Guide to the International Ladies Garment Workers Union Education Department; Fannia M. Cohn, Executive Secretary; Records,
1918-1962

Collection Number: 5780/049

Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library

Contact Information:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives
Martin P. Catherwood Library
227 Ives Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
(607) 255-3183
Fax: (607) 255-9641
kheel_center@cornell.edu
http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/library/kheel
Compiled by:
Robert E. Lazar
Date completed:
March 1980
EAD encoding:
Casey S. Westerman, September 16, 2002

© 2002 Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library


DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
International Ladies Garment Workers Union. Education Department. Fannia M. Cohn, Executive Secretary. Records, 1918-1962, 1920-1950 (bulk).
Collection Number:
5780/049
Creator:
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. Educational Department. Fannia M. Cohn, Executive Secretary.
Quantity:
5.5 linear ft.
Forms of Material:
Correspondence, subject files, speeches, articles, photographs, programs.
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library
Abstract:
Correspondence, subject files, speeches, articles, photographs, and programs from Fannia Cohn's term as Executive Secretary of the ILGWU Education Department.


BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Fannia Cohn was born in Minsk in the late 1880s (there is disagreement as to the exact year). She emigrated to the U.S. in 1904 and began working in a New York garment factory in 1905. She joined the ILGWU in 1909 and quickly emerged as a skilled leader and organizer. She was the first woman vice-president of the ILGWU and in 1918 became Executive Secretary of the Education Department, a position she held until her retirement in 1961. She played a significant role in worker education and was a cofounder of both the Workers' Education Bureau and the Brookwood Labor College. She died in 1962 in New York City.

COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

The materials in Series I are primarily letters between Cohn and various individuals pertaining to trade union matters in general and the ILGWU in particular. Included in the series are programs for lectures, concerts, museum visits and tours of New York City that were offered to ILGWU members and others as part of the Education Department's activities.
Series II consists of bulletins, articles, lectures and course outlines. Most of these materials were written by Cohn herself or were prepared under her direction for use at the union's Unity Centers and at the Workers' University. A number of articles are by Mark Starr. There are also lectures by Charles A. Beard; Robert Bruère; Babette Deutsch; Paul H. Douglas; Harry Laidler; A.J. Muste; Grace Scribner; Alexander Trachtenberg; Carl Van Doren; and Theresa Wolfson, among others.
Significant individuals represented in the collection include David Dubinsky, Samuel Gompers, Morris Sigman, Rose Pesotta, and H.G. Wells. Organizations include the Education Department of the ILGWU, the Brookwood Labor College, the AFL, Pioneer Youth of America, the Rand School of Social Science, and Unity House.

SUBJECTS

Names:
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union.
Beard, Charles Austin, 1874-1948.
Bruère, Robert W. (Robert Walter), 1876-1964.
Cohn, Fannia M. (Fannia Mary), 1885-
Deutsch, Babette, 1895-
Douglas, Paul Howard, 1892-
Dubinsky, David, 1892-
Gompers, Samuel, 1850-1924.
Laidler, Harry Wellington, 1884-1970.
Muste, Abraham John, 1885-1967.
Scribner, Grace, 1882-1922.
Sigman, Morris, 1880-1931.
Starr, Mark, 1894-
Trachtenberg, Alexander.
Van Doren, Carl, 1885-1950.
Wells, H. G. (Herbert George), 1866-1946.
Wolfson, Theresa, 1897-
American Federation of Labor.
Brookwood Labor College (Katonah, N.Y.)
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union.
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. Educational Department
Pioneer Youth of America.
Rand School of Social Science.

Subjects:
Clothing workers--Labor unions--United States.
Labor unions--Officials and employees.
Labor movement.
Labor movement--United States.
Labor unions.
Labor unions--United States.
Labor unions and education--United States.
Working class--Education--United States.

Form and Genre Terms:
Articles
Files (document groupings)
Correspondence
Lectures
Photographs
Outlines
Speeches


INFORMATION FOR USERS

Access Restrictions:
Access to the collections in the Kheel Center is restricted. Please contact a reference archivist for access to these materials.
Restrictions on Use:
This collection must be used in keeping with the Kheel Center Information Sheet and Procedures for Document Use.
Cite As:
International Ladies Garment Workers Union. Education Department. Fannia M. Cohn, Executive Secretary. Records, 1918-1962. 5780/049. Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library.

RELATED MATERIAL

5780. International Ladies Garment Workers Union.
5780/086. Educational Department. Jasper Peyton records, 1963-1982.
5780/106. Education Department. Beverly Schulman. Records.
5780/138. Education Department. Kitty Krupat files, 1990-1995.
5780/166. Education Department. Files, 1920-1979.
5780/167. Unpublished union histories, 1911-1971.

COLLECTION ARRANGEMENT

Arranged alphabetically by subject.


SERIES LIST

I. Correspondence, 1918-1962. Boxes 1 - 6A
II. Subject files, 1920-1959. Boxes 6A - 11


Description
Container
I. Correspondence, 1918-1962.
Primarily letters between Cohn and various individuals pertaining to trade union matters in general and the ILGWU in particular. Included in the series are programs for lectures, concerts, museum visits and tours of New York City that were offered to ILGWU members and others as part of the Education Department's activities.
A: 1921-59.
Box 1 Folder 1
Agricultural Department, U.S.: 1938.
Box I Folder 2
Includes correspondence with Resettlement and Farm Security Administrations with Arch A. Mercey.
American Federation of Labor: 1918-54.
Box 1 Folder 3A
Includes correspondence with Samuel Gompers and C. Thorne.
American Labor Education Service, Inc. (formerly the Affiliated School for Workers): 1936-41.
Box 1 Folder 3B
B: 1921-57.
Box 1 Folder 4
Balabanoff, Angelica: 1938, 1943.
Box 1 Folder 5
Barnum, Gertz 1913, 1945.
Box 1 Folder 6
Beard, Charles A.: 1920-48.
Box 1 Folder 7
Beard, Mary: 1924-28.
Box 1 Folder 8
Brameld, Theodore: 1940-41.
Box 1 Folder 9
Brookwood Labor Colleges 1921-35.
Box 1 Folder 10
C: 1921-60.
Box 1 Folder 11
Chicago Joint 1923, 1947.
Box 1 Folder 12
Columbia University 1926, 1942-59.
Box 1 Folder 13
Includes correspondence with Harry J. Carman (dean) and William F. Russell.
D: 1936-58.
Box 1 Folder 14
Dubinsky, David: 1926-50.
Box 1 Folder 15
E: 1922, 1939-53.
Box 1 Folder 16
Education: 1934-45.
Box 1 Folder 17
Including Liaison for International Education and Conference on the Educational and Cultural Organization of the United Nations.
Education Committee, ILGWU: 1954.
Box 1 Folder 13
Fannia Cohn to Julius Hochman (chairman) outlining educational activities of Union.
England: 1924-54.
Box 1 Folder 19
Includes correspondence with The Labour Party, Ellen Wilkinson, Ernest Bevin and Morgan Phillips and letter from H.G. Wells.
F: 1921-57.
Box 2 Folder 1
Includes correspondence with Mollie Friedman.
Form Letters: 1935-36, 1941-51,
Box 2 Folder 2
Forsberg, Allen B.: 1922.
Box 2 Folder 3
Frey, John P.: 1922-28, 1942.
Box 2 Folder 4
Frish, Evelyn: 1930-31.
Box 2 Folder 5
G: 1922-56.
Box 2 Folder 6
Greetings 1950's.
Box 2 Folder 7
H: 1921-59.
Box 2 Folder 8A
History of the ILGWU, partial manuscript, no author, no date.
Box 2 Folder 8B
I: 1939-52.
Box 2 Folder 9
Including Isaacs, Stanley M., 1939, 1943.
J: 1921, 1940-60.
Box 2 Folder 10
Justice: 1937-59.
Box 2 Folder 11
Announcements of programs and related articles.
K: 1926, 1940-57.
Box 2 Folder 12
L: 1921-57.
Box 2 Folder 13
Includes correspondence with Lewis Lorwin (Louis Levine).
Labor Department, U.S.: 1921, 1933-53.
Box 2 Folder 14
Life and Labor: 1921.
Box 2 Folder 15
(Published by Women's Trade Union League) Correspondence
Locals and Union Affiliates: 1922-59.
Box 2 Folder 16
Local 25: 1919-25.
Box 2 Folder 17
Includes correspondence with Elsie Gluck (education director).
Local 38, N.Y.C.: 1930-31.
Box 2 Folder 18
Strike. Including correspondence of the Citizens' Emergency Committee is behalf of the striking ladies' Tailors and custom dressmakers of the Fifth Avenue Shops.
Local 91, N.Y.C.: 1924-30's.
Box 2 Folder 19
Local 178: May-June 1937.
Box 2 Folder 20
Education Department program.
M: 1933-60.
Box 3 Folder 1
Miller, Jr, Spencer: 1926-27, 1941-55.
Box 3 Folder 2
Miscellaneous Correspondence: 1920's-50's.
Box 3 Folder 3
Miscellaneous Items. (Union and non-Union)
Box 3 Folder 4
N: 1922-58.
Box 3 Folder 5
O: 1946-60.
Box 3 Folder 6
Organization of American States. Pan American Union: 1949-50.
Box 3 Folder 7
P: 1922-47.
Box 3 Folder 8
Includes correspondence with Rose Pesotta.
Panel discussions.
Symposiums and weekly discussions. Conducted by Education Department beginning in 1939. Dealing with social, economic, industrial, as well as literary and art problems and world affairs.
General matters: 1940's-50's.
Box 3 Folder 9
1942-46.
Box 3 Folder 10
1947-48.
Box 3 Folder 11
1949-52.
Box 3 Folder 12
1943.
Box 3 Folder 13
1953 - 55.
Box 1 Folder 14
Perlman, Selig: 1929-59.
Box 3 Folder 15
Photographs.
Box 3 Folder 16
Pioneer Youth of America: 1926-33.
Box 3 Folder 17
Pioneer Youth of America: 1934-38.
Box 4 Folder 1
Pioneer Youth of America: 1939-60.
Box 4 Folder 2
Programs.
Box 4 Folder 3
Education programs from various locals.
Programs: 1930's.
Box 4 Folder 4A - 4B
Education Department announcement of coming events and programs.
Programs: 1940-42.
Box 4 Folder 5
Programs: 1943-46.
Box 4 Folder 6
Programs: 1948.
Box 4 Folder 7
Programs: 1949.
Box 4 Folder 8
Programs: 1950-51.
Box 4 Folder 9
Programs: 1953-61.
Box 4 Folder 10
R: 1921, 1937-59.
Box 4 Folder 11
Rand School of Social Science: 1930, 1953.
Box 4 Folder 12
Reports and articles on Education: 1940's-50's.
Box 5 Folder 1
Rutgers University: 1941, 1947-50.
Box 5 Folder 2
S: 1924-59.
Box 5 Folder 3
Sigman, Morris: 1924.
Box 5 Folder 4
Strikes: 1924, 1930, 1932.
Box 5 Folder 5
T: 1921, 1935-59.
Box 5 Folder 6
Training Institute: 1958.
Box 5 Folder 7
U: 1939-54.
Box 5 Folder 8
Unemployment Insurance: 1932.
Box 5 Folder 9
United Nations: 1949-62.
Box 5 Folder 10
Visits of Union members to UN.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO): 1945-52.
Box 5 Folder 11
Unity Centers: 1920-22.
Box 5 Folder 12
Unity House: 1921-33.
Box 5 Folder 13
Including correspondence re lectures held at Unity House.
Unity House: 1937-38.
Box 5 Folder 14
V: 1918, 1934-53.
Box 5 Folder 15
Wisconsin University at Madison, School for Workers: 1938-59.
Box 5 Folder 17
Wolfson, Theresa: 1922-31.
Box 5 Folder 18
Women's Trade Union League: 1921-49, Workers' Defense League: 1921.
Box 5 Folder 19
Workers Education Bureau of America: 1921, 1923, 1925, 1929, 1938-43.
Box 5 Folder 20
Including correspondence, minutes and reports.
Workers Education Bureau of America: 1943 - 58.
Box 6A Folder 1
Works Progress Administration. Federal Theatre Projects 1936-39.
Box 6A Folder 2
Y-Z: 1943, 1947, 1953.
Box 6A Folder 3
II. Subject files, 1920-1959.
Consists of bulletins, articles, lectures and course outlines. Most of these materials were written by Cohn herself or were prepared under her direction for use at the union's Unity Centers and at the Workers' University. A number of articles are by Mark Starr. There are also lectures by Charles A. Beard; Robert Bruère; Babette Deutsch; Paul H. Douglas; Harry Laidler; A.J. Muste; Grace Scribner; Alexander Trachtenberg; Carl Van Doren; and Theresa Wolfson, among others.
At Your Service: 1946-49.
Box 6A Folder 4
Bulletin.
Cohn, Fannia M. Notes.
Box 6A Folder 5 - 10
Notes for speeches, statements, articles and letters.
Cohn, Fannia M. Articles.
Box 6B Folder 1 - 11
Cohn, Fannia M. Convention speeches, 1937-59.
Box 6B Folder 12
"In Union There Is Strength" (a play): 1937.
Box 7 Folder 1
One-act play by Fannia M. Cohn and Irwin Swerdlow, 3rd ed.
Lecture series, 1918-1929.
Lecture Series, arranged by Education Department, 1918-29. Course outlines given at Unity Center, a place for popular lectures and courses; also for meetings and social gatherings. Workers' University conducted at Washington Irving High School, a curriculum in more systematic and specialized studies in labor problems, industrial economics, American government and history.
Announcement of Courses given at Workers University, 1921-25.
Box 7 Folder 2
1921-22. Attendance records.
Box 7 Folder 3
1921 - 26.
Box 7 Folder 4A-4B
Lecture series.
Course outlines, arranged alphabetically by lecturer.
Ardzrooni, Leon and (Albrecht, Arthur E.).
Box 7 Folder 5
Ayres, C.E.
Box 7 Folder 6
Bauer, Marian.
Box 7 Folder 7
Beard, Charles A.
Box 7 Folder 8
Boone, Gladys.
Box 7 Folder 9
Branham, Lucy.
Box 7 Folder 10
Brissenden, Paul F.
Box 7 Folder 11
Bruere, Robert.
Box 7 Folder 12
Calhoun, A. W.
Box 7 Folder 13
Carman, Harry J.
Box 7 Folder 14,15
Carr, Michael.
Box 7 Folder 16
Daniels, Margaret.
Box 7 Folder 17
Deutsch, Babette.
Box 7 Folder 18
Douglas, Paul H.
Box 7 Folder 19
Fichandler, Alexander.
Box 7 Folder 20
Gadsby, Margaret; Glassberg, Benjamin; Goodrich, Carter L.
Box 7 Folder 21
Holloway, Emory.
Box 7 Folder 22
Kennan, Ellen A.
Box 7 Folder 23
Kopland, Sylvia.
Box 8 Folder 1
Kornhauser, Arthur W.
Box 8 Folder 2
Laidler, Harry W.
Box 8 Folder 3
Lehrer, Leib.
Box > Folder 4
Levin, Max.
Box 8 Folder 5
Lieberman, Elias.
Box 8 Folder 6
Lyon, John H.
Box 8 Folder 7
Marx, Olga.
Box 8 Folder 8
Mautner, B.H.
Box 8 Folder 9
Melvin, F.J.
Box 8 Folder 10
Meyers, J.
Box 8 Folder 11
Miller (jr.), Spencer.
Box 8 Folder 12
Muste, A.J.
Box 8 Folder 13
Overstreet, Harry.
Box 8 Folder 14
Saposs, David J.
Box 8 Folder 15
Scribner, Grace.
Box 8 Folder 16
Selikman, Benjamin; Soule, George.
Box 8 Folder 17
Sherry, Harry.
Box 8 Folder 18
Stair, Bird.
Box 8 Folder 19
Stolberg, Benjamin.
Box 8 Folder 20
Stopler, B.J.R.
Box 8 Folder 21
Trachtenberg, Alexander.
Box 8 Folder 22
Van Doren, Carl.
Box 8 Folder 23
Weinzweig, Max.
Box 8 Folder 24
Wilbert, A.L.
Box 8 Folder 25
Wolfson, Theresa.
Box 9 Folder 1
Wolman, Leo.
Box 9 Folder 2
Zimand Savel.
Box 9 Folder 3
Misc. course outlines.
Box 9 Folder 4
Misc. course outlines.
Box 9 Folder 5
Programs, 1920-26.
Box 9 Folder 6
New Members' Classes. Lessons II and III.
Box 9 Folder 7
Officers Qualification Course: 1952.
Box 9 Folder 8
Syllabus for the six lessons.
Plays, Union.
Box 9 Folder 9
Plays, Union.
Box 9 Folder 10
Printed Material from Education Department Misc.
Box 9 Folder 11
Printed Material from Education Department Misc.
Box 9 Folder 12
Reports of Education Department: 1922-40.
Box 10 Folder 1
Reports of Education Department: 1941-56.
Box 10 Folder 2
Songs. Union and local affiliates.
Box 10 Folder 3 - 6
Starr, Mark: 1942-43.
Box 10 Folder 7
Correspondence
Starr, Mark. Articles, arranged alphabetically by title.
Box 10 Folder 8 - 9
Structure and government of the ILGWU: 1934. Article.
Box 10 Folder 10
Studies. Union and Government Efforts to Regulate Wages and Hours in the Illinois Women's Cotton Garment Industry, 1939. Garment Workers of Other Lands by Abe S. Weiss, 1941.
Box 11 Folder 1
Training-for-Trade-Union-Service: 1935-41.
Box 1 Folder 2
Training-For-Trade-Union-Service: 1946-47.
Box 11 Folder 3 - 4
Trends and Prospects in the Women's Garment Industry: 1940-56.
Box 11 Folder 5
GEB Reports to Convention.
Workers' Education: 1926, 1929, 1935, 1941.
Box 11 Folder 6
A quarterly journal of American Workers' Education.
Workers Education Bureau of America: 1940-53.
Box 11 Folder 7
Including newsletters.
Photographs; 1920's-50's.
Box 11 Folder 8 - 11