ILGWU Legal Department Audio-Visual Materials, 1965-1980
Collection Number: 5780/107 AV
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Cornell University Library
DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY
Title:
ILGWU Legal Department Audio-Visual Materials, 1965-1980
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Collection Number:
5780/107 AV
Abstract:
The collection contains audio recordings of interviews with ILGWU members relating
to working at, and, later, striking against the Kellwood Company, as well as notes
relating to these interviews.
Creator:
Siems, Frederick Rolle
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
Quanitities:
1.47 cubic feet
Language:
Collection material in English
The International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union was once one of the largest labor
unions in the United States founded in 1900 by local union delegates representing
about 2,000 members in cities in the northeastern United States. It was one of the
first U.S. Unions to have a membership consisting of mostly females, and it played
a key role in the labor history of the 1920s and 1930s. The union is generally referred
to as the "ILGWU" or the "ILG". The ILGWU grew in geographical scope, membership size,
and political influence to become one of the most powerful forces in American organized
labor by mid-century. Representing workers in the women's garment industry, the ILGWU
worked to improve working and living conditions of its members through collective
bargaining agreements, training programs, health care facilities, cooperative housing,
educational opportunities, and other efforts. The ILGWU merged with the Amalgamated
Clothing and Textile Workers Union in 1995 to form the Union of Needle trades, Industrial
and Textile Employees (UNITE). UNITE merged with the Hotel Employees and Restaurant
Employees Union (HERE) in 2004 to create a new union known as UNITE HERE. The two
unions that formed UNITE in 1995 represented only 250,000 workers between them, down
from the ILGWU's peak membership of 450,000 in 1969.
From very early on in its existence, the ILGWU had need for legal counsel, and this
was handled in the union's main offices in cooperation with hired attorneys. As the
union grew and especially after the passage of the Taft-Hartley Act in 1947, the union
found cause to establish a Legal Department. The department provided general legal
counsel to the union and its affiliates, worked to develop collective bargaining agreement
terms, and represented the ILGWU in litigation and arbitration. After the formation
of the Master Agreements Department in 1965, the responsibilities for developing CBA
terms shifted to the new department.
The Legal Department records do not comprehensively document the ILGWU legal activities,
instead focusing on specific cases or series of cases.
Two ILGWU cases are documented in the Legal Department records. The first case involved
the Kellwood Corporation, and the second involved the Donnelly Garment Company. The
records relating to the Kellwood case (5780/107, 5780/107 AV, 5780/107 P) include
court documents, correspondence and memoranda, surveys of strikers, organizing leaflets
and newsletters (from both the union and the company), Steve Honeyman's draft accounts
of the strike, audio and transcripts of Honeyman's interviews with ILGWU members and
staff, newspaper clippings, photographs, and other printed material. The Donnelly
Garment Company's case against the ILGWU is documented primarily through transcripts
of the case, legal briefs, and related court documents.
Records on series of cases are the most general and extensive of the Legal Department
records. They include records on ILGWU cases in the U.S. courts (5780/081), records
documenting cases before the National War Labor Board (5780/085), and records relating
to a wide variety contract negotiations, arbitration proceedings, and courts cases
(5780/063).
Researchers may find complementary material in the other parts of the ILGWU records,
such as the papers of the international leadership, especially the papers of ILGWU
presidents (Series IV); the records of local unions in instances where these affiliates
were involved in litigation or arbitration (Series III); and the collective bargaining
agreements (Series VI). Related collections at the Kheel Center include decisions
of the Coat and Suit Industry's Impartial Chairman (6036/015) and decisions of the
Dress Industry's Impartial Chairman (6036/017).
For the AV collection, included are audio recordings of interviews with ILGWU members
relating to working at, and, later, striking against the Kellwood Company, as well
as notes relating to these interviews. Also included are several tapes on sweatshops,
some of which feature Frederick Siems.
Access to the collections in the Kheel Center is restricted. Please contact a reference
archivist for access to these materials.
This collection must be used in keeping with the Kheel Center Information Sheet and
Procedures for Document Use.
INFORMATION FOR USERS
ILGWU Legal Department Audio-Visual Materials #5780/107 AV. Kheel Center for Labor-Management
Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library.
Names:
Siems, Frederick Rolle, 1915-
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. Legal Dept.
Subjects:
Women's clothing industry -- United States
Clothing workers--Labor unions--United States.
Clothing workers -- United States
Industrial relations -- United States
CONTAINER LIST
Container
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Description
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Date
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Box 1 | 1 |
Movie Duplicate Film
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Box 1 | 2 |
Movie Duplicate Film
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Box 1 | 3 |
Movie Duplicate Film
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Box 1 | 4 |
Movie Duplicate Film
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Box 1 | 5 |
Movie Duplicate Film
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Box 1 | 6 |
Movie Duplicate Film
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Box 1 | 7 |
Movie Duplicate Film
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Box 1 | 8 |
Movie Duplicate Film
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Box 1 | 9 |
Movie Duplicate Film
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Box 2 | 1 |
Bolden, Mary [interview]
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Box 2 | 2 |
Bolden, Mary [interview]
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Box 2 | 3 |
Bulison, Nellie [interview]
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Box 2 | 4 |
Cato, B.C. [interview]
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Box 2 | 6 |
Clay, Glenn [interview]
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Scope and Contents
2 copies
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|||
Box 2 | 7 |
Clay, Glenn [interview]
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Scope and Contents
copy
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Box 2 | 8 |
Daniels, Jessie [interview]
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Box 2 | 9 |
Daniels, Ora [interview]
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Scope and Contents
part 1
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|||
Box 2 | 10 |
Daniels, Ora [interview]
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Scope and Contents
part 2
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|||
Box 2 | 11 |
Daniels, Ora [interview]
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Scope and Contents
part 3
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|||
Box 2 | 12 |
Glenn, Ida [interview]
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Box 2 | 13 |
Hanby, Ocyleue [interview]
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Box 2 | 14 |
Jackson, Jerry Sue [interview]
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Box 2 | 15 |
Jefferson, Bobby [interview]
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Box 2 | 16 |
Lacey, Jack [interview]
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Scope and Contents
part 1
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|||
Box 2 | 17 |
Lacey, Jack [interview]
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Scope and Contents
part 2
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|||
Box 2 | 18 |
Luop, Alice [interview]
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Box 2 | 19 |
Martin, Art [interview]
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Scope and Contents
part 1
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|||
Box 2 | 20 |
Webster, Lew [interview]
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Box 2 | 20 |
Martin, Art [interview]
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Scope and Contents
part 2
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|||
Box 2 | 21 |
Martin, Eldora [interview[
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Box 2 | 22 |
Perlstein, Jerry [interview]
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Scope and Contents
part 1
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|||
Box 2 | 23 |
Perlstein, Jerry [interview]
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Scope and Contents
part 2
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|||
Box 2 | 24 |
Quiggle, Richard [interview]
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Scope and Contents
part 1
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|||
Box 2 | 25 |
Quiggle, Richard [interview]
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Scope and Contents
part 2
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|||
Box 2 | 26 |
Roberts, Florence [interview]
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Box 2 | 28 |
Rodgers, Alberta [interview]
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Box 2 | 30 |
Siems, Fred [interview]
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Scope and Contents
part 1
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|||
Box 2 | 31 |
Siems, Fred [interview]
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Scope and Contents
part 2
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|||
Box 2 | 32 |
Siems, Fred [interview]
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Scope and Contents
part 3
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|||
Box 2 | 33 |
Siems, Fred [interview]
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Scope and Contents
part 4
|
|||
Box 2 | 34 |
Siems, Fred [interview]
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Scope and Contents
part 5
|
|||
Box 2 | 35 |
Siems, Fred [interview]
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Scope and Contents
part 6
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|||
Box 2 | 36 |
Wilson, Delores Jean [interview]
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Scope and Contents
part 1
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|||
Box 2 | 37 |
Wilson, Delores Jean [interview]
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Scope and Contents
part 2
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|||
Box 2 | 38 |
Youngdahl, James Edward [interview]
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Scope and Contents
part 1
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|||
Box 2 | 39 |
Youngdahl, James Edward [interview]
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Scope and Contents
part 2
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|||
Box 2 | 40 |
Youngdahl, James Edward [interview]
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Scope and Contents
part 3
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|||
Box 2 | 41 |
Youngdahl, James Edward [interview]
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Scope and Contents
part 4
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|||
Box 2 | 42 |
Youngdahl, James Edward [interview]
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Scope and Contents
part 5
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|||
Box 2 | 43 |
Executive Board Panel Discussion
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Scope and Contents
August 3
|
|||
Box 2 | 44 |
Horizons #800319, Sweatshops in New York
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1980 |
Box 2 | 45 |
Tape 8
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Box 2 | 46 |
Attention New York, WABC-radio, Fred Sims [Siems] from the ILGWU
|
1979 |
Scope and Contents
September 30
|
|||
Box 2 | 47 |
NBC Metropolitan Report, Fried Siems, "Sweatshops"
|
1979 |
Scope and Contents
August 30
|
|||
Box 2 | 48 |
WOR
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Box 2 | 49 |
WNBC Metropolitan Report, Fred Simms [Siems] of ILGWU
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Scope and Contents
September 2; 8:00 a.m.
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|||
Box 3 | 1 |
Mary Bolden
|
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 2 Discs
|
|||
Box 3 | 2 |
Nellie Burlison
|
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 1 Disc
|
|||
Box 3 | 3 |
B.C. Cato
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 1 Disc
|
|||
Box 3 | 4 |
Glenn Clay
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 3 Discs
|
|||
Box 3 | 5 |
Jessie Daniels
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 2 Discs
|
|||
Box 3 | 6 |
Ora Daniels
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 3 Discs
|
|||
Box 3 | 7 |
Ida Glenn
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 1 Disc
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|||
Box 3 | 8 |
Ocyleve Hanby
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 1 Disc
|
|||
Box 3 | 9 |
Jerry Sue Jackson
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 1 Disc
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|||
Box 3 | 10 |
Bobby Jefferson
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 1 Disc
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|||
Box 3 | 11 |
Jack Lacey
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 2 Discs
|
|||
Box 3 | 12 |
Alice Lupo
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 1 Disc
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|||
Box 3 | 13 |
Art Martin
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 2 Discs
|
|||
Box 3 | 14 |
Eldora Martin
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 2 Discs
|
|||
Box 3 | 15 |
Jerry Perlstein
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 2 Discs
|
|||
Box 3 | 16 |
Richard Quiggle
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 2 Discs
|
|||
Box 3 | 17 |
Florence Roberts
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 2 Discs
|
|||
Box 3 | 18 |
Alberto Rodgers
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 1 Disc
|
|||
Box 3 | 19 |
Fred Siems
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 6 Discs
|
|||
Box 3 | 20 |
Lew Webster
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 1 Disc
|
|||
Box 3 | 21 |
Delores Jean Wilson
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 1 Disc
|
|||
Box 3 | 22 |
James Edward Youngdahl
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 6 Discs
|
|||
Box 3 | 23 |
Executive Board
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 1 Disc
|
|||
Box 3 | 24 |
Horizons
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 1 Disc
|
|||
Box 3 | 25 |
Tape 8
|
|
Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 1 Disc
|
|||
Box 3 | 26 |
WABC
|
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 1 Disc
|
|||
Box 3 | 27 |
NBC
|
|
Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 1 Disc
|
|||
Box 3 | 28 |
WOR
|
|
Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 1 Disc
|
|||
Box 3 | 29 |
WNBC
|
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Scope and Contents
Master Copy. 1 Disc
|
|||
Box 4 | 1 |
Mary Bolden
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Scope and Contents
2 Discs
|
|||
Box 4 | 2 |
Nellie Buelison
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Scope and Contents
1 Disc
|
|||
Box 4 | 3 |
B.C. Cato
|
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Scope and Contents
1 Disc
|
|||
Box 4 | 4 |
Glenn Clay
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Scope and Contents
3 Discs
|
|||
Box 4 | 5 |
Jessie Daniels
|
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Scope and Contents
2 Discs
|
|||
Box 4 | 6 |
Ora Daniels
|
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Scope and Contents
3 Discs
|
|||
Box 4 | 7 |
Ida Glenn
|
|
Scope and Contents
1 Disc
|
|||
Box 4 | 8 |
Ocyleve Hanby
|
|
Scope and Contents
1 Disc
|
|||
Box 4 | 9 |
Jerry Sue Jackson
|
|
Scope and Contents
1 Disc
|
|||
Box 4 | 10 |
Bobby Jefferson
|
|
Scope and Contents
1 Disc
|
|||
Box 4 | 11 |
Jack Lacey
|
|
Scope and Contents
2 Discs
|
|||
Box 4 | 12 |
Alice Lupo
|
|
Scope and Contents
1 Disc
|
|||
Box 4 | 13 |
Art Martin
|
|
Scope and Contents
2 Discs
|
|||
Box 4 | 14 |
Eldora Martin
|
|
Scope and Contents
2 Discs
|
|||
Box 4 | 15 |
Jerry Perlstein
|
|
Scope and Contents
2 Discs
|
|||
Box 4 | 16 |
Richard Quiggle
|
|
Scope and Contents
2 Discs
|
|||
Box 4 | 17 |
Florence Roberts
|
|
Scope and Contents
2 Discs
|
|||
Box 4 | 18 |
Alberta Rodgers
|
|
Scope and Contents
1 Disc
|
|||
Box 4 | 19 |
Fred Siems
|
|
Scope and Contents
6 Discs
|
|||
Box 4 | 20 |
Lew Webster
|
|
Scope and Contents
1 Disc
|
|||
Box 4 | 21 |
Delores Jean Williams
|
|
Scope and Contents
1 Disc
|
|||
Box 4 | 22 |
James Edward Youngdahl
|
|
Scope and Contents
6 Discs
|
|||
Box 4 | 23 |
Executive Board
|
|
Scope and Contents
1 Disc
|
|||
Box 4 | 24 |
Horizons
|
|
Scope and Contents
1 Disc
|
|||
Box 4 | 25 |
Tape 8
|
|
Scope and Contents
1 Disc
|
|||
Box 4 | 26 |
WABC
|
|
Scope and Contents
1 Disc
|
|||
Box 4 | 27 |
NBC
|
|
Scope and Contents
1 Disc
|
|||
Box 4 | 28 |
WOR
|
|
Scope and Contents
1 Disc
|
|||
Box 4 | 29 |
WNBC
|
|
Scope and Contents
1 Disc
|
|||
Box 5 | 1 |
Mary Bolden
|
1966 |
Box 5 | 2 |
Nellie Burlison
|
|
Scope and Contents
August 2
|
|||
Box 5 | 3 |
B.C. Cato
|
|
Scope and Contents
August 12
|
|||
Box 5 | 4 |
Geneva Childs
|
1966 |
Box 5 | 5 |
Glenn Clay
|
|
Scope and Contents
November 4
|
|||
Box 5 | 6 |
Ora Daniels
|
|
Box 5 | 7 |
Ocyleve Hanby
|
1965 |
Box 5 | 8 |
Jessie Daniels
|
1965 |
Box 5 | 9 |
Ida Glenn
|
|
Scope and Contents
August 12
|
|||
Box 5 | 10 |
Jerry Sue Jackson
|
|
Scope and Contents
August 15; News Clipping Included
|
|||
Box 5 | 11 |
Bobby Jefferson
|
|
Scope and Contents
August 17
|
|||
Box 5 | 12 |
Jack Lacey
|
|
Scope and Contents
August 28
|
|||
Box 5 | 13 |
Alice Lupo
|
|
Scope and Contents
August 4
|
|||
Box 5 | 14 |
Art Martin
|
1973 |
Scope and Contents
August 21
|
|||
Box 5 | 15 |
Eldora Martin
|
|
Scope and Contents
August 18
|
|||
Box 5 | 16 |
Jerry Perlstein
|
1977 |
Scope and Contents
January 15
|
|||
Box 5 | 17 |
Richard F. Quiggle
|
1974 |
Scope and Contents
August 21
|
|||
Box 5 | 18 |
Ross Roberts
|
|
Scope and Contents
July 2
|
|||
Box 5 | 19 |
Alberta Rodgers
|
1967 |
Scope and Contents
September 10
|
|||
Box 5 | 20 |
Fred Siems
|
|
Scope and Contents
September 2
|
|||
Box 5 | 21 |
Delores Jean Wilson
|
|
Scope and Contents
August 23
|
|||
Box 5 | 22 |
James Edward Youngdahl
|
|
Box 5 | 23 |
Executive Board Discussion
|
|
Scope and Contents
August 3
|
|||
Box 5 | 24 |
Notes On Audio Transfer
|
|
Box 6 |
Audio digitized from the collection.
|