ILGWU. Scrapbooks,, 1910-1958.
Collection Number: 5780/160

Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Cornell University Library


DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
ILGWU. Scrapbooks, 1910-1958.
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Collection Number:
5780/160
Abstract:
This collection contains scrapbooks assembled by officers and members of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. The scrapbooks primarily contain news clippings.
Creator:
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
Quanitities:
22.33 cubic feet
Language:
Collection material in English and Yiddish.

Biographical / Historical

The International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union was founded in New York City in 1900 by mostly Socialist immigrant workers who sought to unite the various crafts in the growing women's garment industry. The union soon reflected changes in the sector and rapidly organized thousands of unskilled and semi-skilled women, mostly Jewish and Italian young immigrants. Exemplifying the "new unionism," the ILGWU led two of the most widespread and best-known industrial strikes of the early Twentieth Century: the shirtwaist makers' strike of 1909 in New York City and the cloak makers' strike of 1910 in Chicago. The union also tried to adapt to the fragmented and unstable nature of the industry. It adopted the "protocol of peace," a system of industrial relations that attempted to ensure stability and limit strikes and production disruption by providing for an arbitration system to resolve disputes.
The ILGWU exemplified the European-style social unionism of its founding members. They pursued bread and butter issues but provided educational opportunities, benefits, and social programs to union members as well. In 1919, the ILGWU became the first American union to negotiate an unemployment compensation fund that was contributed to by its employers. The ILGWU also pioneered in the establishment of an extremely progressive health care program for its members which included not only regional Union Health Centers but also a resort for union workers, known as Unity House. The Union also had an imaginative and pioneering Education Department which not only trained workers in traditional union techniques, but provided courses in citizenship and the English language.
David Dubinsky, an immigrant from Belarus who came to the US in 1911, provided strong leadership that led to unprecedented growth in the union during his presidency from 1932 to 1966. He led the union through successful internal anti-communist struggles, built on the ascendancy of industrial unionism by encouraging the formation of the Committee for Industrial Organization, and helped the union become an important political force in New York City and state politics, and in the national Democratic Party and Liberal Party as well.
In the period following the Second World War, the union suffered a decline in membership as manufacturers avoided unionization and took advantage of less expensive labor by moving shops from the urban centers in the northeast to the south, and later abroad. The ethnic and racial character of the ILGWU also changed as European immigrants were supplanted by Asians, Latin Americans, African- Americans, and immigrants from the Caribbean.
In July 1995 the ILGWU merged with the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union (ACTWU) at a joint convention, forming UNITE (Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees). At the time the new union had a membership of about 250,000 in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

This collection contains scrapbooks assembled by officers and members of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. The scrapbooks primarily contain news clippings.
The ILGWU Records, except for publications and materials produced for publication, are restricted. Materials created prior to twenty years from the current date are open to researchers only with prior written permission from the Director of the Kheel Center; materials created during the past twenty-years are closed; the minutes of the General Executive Board are closed. For more information contact the Kheel Center.

INFORMATION FOR USERS

Preferred Citation

ILGWU. Scrapbooks. 5780/160. Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Martin P. Catherwood Library, Cornell University.

Related Materials

5780. ILGWU records
5780/127. ILGWU. America's Next Great Designer Award. Scrapbooks
5780/128. ILGWU. Women's Wear Daily. Scrapbooks
5780/160mf. ILGWU. American Labor Party news article scrapbook
5780/170. ILGWU. People v. Benedict Macri. Legal Transcript and Scrapbook

SUBJECTS

Subjects:
Women's clothing industry -- United States
Clothing workers -- Labor unions -- United States
Clothing workers -- United States
Industrial relations -- United States

CONTAINER LIST
Container
Description
Date
Box 1 Folder 1
Loose Newspaper Scrapbook pages.
1922-1924
Scope and Contents
February 1922 - April 1924. Yiddish.
Box 1 Folder 2
Loose Newspaper Scrapbook pages.
1924
Scope and Contents
April 1924 - May 1924. Includes press releases
Box 1 Folder 3
Loose Newspaper Scrapbook pages.
1924-1925
Scope and Contents
Photocopies.
Box 1 Folder 4
Memorandum in Behalf of the Union
1925
Scope and Contents
April, 1925
Box 1 Folder 5
Newspaper Scrapbook
1924-1925
Scope and Contents
July 1924 - April 1925
Box 1 Folder 6
Newspaper Scrapbook
1925-1926
Scope and Contents
May 1925 - February 1926
Box 1 Folder 7
Newspaper Scrapbook
1926
Scope and Contents
February 1926 - August 1926
Box 1 Folder 8
Out Of Town Newspaper Scrapbook
1925-1926
Scope and Contents
October 1925 - October 1926
Box 1a Folder 1
Newspaper Scrapbook
1911-1915
Scope and Contents
Oversized scrapbook 1911-1915
Box 2 Folder 1
Newspaper Scrapbook
1926
Scope and Contents
August 1926 - December 1926
Box 2 Folder 2
Newspaper Scrapbook
1926-1927
Scope and Contents
December 1926 - March 1927
Box 2 Folder 3
Newspaper Scrapbook
1927
Scope and Contents
March 1927 - September 1927
Box 2 Folder 4
Newspaper Scrapbook
1927-1928
Scope and Contents
September 1927 - May 1928
Box 3 Folder 1
Newspaper Scrapbook
1928-1929
Scope and Contents
May 1928 - March 1929
Box 3 Folder 2
Newspaper Scrapbook
1929
Scope and Contents
April 1929 - July 1929
Box 3 Folder 3
Newspaper Scrapbook
1929
Scope and Contents
July 1929 - September 1929
Box 3 Folder 4
Newspaper Scrapbook
1929-1930
Scope and Contents
September 1929 - January 1930
Box 3 Folder 5
Newspaper Scrapbook
1930
Scope and Contents
January 1930 - March 1930
Box 4 Folder 1
Newspaper Scrapbook
1930
Scope and Contents
March 1930 - September 1930
Box 4 Folder 2
Newspaper Scrapbook
1930-1931
Scope and Contents
September 1930 - July 1931
Box 4 Folder 3
Newspaper Scrapbook
1931-1932
Scope and Contents
August 1931 - June 1932
Box 4 Folder 4
Newspaper Scrapbook
1932-1933
Scope and Contents
June 1932 - July 1933
Box 4 Folder 5
Newspaper Scrapbook
1933
Scope and Contents
August 1933 - December 1933
Box 5 Folder 1
Newspaper Scrapbook
1933-1934
Scope and Contents
December 1933 - April 1934
Box 5 Folder 2
Newspaper Scrapbook
1934
Scope and Contents
April 1934 - July 1934
Box 5 Folder 3
Newspaper Scrapbook
1934
Scope and Contents
April 1934 - August 1934
Box 5 Folder 4
Newspaper Scrapbook
1934
Scope and Contents
July 1934 - October 1934
Box 5 Folder 5
Newspaper Scrapbook
1934-1935
Scope and Contents
October 1934 - January 1935
Box 6 Folder 1
Newspaper Scrapbook
1935
Scope and Contents
January 1935 - March 1935
Box 6 Folder 2
Newspaper Scrapbook
1935
Scope and Contents
March 1935 - May 1935
Box 6 Folder 3
Newspaper Scrapbook
1935
Scope and Contents
May 1935 - July 1935
Box 6 Folder 4
Newspaper Scrapbook
1935
Scope and Contents
July 1935 - September 1935
Box 6 Folder 5
Newspaper Scrapbook
1935
Scope and Contents
September 1935 - December 1935
Box 7 Folder 1
Newspaper Scrapbook
1935-1936
Scope and Contents
December 1935 - February 1936
Box 7 Folder 2
Newspaper Scrapbook
1936
Scope and Contents
February 1936 - March 1936
Box 7 Folder 3
Newspaper Scrapbook
1936
Scope and Contents
March 1936 - July 1936
Box 7 Folder 4
Newspaper Scrapbook
1936
Scope and Contents
July 1936 - September 1936
Box 7 Folder 5
Newspaper Scrapbook
1936-1937
Scope and Contents
August 1936 - October 1937
Box 8 Folder 1
Newspaper Scrapbook
1936
Scope and Contents
September, 1936
Box 8 Folder 2
Newspaper Scrapbook
1936
Scope and Contents
September, 1936
Box 8 Folder 3
Newspaper Scrapbook
1936
Scope and Contents
September 1936 - October 1936
Box 8 Folder 4
Newspaper Scrapbook
1936
Scope and Contents
October, 1936
Box 8 Folder 5
Newspaper Scrapbook
1936
Scope and Contents
October, 1936
Box 9 Folder 1
Newspaper Scrapbook
1936
Scope and Contents
October, 1936
Box 9 Folder 2
Newspaper Scrapbook
1936
Scope and Contents
October 1936 - November 1936
Box 9 Folder 3
Newspaper Scrapbook
1936
Scope and Contents
November, 1936
Box 9 Folder 4
Newspaper Scrapbook
1936
Scope and Contents
November 1936 - December 1936
Box 9 Folder 5
Newspaper Scrapbook
1936-1937
Scope and Contents
December 1936 - January 1937
Box 10 Folder 1
Newspaper Scrapbook
1937
Scope and Contents
January 1937 - March 1937
Box 10 Folder 2
Newspaper Scrapbook
1937
Scope and Contents
March 1937 - May 1937
Box 10 Folder 3
Newspaper Scrapbook
1937
Scope and Contents
May 1937 - July 1937
Box 10 Folder 4
Newspaper Scrapbook
1937
Scope and Contents
June 1937 - August 1937
Box 10 Folder 5
Newspaper Scrapbook
1937-1938
Scope and Contents
October 1937 - January 1938
Box 11 Folder 1
Newspaper Scrapbook
1938
Scope and Contents
January 1938 - February 1938
Box 11 Folder 2
Newspaper Scrapbook
1938
Scope and Contents
June 1938 - October 1938
Box 11 Folder 3
Newspaper Scrapbook
1938-1939
Scope and Contents
October 1938 - February 1939
Box 11 Folder 4
Newspaper Scrapbook
1939
Scope and Contents
February 1939 - August 1939
Box 11 Folder 5
Newspaper Scrapbook
1939-1940
Scope and Contents
August 1939 - January 1940
Box 11 Folder 6
Newspaper Scrapbook
1940
Scope and Contents
January 1940 - April 1940
Box 12 Folder 1
Newspaper Scrapbook
1940
Scope and Contents
April 1940 - July 1940
Box 12 Folder 2
Newspaper Scrapbook
1940
Scope and Contents
July 1940 - September 1940
Box 12 Folder 3
Newspaper Scrapbook
1940
Scope and Contents
September 1940 - November 1940
Box 12 Folder 4
Newspaper Scrapbook
1940-1941
Scope and Contents
December 1940 - January 1941
Box 12 Folder 5
Newspaper Scrapbook
1941
Scope and Contents
January 1941 - February 1941
Box 12 Folder 6
Newspaper Scrapbook
1941
Scope and Contents
August, 1941
Box 13 Folder 1
Newspaper Scrapbook
1942
Scope and Contents
January 1942 - March 1942
Box 13 Folder 2
Newspaper Scrapbook
1942
Scope and Contents
January 1942 - June 1942
Box 13 Folder 3
Newspaper Scrapbook
1943
Scope and Contents
May 1943 - August 1943
Box 13 Folder 4
Newspaper Scrapbook
1943-1944
Scope and Contents
December 1943 - March 1944
Box 13 Folder 5
Newspaper Scrapbook
1944-1945
Scope and Contents
May 1944 - March 1945
Box 14 Folder 1
American Labor Party Scrapbook
1938
Scope and Contents
April 1938 - December 1938
Box 14 Folder 2
American Labor Party Scrapbook
1939-1940
Scope and Contents
December 1939 - September 1940
Box 14 Folder 3
American Labor Party Scrapbook
1944
Scope and Contents
May 1944 - October 1944
Box 14 Folder 4
AF of L Scrapbook
1938-1939
Scope and Contents
October 1938 - June 1939
Box 14 Folder 5
AF of L Scrapbook
1940
Scope and Contents
May 1940 - July 1940
Box 14 Folder 6
Newspaper Scrapbook
1944-1949
Scope and Contents
January 1944 - March 1949
Box 15 Folder 1
C.I.O. Non-Editorial
1937-1938
Scope and Contents
September 1937 - May 1938
Box 15 Folder 2
C.I.O. Conference
1937-1938
Scope and Contents
October 1937 - January 1938
Box 15 Folder 3
C.I.O. Editorial
1937-1938
Scope and Contents
December 1937 - December 1938
Box 15 Folder 4
C.I.O.
1938
Scope and Contents
May 1938 - October 1938
Box 15 Folder 5
C.I.O. Non-Editorial
1939-1950
Scope and Contents
June 1939 - November 1940
Box 15 Folder 6
Newspaper Scrapbook
1940
Scope and Contents
November, 1940
Box 15 Folder 7
Newspaper Scrapbook
1940-1956
Scope and Contents
November 1940 - December 1956
Box 15 Folder 8
Newspaper Scrapbook
1954-1958
Scope and Contents
March 1954 - April 1958. Loose photocopies
Box 15 Folder 9
Newspaper Scrapbook
1959-1960
Scope and Contents
September 1959 - August 1960. Loose photocopies
Box 16 Folder 1
Womens Garment Strike Scrapbook
1936
Scope and Contents
January 1936 - March 1936
Box 16 Folder 2
Womens Garment Strike Scrapbook
1936
Scope and Contents
February 1936 - March 1936
Box 16 Folder 3
Coat and Cloak Scrapbook
1933
Scope and Contents
July 1933 - September 1933
Box 16 Folder 4
Press Comments Scrapbook
1924-1927
Scope and Contents
March 1924 - July 1927
Box 16 Folder 5
Memorandums
1924-1925
Box 16 Folder 6
Briefs
1925
Box 16 Folder 7
Reports
1925
Box 16 Folder 8
Cloak Strike
1926
Box 16 Folder 9
Report of an Investigation
1925
Box 16 Folder 10
Governor's Advisory Commission. Wages and Wage Scales
1925
Box 16 Folder 11
Review of Constructive Publicity Campaign
1927
Scope and Contents
February 1927 - May 1927
Box 16 Folder 12
Review of Constructive Publicity Campaign
1927
Scope and Contents
February 1927 - May 1927. Photocopy
Box 16 Folder 13
Womens Garment Strike
1933-1934
Scope and Contents
Oversized scrapbook- 10/12/33-7/34
Box 16a Folder 1
Facts About the Garment Strike
1924
Box 17 Folder 1
I.L.G.W.U. Drama Department Scrapbook
1934-1937
Scope and Contents
December 1934 - December 1937. English and Yiddish
Box 17 Folder 2
I.L.G.W.U. Choral Department Scrapbook
1934-1939
Scope and Contents
October 1934 - April 1939. English and Yiddish
Box 17 Folder 3
I.L.G.W.U. Instrumental Department scrapbook
1935-1943
Scope and Contents
January 1935 - February 1943. English and Yiddish
Box 17 Folder 4
I.L.G.W.U. Drama Department "Steel" Scrapbook
1934-1935
Box 17 Folder 5
I.L.G.W.U. Drama Department "With These Hands" Scrapbook
1950-1956
Scope and Contents
June 1950 - June 1956. English and Yiddish
Box 17a Folder 1
Drama Department "Steel" and "With These Hands"
1939-1940
Scope and Contents
Oversized scrapbook-4/30/39-8/24/40
Box 18 Folder 1
Organized Crime Scrapbook
1937-1958
Scope and Contents
March 1937 - January 1958
Box 18 Folder 2
Organized Crime Scrapbook
1957
Scope and Contents
August, 1957
Box 18 Folder 3
Unity House. Report and Data
1923
Box 18 Folder 4
I.L.G.W.U. 1962 Convention Scrapbook
1962
Scope and Contents
Yiddish and English
Box 18 Folder 5
Frieheit Cartoon Scrapbook
1934-1950
Scope and Contents
Yiddish. October 1934 - June 1950
Box 18a Folder 1
Oversized scrapbook-U.S.Trade with Russia 1/9/20-1/12/21
1920-1921
Scope and Contents
Oversized scrapbook. 1/9/20-1/12/21
Box 19 Folder 1
Oversized scrapbooks from I.L.G.W.U. Strike 1910-1911
1910-1911
Box 20 Folder 1
Daily News Report and Womens Wear Daily
1931-1932
Scope and Contents
Oversized scrapbook-strike clips. 10/12/31-2/17/31, 10/12/31-2/17/32
Box 20a Folder 1
Oversize scrapbook. Union label news clippings, 1958-60.
1958-1960