of microfilm, 1.75 in. each; 1 oversized folder, 0.01 in.

This collection includes the records of the West Virginia Labor Federation (WVLF), AFL-CIO as a singular organization, established in 1957, and the records of its predecessor organizations prior to their merger, the American Federation of Labor (AFL) and the Congress of Industrial Organization (CIO).

Series 1 comprises records related to the West Virginia State Labor Federation, AFL's internal operation and initiatives, including presidents' files, secretary-treasurers' files, general office files, Department of Education files, and financial materials.

Series 2 comprises the records related to the West Virginia State Industrial Union Council, CIO's internal operation and initiatives, including executive secretary-treasurers' files, central office mailings, and records of the Political Action Committee.

Series 3 is reflective of the organization's operations and initiatives after the AFL-CIO merger, including files of various presidents, various secretary-treasurers, central office files, convention files, political materials, legislative files, assorted programs, and financial materials.

Series 4 is a 1978 addendum to this collection that includes additional files of the WVFL, AFL-CIO after the merger, largely featuring records of initiatives like the Political Action Committee and Women's Activities Department.

Series 5 is a 1981 addendum including mostly internal materials, like the notebooks of former organization leaders, photo albums, and copies of AFL-CIO publications.

Organizers featured prominently in the collection include Tom Cairnes, E. A. Carter, and Volney Andrews (series 1); Miles Stanley (series 3 and 5); Ben Skeen (series 1 and 3); Glen Armstrong (series 1, 3, and 5); and Pat Sleeth (series 3). WVLF initiatives featured prominently in the collection include the Committee on Political Education (series 3 and 4) and the Women's Activities Department (series 3 and 4), the Appalachian Council (series 3), the Manpower Development and Training Act (series 3), and others. There is a small amount of audiovisual material in this collection in the form of audio recordings created by the WVLF and some photographs that have been digitized for remote access. However, much of this collection is comprised of paper records, ledgers, photographs, printed correspondence, and notebooks.

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West Virginia Labor Federation AFL-CIO Records 181.2 Linear Feet 421 document cases, 5 in. each; 3 record cartons, 15 in. each; 1 flat storage box, 5 in.; 1 flat storage box, 3 in.; 3 clamshell boxes, 3 in. each; 2 unboxed ledgers, 1.09 in. each; 3 reels of microfilm, 1.75 in. each; 1 oversized folder, 0.01 in.

West Virginia Labor Federation, AFL-CIO

This collection includes the records of the West Virginia Labor Federation (WVLF), AFL-CIO as a singular organization, established in 1957, and the records of its predecessor organizations prior to their merger, the American Federation of Labor (AFL) and the Congress of Industrial Organization (CIO).

Series 1 comprises records related to the West Virginia State Labor Federation, AFL's internal operation and initiatives, including presidents' files, secretary-treasurers' files, general office files, Department of Education files, and financial materials.

Series 2 comprises the records related to the West Virginia State Industrial Union Council, CIO's internal operation and initiatives, including executive secretary-treasurers' files, central office mailings, and records of the Political Action Committee.

Series 3 is reflective of the organization's operations and initiatives after the AFL-CIO merger, including files of various presidents, various secretary-treasurers, central office files, convention files, political materials, legislative files, assorted programs, and financial materials.

Series 4 is a 1978 addendum to this collection that includes additional files of the WVFL, AFL-CIO after the merger, largely featuring records of initiatives like the Political Action Committee and Women's Activities Department.

Series 5 is a 1981 addendum including mostly internal materials, like the notebooks of former organization leaders, photo albums, and copies of AFL-CIO publications.

Organizers featured prominently in the collection include Tom Cairnes, E. A. Carter, and Volney Andrews (series 1); Miles Stanley (series 3 and 5); Ben Skeen (series 1 and 3); Glen Armstrong (series 1, 3, and 5); and Pat Sleeth (series 3). WVLF initiatives featured prominently in the collection include the Committee on Political Education (series 3 and 4) and the Women's Activities Department (series 3 and 4), the Appalachian Council (series 3), the Manpower Development and Training Act (series 3), and others. There is a small amount of audiovisual material in this collection in the form of audio recordings created by the WVLF and some photographs that have been digitized for remote access. However, much of this collection is comprised of paper records, ledgers, photographs, printed correspondence, and notebooks.

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