#labororganizer

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Look what we found in the archives...

A small United Farm Workers (UFW) banner!

The UFW was founded in 1962 by Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, and other labor leaders. The flag was designed by Richard Chavez, Cesar’s brother. Remarking on the flag, Cesar Chavez stated, “A symbol is an important thing. That is why we chose an Aztec eagle. It gives pride. When people see it they know it means dignity.”

This item was found during a year-long survey that the Kheel Center is conducting to better document and describe our collections.

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Mother Jones

This quote perfectly exemplifies Mother Jones, a fierce and forceful labor activist who was dubbed "the most dangerous woman in America" by a US district attorney.

A photo of Mother Jones with a quote of hers reading, "Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living."

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This poster was designed in 2006 by Josh MacPhee, but the roots of ¡Si Se Puede! go back much further. Dolores Huerta coined the phrase, which translates to "Yes, we can" or, roughly, "Yes, it can be done", to encourage workers during Cesar Chavez's 25-day fast in 1972.

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On this day in 1975 Emile Rieve passed away. In the early 1930s, Rieve organized textile workers in Pennsylvania and in 1937 led a successful sit-down strike of 50,000 textile workers. He served as president of the Textile Workers Union of America from 1939 to 1956, which was formed from a merger of the Textile Workers Organizing Committee and the United Textile Workers of America. See the photo below for more biographical information.

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Labor Organizer Spotlight Roundup

Each Wednesday during 2023 we featured a labor organizer. Each Labor Organizer Spotlight was designed to highlight historical figures who participated significantly in the labor/labor organizing movement who are also featured in our collections. Here's just a few examples of who we featured throughout 2023- to see the posts dedicated to these labor organizers, and the rest of the individuals we featured, check our highlight titled "Spotlight" on our Instagram profile or scroll through our feed here on Tumblr.

Pictured: Carola Woerishoffer, Frances Perkins, George Meany, Herman Grossman, Louis Stulberg, Rose Pesotta, Rose Schneiderman, Maida Springer Kemp, David Dubinsky, and Walter Reuther.

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Labor Organizer Spotlight, Evelyn Dubrow

Dubrow was a prominent labor lobbyist. In 1937, Dubrow became an assistant secretary for the Textile Worker's Organizing Committee. During her time there, she worked as an organizer and assistant to the Assistant Regional Director for the Textile Workers in New Jersey, Irving Abramson. After organizing young salesgirls in a Passaic department store, Dubrow orchestrated a successful sit-down strike after management refused to recognize the salesgirls' intent to unionize.

Throughout the 1940s, Dubrow held many positions including education director of the New Jersey Textile Workers Union (1940-1942), and secretary to the president of the New Jersey Industrial Union Council (1943) before becoming assistant to the president (1944). Dubrow also aided in the establishment of labor and industrial schools, including Rutgers University in 1947.

Her involvement with the ILGWU began in 1956 as executive of the Political Department. ILGWU President David Dubinsky believed it was important for the union to have a voice in Washington, D.C. and felt Dubrow was the right one to represent. She became a fixture on Capitol Hill for 40 years, becoming the legislative representative for the ILGWU and eventually VP in 1977.

She became a formidable voice for social legislation as well as labor, including social issues such as the minimum wage, civil rights, voting rights, occupational safety and health, health care reform, family and medical leave, fair trade, and the improvement of labor conditions for working families.

She finally retired in 1997 and became Special Assistant to the then President of UNITE, Jay Mazur. In August of 1999, Dubrow was one of ten individuals, including former Presidents Ford and Carter, awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Clinton.

See a full biographical note at https://rmc.library.cornell.edu/EAD/htmldocs/KCL06036-080.html, and learn more about Evelyn Dubrow in Collections #6036/080P, #6036/080, and #5780/142.

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Labor Organizer Spotlight, Emil Rieve

In the early 1930s, Rieve organized textile workers in Pennsylvania and in 1937 led a successful sit-down strike of 50,000 textile workers. He served as president of the Textile Workers Union of America from 1939 to 1956, which was formed from a merger of the Textile Workers Organizing Committee and the United Textile Workers of America.

See this image for more information. Information from Collection #5211 Labor Leader Biographies.

Each #LaborOrganizerSpotlight is designed to highlight historical figures who have participated significantly in the labor/labor organizing movement who are also featured in our collections. To learn more about Emil Rieve visit https://rare.library.cornell.edu/finding-aids-for-archival-and-manuscript-collections/ and search #5211 or "Emil Rieve".

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Labor Organizer Spotlight, Archie Green

#LaborOrganizerSpotlight Archie Green, a Labor folklorist, historian, carpenter, union organizer, and shipwright.

Green was a pioneer in documenting the cultural traditions of working people and he influenced a generation of scholarship on occupational culture and working life. He called himself first and foremost a worker and a union member, especially as a union activist in San Francisco. He is credited with revolutionizing occupational folklore and winning Congressional support for passage of a bill that established the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

He also helped edit a book called "The Big Red Songbook",where he compiled over 250 songs from the various editions of "Little Red Songbooks" published over the years 1909 to 1973 by the Industrial Workers of the World. The cover is displayed above. See Collection 5189 Labor Songbooks for various editions of "Little Red Songbooks" that we have in our collections.

Pictured: Book cover that reads "The Big Red Songbook, 250+ IWW Songs by Archie Green, David Roediger, Franklin Rosemont, Salvatore Salerno, Editors. Foreword by Tom Morello, Afterword by Utah Phillips".

Each #LaborOrganizerSpotlight is designed to highlight historical figures who have participated significantly in the labor/labor organizing movement who are also featured in our collections. To learn more about Archie Green visit https://rare.library.cornell.edu/finding-aids-for-archival-and-manuscript-collections/ and search #5641 AV. This is an interview with Archie Green where he talks about the legends and myths of the labor movement, including songs of the American Labor Movement.