Meyer London Photographs
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Abstract
Meyer London was a founder of the Socialist Party (U.S.), a U.S. Congressman who represented New York's 12 District (the Lower East Side of New York City), and a labor lawyer who represented the International Ladies Garment Workers Union. The collection contains images of London, his funeral, other socialist leaders, the Meyer London Memorial Library and the Meyer London School.
Historical/Biographical Note
Meyer London (1871-1926), was a Socialist, a labor lawyer and the first Socialist ever elected to the United States House of Representatives. He represented New York's 12th District, which covered New York City's Lower East Side, from 1915-1919, and from 1921-1923. London was born to Jewish parents in Russian Poland, and emigrated in 1891 to New York City with Anna Rosenson (whom he married in 1899). He attended New York University Law School at night, and was admitted to the bar in 1898. Originally a member of the Socialist Labor Party, he joined the Social Democratic Party in 1897 and then helped to found the Socialist Party of America in 1901. For the International Ladies Garment Workers Union, he negotiated the historic labor-management accord known as Protocol of Peace, following the 1910 strike of some 50,000 workers in New York City, and also served as the union's legal counsel thereafter. In Congress, he sought to represent the interests of his Jewish immigrant constituency, supporting various labor and social reforms, and was active in Jewish organizations, including the Workmen's Circle. London died after being hit by a car in New York City.
Arrangement
Folders are organized topically.
The files are grouped into 1 series:
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- Container List
Scope and Content Note
The collection includes a 1926 original portrait of London, a copy print of him in his later years, pen and ink drawings of London and a photograph of a full portrait painting of London. It contains photographic negatives as well as 8 x 10 inch prints. Besides a complete set of photographs from his funeral (which led to the Workmen's Circle Cemetery in Mt. Carmel) and of the 10th Annual Pilgrimage to London's grave which includes the Socialist and Jewish community leaders of the time (including a group photograph that includes Charles Solomon, Abraham Cahan, and Jacob Panken), there are two other interesting views of London himself. One shows London playing chess with a fellow Congressman, Roy Fitzgerald; the other is a young Meyer London, accompanied by his wife, visiting the law offices of Dr. Isaac Aaronovich Hourwich. A highlight of the collection from the post-World War I Red Scare period is a 6" x 8" color poster from the congressional campaign for the 12th District in New York City. It asks "Which flag will you uphold? - Leon Sanders stands for the American flag; Meyer London stands for the Red Flag." Other photographs include views of the Meyer London Memorial Library at the Rand School for Social Science and the 1959 dedication of New York City's Public School No. 2, the Meyer London School.
Subjects
People
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Use Restrictions
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. The Tamiment Library 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
The Meyer London Photographs were separated from the Meyer London Papers. The Meyer London Papers were transferred to Tamiment Library from the Rand School of Social Science in 1963 by members of People's Education Camp Society, Inc. The accession numbers associated with this collection are 1960.001 and NPA.2005.031.
