New York City Central Labor Council Photographs
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Abstract
The Central Trades and Labor Council of the American Federation of Labor merged with the New York City Congress of Industrial Organizations Council on February 19, 1959 to form the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO. The Council is an organization comprised of nearly 400 local union affiliates. The collection consists of approximately 8,200 mostly 8x10 black and white glossy prints, spanning the 1940s through the late 1990s, with the bulk dating from the 1970s and 1980s. Major areas covered by the collection include demonstrations by Council affiliates on various issues, and annual Council activities and events, such as the New York City Labor Day Parade. The principal photographers are Sam Reiss, Alexander Archer, Dan Miller, Jules Geller, and Mildred Gross.
Historical/Biographical Note
The Central Trades and Labor Council of the American Federation of Labor merged with the New York City Congress of Industrial Organizations Council on February 19, 1959 to form the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO. This followed the earlier merger on December 9, 1958 of New York State's AFL and CIO.
The New York City Central Labor Council is an organization comprised of nearly 400 local union affiliates. It acts only on local activities and concerns and it does not issue statements on AFL-CIO policy. According to its constitution, the council's purpose is to further the rights of workers to organize in unions and to bargain collectively, to advocate legislation which is beneficial to workers and oppose that which is not, and to correct abuses and to insure the workers their just rights.
The New York City Central Labor Council also has social and political purposes driven by the commitment to help all people who work for a living improve their working conditions and raise their standard of living. Further, the New York City Central Labor Council strives to preserve workers' rights to act together for mutual aid and advancement, to further the cause of unions, and to strengthen civil rights. It acts as a central force, providing assistance and education through its various committees and councils.
The regular activities of the New York City Central Labor Council are directed by its executive officers, Executive Board, and Delegates' Council meetings. The planning and execution of programs and conferences are conducted by various standing and special committees. These committees are composed of members from affiliated local unions, each with officers and advisory consulting staff. An important special committee is the Labor Day Parade Committee.
In 1957, Harry Van Arsdale was elected president of the Central Trades and Labor Council of the AFL. Following the merger in 1959, he became the President of the Central Labor Council. During his presidency (1957-1986), the council established many diverse committees and programs such as the Rehabilitation Council (1963), Hispanic Labor Committee (1970), and the Black Trade Unionist Leadership Committee (1972). The Council was also instrumental in founding the Harry Van Arsdale Jr. Center for Labor Studies, in 1971, to further labor education at Empire State College, State University of New York.
Upon Harry Van Arsdale's death in 1986, his son, Thomas Van Arsdale, was elected to the post of president.
Arrangement
The New York City Central Labor Council Photographs are arranged into fourteen series, several of which are further arranged into subseries and sub-subseries.
The series arrangement is as follows:
Series I. Organization
Subseries IA. History and Predecessor Organizations
Subseries IB. Central Labor Council Elections
Subseries IC. Central Labor Council General
Sub-subseries IC1. Executive Board
Sub-subseries IC2. Other
Subseries ID. Committees
Sub-subseries ID1. Black Trade Unionists Labor Committee
Sub-subseries ID2. Hispanic Labor Committee
Sub-subseries ID3. Interium Organization
Sub-subseries ID4. Non-Partisan (Borough and County)
Subseries IE. Conventions
Sub-subseries IE1. AFL-CIO
Sub-subseries IE2. New York State AFL-CIO
Subseries IF. Conferences
Subseries IG. Delegates
Series II. Affiliates
Series III. Services
Subseries IIIA. Educational Programs
Sub-subseries IIIA1. School of Industrial and Labor Relations
Sub-subseries IIIA2. Empire State College
Sub-subseries IIIA3. Wagner Summer School
Subseries IIIB. Camps
Subseries IIIC. Social Services/Community Services
Series IV. Events
Subseries IVA. Central Labor Council Annual Events
Sub-subseries IVA1. Community
Sub-subseries IVA2. Conference - Civil Rights
Sub-subseries IVA3. Labor Day Mass
Sub-subseries IVA4. Labor Day Street Fair
Sub-subseries IVA5. Martin Lacey Scholarship
Sub-subseries IVA6. Lincoln's Birthday Dinne r
Sub-subseries IVA7. Workers Memorial Day
Subseries IVB. Awards
Series V. Chronological
Series VI. Portraits and Individuals
Series VII. Parades
Subseries VIIA. Easter
Subseries VIIB. Labor Day
Subseries VIIC. May Day
Subseries VIID. St. Patrick's Day
Subseries VIIE. Solidarity Day
Series VIII. Demonstrations
Series IX. Electoral Politics
Subseries IXA. Voter Registration
Subseries IXB. Election Campaigns
Series X. Community Services
Series XI. Other Organizations
Series XII. Copy Negatives
Series XIII. Oversized Prints
Series XIV. Unprocessed
Folders are arranged chronologically within each series and subseries.
Scope and Content Note
The collection consists of approximately 8,200 photographs, most of which are 8x10 black and white glossy prints. Many were shot for potential use in Labor Chronicle, the Council's newspaper (published between the 1960s and early 1980s), and other Council publications.
The images span the 1940s through the late 1990s, although the bulk of the photographs date from the 1970s and 1980s. Particularly well documented are Council special committees; demonstrations by Council affiliates; and annual Council activities and events, such as the New York City Labor Day Parade and Lincoln Birthday Dinner.
Prominent individuals are also well-represented, both in portraits and group shots. These include the presidents of the various locals represented on the Council, Executive Board members, and the officers of the Council. The officers most well documented are: Harry Van Arsdale, President; Harry Avrutin, Secretary; Morris Iushewitz, Secretary (Avrutin's immediate predecessor); and William Bowe, Treasurer.
The collection also includes numerous photographs of many major New York City and New York State political figures and office-holders from the 1940s and onwards, shown posed with Council members or other labor leaders. Notable inclusions are mayors Robert F. Wagner, Jr., Abraham Beame, Edward Koch, Rudolph Giuliani, and Governors Mario Cuomo and George Pataki.
The principal photographers in this collection are: Sam Reiss, Alexander Archer, Dan Miller, Jules Geller, and Mildred Gross; their credit lines may be seen stamped on the back of many of the images.
Subjects
People
Topics
Places
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright (and related rights to publicity and privacy) to materials in this collection, created by the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, was not transferred to New York University. Permission to use materials must be secured from the copyright holder.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; New York City Central Labor Council Photographs; PHOTOS 020; box number; folder number; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by the New York City Central Labor Council in several installments beginning in 1986. The accession numbers associated with these donations are 1986.041, 1986.036, and 2011.093. Additionally, sixty color photographs from the 1991 Labor Day Parade were donated by Brian McLaughlin from the Central Labor Council in 1996. The accession number associated with this gift is NPA.2001.008.
About this Guide
Processing Information Note
New York City Central Labor Council Photographs (PHOTOS 020) was received in multiple accessions. During initial processing, New York City Central Labor Council Community Services Department Photographs (PHOTOS 061) was established as its own collection. In February 2013, The New York City Central Labor Council Community Services Department Photographs (PHOTOS 061) was voided and incorporated into the larger New York City Central Labor Council Photographs (PHOTOS 020).