Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives Printed Ephemera Collection on the League for Industrial Democracy
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Abstract
The Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives Printed Ephemera Collection on the League for Industrial Democracy is an artificial collection, collected and assembled by the Tamiment Library over the course of several decades. Founded in 1905, the LID is an educational organization focusing on increasing democracy in cultural, political and economic life. The collection consists of printed ephemera put out by the group nationally, including, fliers, brochures, leaflets, publications lists, pamphlets and songbooks. Also included in the collection are materials from affiliated and precursor groups, the Intercollegiate League for Industrial Democracy, the Intercollegiate Socialist Society, and the Student League for Industrial Democracy. There are also a few files from local LID chapters from Akron, Ohio, Boston, Massachusetts and New York City.
Historical/Biographical Note
The League for Industrial Democracy, also known as the LID, was founded in 1905 by such notables as Norman Thomas, Jack London and Clarence Darrow. The group, originally named the Intercollegiate Socialist Society, focused its attention primarily on educating college students about socialism and the labor movement. In 1921, the organization took on its current name. Still addressing students, the LID was home to what became the Students for a Democratic Society, then known as the Student League for Industrial Democracy. Taking a stance on communism became a divisive issue between the two groups. The organizations diverged following the Students for a Democratic Society's convention in Port Huron, Michigan in 1960. The LID continued to produce lecture and discussion guides as well as host conferences and study commissions to achieve their goal of increasing democracy in the economic, political, and cultural life. The organization also published numerous pamphlets on socialism, labor issues, totalitarianism and democracy.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into two series: Series I: General Files, 1923-1986; Series II: Affiliated and Youth Organizations, 1905-1959. Folders are arranged alphabetically within series.
Scope and Content Note
The Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives Printed Ephemera Collection on the League for Industrial Democracy consists of a selection of printed matter, including: fliers, pamphlets, brochures, songbooks, bulletins as well as constitutions, membership cards and applications.
Series I: General Files, 1923-1986, consists of printed ephemera from the League of Industrial Democracy, largely published at the national level. There are a number of pamphlets in this series, arranged by date and at times by author or subject. Prominent authors include, Harry Laidler, Norman Thomas and Michael Harrington. Also included in this series are the publicity materials related to the LIDs annual luncheons, which were in effect anniversary celebrations and give introductory information about the League. There is a short history provided in this series as well. Also included are files from local chapters in Akron, Ohio, Boston, Massachusetts and New York City.
Series II: Affiliated and Youth Organizations, 1905-1959, consists of material from the Intercollegiate Socialist Society (ISS), the Intercollegiate League for Industrial Democracy, and the Student League for Industrial Democracy. The ISS was a precursor to the LID, formed in 1905. From this organization, the collection contains pamphlets, fliers, brochures for conferences, and guides to courses in studying socialism. From the Student League for Industrial Democracy, the youth wing of the LID, the collection consists of pamphlets, songbooks, fliers and brochures, as well as publications including a brief history and an organizer's manual.
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Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Because of the assembled nature of this collection, copyright status varies across the collection. Copyright is assumed to be held by the original creator of individual items in the collection; these items are expected to pass into the public domain 120 years after their creation. Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Archives is not authorized to grant permission to publish or reproduce materials from this collection.
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.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Materials in this collection have been compiled by the Tamiment Library.
Materials found in the repository were added to the collection in 2014. The accession number associated with this material is 2014.091.
Custodial History
The provenance of the materials is varied. Items were obtained through purchases, donations, standing orders with publishers, arrangements with labor unions and other organizations, exchanges with other libraries, and through ongoing collecting by Tamiment staff.
