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Howard Goddard Papers

Call Number

ALBA.126

Date

1937-1996, inclusive

Creator

Goddard, Howard, 1911-1997

Extent

0.75 Linear Feet in 1 manuscript box and 1 folder in an oversize shared box

Language of Materials

English .

Abstract

Howard Goddard (1911-1997) dedicated much of his life to working as a union activist, from organizing in the early 1930s to a lifelong career with the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers (IUMMSW). Goddard joined the International Brigades to fight against Franco in Spain in 1937 and returned in 1938 with the rank of Captain. This collection contains ephemera from the Spanish Civil War and correspondence between Goddard and various veterans and veteran organizations.

Historical/Biographical Note

Howard Goddard (1911-1997) was born in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. The family moved to Southern California in 1921 and he took his first job when he turned 13. After graduating from high school he worked in Trona, California for a chemical mining company. His experience organizing and fighting for union rights in this company town (which involves one of the first landmark cases successfully argued before the National Labor Relations Board) solidified his belief in the workers' cause and the international fight against fascism. Arriving in Spain in March 1937 via the Pyrenees, Goddard was assigned to a Spanish-speaking company in the International Brigades. After recovering from wounds at Belchite and helping to plan the Battle of Ebro, Goddard was promoted to captain of his company in October of 1938. Goddard returned from Spain in late 1938 and continued to work and organize unions from Denver to Los Angeles, representing the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers for most of his career. He married and had two children. He was an active member of the Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade and at the time of his death was living in San Francisco.

Arrangement

Series I is arranged alphabetically by subject. Series II is arranged alphabetically by correspondent.

The files are grouped into two series:

Missing Title

  1. I, Subject Files, 1937-1996; Undated.
  2. II, Correspondence, 1985-1996; Undated

Scope and Content Note

Series I: Subject Files. The bulk of this series contains ephemera associated with the Spanish Civil War, including certificates of honor and documents of affiliation with the Spanish Communist Party and the International Brigades. Other subject files include anniversary programs and newsletters from the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives, the Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade (both the New York and Bay Area posts), and the 60th Anniversary Tribute in Spain in 1996. Of note is a transcript of an oral history interview done by Art Day in 1986, addressing Goddard's involvement with the labor movement in the 1930s and 1940s.

Series II: Correspondence. Each folder in this series contains both incoming and outgoing correspondence between the recipient and Goddard. The recipient's name titles each folder. Many of the letters written in Spanish include Goddard's own translation. The bulk of the letters, mostly to and from veterans of the Spanish Civil War, is between Goddard and former veteran John V. Murra. Murra's correspondence also contains clippings and other items that he sent to Goddard. Notable are letters between Goddard and José Antonio Valledor Alvarez, a former commander of the 15th International Brigade.

Access Restrictions

Materials are open to researchers. Please contact the Tamiment Library & Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives for more information and to schedule an appointment, tamiment.wagner@nyu.edu or 212-998-2630.

Use Restrictions

Any rights (including copyright and related rights to publicity and privacy) held by the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives (ALBA), were transferred to New York University in November 2000 by the ALBA Board of Governors. Permission to publish or reproduce materials in this collection must be secured from the Tamiment Library & Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives. For more information, contact tamiment.wagner@nyu.edu or 212-998-2630.

Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:

Identification of item, date; Collection name; Collection number; box number; folder number;
Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012, New York University Libraries.

Provenance

The Howard Goddard Collection was donated to the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives in 1997 by Esther Brown. This collection came to New York University in January 2001 as part of the original acquisition of ALBA collections, formerly housed at Brandeis University.

Separated Material

Photographs from the Howard Goddard Collection have been transferred to the non-print section of the ALBA collection in the Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives.

Related Material at the Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives

ALBA collections at the Tamiment Library.

Collection processed by

Jennifer Waxman

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-20 16:35:59 -0400.
Language: Description is in English.

Edition of this Guide

This version was derived from a paper finding aid.

Repository

Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
2nd Floor
New York, NY 10012