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Charles James Hendley Papers

Call Number

TAM.109

Dates

1913-1962, inclusive
; 1930-1960, bulk

Creator

Hendley, Charles J.
Hendley, Edith Di Pasquale, Dr (Role: Donor)

Extent

18.75 Linear Feet in 18 record cartons, one manuscript box, one shared box and one oversize folder in a shared box.

Language of Materials

Materials are in English.

Abstract

Charles James Hendley (1881-1962) was a teacher, education reform advocate, political activist and union leader. A member of the Teachers Union of the City of New York from 1921 until his death, he served as its president from 1935-1945. The Charles J. Hendley Papers give a glimpse into his personal life and document his career, his political activities and his varied interests. The collection also provides a detailed look at the Teachers Union of the City of New York, tracing its history, internal and external conflicts, changing affiliations, and its efforts to bring about school reform as well as higher wages and better working conditions for its members. Correspondence, meeting minutes, financial and administrative documents, memoranda, newsletters and a significant amount of Hendley's editorials and other writings are included in the collection. The materials document educational issues of the 1930s, 40s and 50s; the impact of the Depression and World War II on New York City's schools; the relationship of the teachers with other unions, the civil rights movement, Popular Front political organizations and the American Labor Party; and threats to academic freedom from the Rapp-Coudert Committee investigations in the early 1940s and the post-war red scare which led to the harassment and firing of some of New York's teachers. Finally, there is a variety of publications, pamphlets, photographs and ephemera to provide additional historical context.

Biographical Note

Charles James Hendley (1881-1962) was a teacher, education reform advocate, political activist and union leader. A member of the Teachers Union of the City of New York (Teachers Union of NYC) from 1921 until his death, he served as its president from 1935-1945.

Born in North Carolina on June 4, 1881, Hendley was the son of Alvis Francis Hendley, a section foreman on the Southern Railway who was a pioneer in organizing the maintenance-of-way men on the southern railroads. After attending local schools, he graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1905. He taught for several years in small towns in North Carolina then moved north in 1915 and taught in New Jersey and Pennsylvania before coming to New York. In 1919 he helped organize a local of the American Federation of Teachers in Paterson, New Jersey, and in 1920, worked for the State Federation of Labor in Pennsylvania, teaching labor classes in Bethlehem, Reading and Lancaster. Once in New York, he taught labor classes for Local 3 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and for a Wall Street local of telegraphers.

Hendley earned a masters degree at Columbia University and taught history and economics at George Washington High School in Manhattan from 1921 until 1946. A member of the Teachers Union of NYC, he served as its treasurer from 1922 through 1932 then became president in 1935 and held that position until just before his retirement from teaching.

In 1940, Hendley appeared before the Rapp-Coudert Committee. Although under the threat of arrest and probable dismissal from his teaching position, he defied the Committee, refusing its request to turn over the Teachers Union membership list. In January of 1941, however, at the behest of the Executive Board, on advice of union counsel, he complied with the Committee's demands.

After his retirement, Hendley continued his association with the Union serving on the Executive Board, as a member of the Educational Policies Committee and as Director of the Teachers Union Institute. In 1946, he became a field representative of the National Teachers Division of the United Public Workers of America (UPWA/CIO) and held that position until 1948. From his early years as a teacher, Hendley had been a member of the Socialist Party, resigning in 1938. He later grew closer to the Communist Party, apparently joining the Party in the late 1940s, but maintaining his oppostion to totalitarianism and authoritarianism in all forms.

In addition to his work with the Union, Hendley was active in the American Labor Party, running for State Senate (28th District, Bronx) in 1948 and for Congress (25th Congressional District) in 1950. In his later years he was a stockholder and served as Secretary-Treasurer of Publishers New Press, Inc., publisher of The Daily Worker. In that capacity he was called before the Senate Internal Security Committee in 1952 and also before a Grand Jury inquiry in 1962, consistently restating his belief in civil liberties for adherents of all political ideologies.

He remained active in his support of educational reform and other progressive causes. He wrote many articles, essays and letters to the editor; organized lectures; maintained throughout his life a keen interest in the political and cultural events of the day; and never lost his enthusiasm for learning.

Charles Hendley married Okla Dees of Grantboro, North Carolina, in 1916. They had two sons, Charles and Daniel.

- - - - - - -

The history of the Teachers Union of the City of New York was marked by controversy and changing affiliations. Organized in 1916 as Local 5 of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), it began its long struggles on behalf of civil liberties, increased salaries, reduced classroom size, tenure for teachers, improved pensions and increased state aid to education. By 1925, however, organized political factions began appearing within the local's ranks and controversy over the Communist leanings of several of the factions culminated in a major crisis in 1935. The leadership petitioned the national office to investigate the local and hoped that the findings would allow them to reorganize without the Communist elements. This plan failed to gain adequate support from the AFT National Convention and, as a result, eight hundred dissatisfied members left Local 5 to join a newly organized, independent Teachers Guild. Charles Hendley, as a Socialist, was seen as a unifying figure when, in 1935, he took over the presidency of Local 5 and significantly expanded its membership.

Conflicts and disagreements continued however, and subsequent efforts to revoke Local 5's charter were finally successful in 1941. Although unaffiliated, the union continued to operate, initially attempting to rejoin the AFT but, eventually, in September of 1943, uniting with the State, County, Municipal Workers of America (SCMWA), a CIO union, as Local 555. In 1946, SCMWA allied with the United Federal Workers of America to become the United Public Workers of America (UPWA); the teachers continued as UPWA Local 555. In 1950, the UPWA was expelled from the CIO for alleged Communist domination; the Teachers Union of NYC withdrew from the UPWA in 1952. After twelve years as an independent organization, the Teachers Union of NYC was dissolved with the recommendation that its members join the the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), which had become the official collective bargaining agent for the City's teachers. The UFT had been formed as a result of the merger of the Teachers Guild with the Committee of Action through Unity (CATU) and strengthened after the first successful teachers' strike in New York City (May 1960.)

Sources:

Zitron, Celia Lewis, The New York City Teachers Union 1916-1964 (Humanities Press, 1968).

Arrangement

The records are arranged into six series, two of which have been further arranged into subseries. This collection is arranged alphabetically.

Series I: Personal Papers, 1914-1962

Series II: Writings and Notes, 1914-1962

Subseries IIA: Writings, 1914-1962

Subseries IIB: Notes, Drafts and Fragements, 1930-1962

Series III: Teachers Union of New York Files, 1925-1962

Subseries IIIA: Teachers Union of NYC, American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Local 5, 1925-1941

Subseries IIIB: Teachers Union of NYC, Unaffiliated (After Expulsion from AFT), 1941-1943

Subseries IIIC: Teachers Union of NYC, Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), Local 555, 1943-1950

Subseries IIID: Teachers Union of NYC, United Public Workers of America (UPWA), 1950-1952

Subseries IIIE: Teachers Union of NYC, Independent, 1953-1962

Subseries IIIF: Teachers Union of NYC - Organizing, Educational Policy, Professional Development and Political Action Groups, 1936-1961

Series IV: Academic Freedom Material, 1928-1961

Series V: Subject Files, 1914-1962

Series VI: Photographs, 1913-1959

Folders are arranged alphabetically within the following five series:

Missing Title

  1. Series I: Personal Papers, 1914-1962.
  2. Series II: Writings and Notes, 1914-1962.
  3. Series III: Teachers Union of the City of New York Files, 1925-1962.
  4. Series IV: Academic Freedom Material, 1928-1961.
  5. Series V: Subject Files, 1914-1962.

Scope and Content Note

The Charles James Hendley Papers give a glimpse into his personal life and document his career, his political activities and his varied interests. The collection also provides a detailed look at the Teachers Union of the City of New York, tracing its history, internal and external conflicts, changing affiliations, and its efforts to bring about school reform as well as higher wages and better working conditions for its members.

Correspondence, meeting minutes, financial and administrative documents, memoranda, newsletters and a significant amount of Hendley's editorials and other writings are included in the collection. These materials document educational issues of the 1930s, 40s and 50s; the impact of the Depression and World War II on New York City's schools; the relationship of the teachers with other unions, the civil rights movement, Popular Front political organizations and the American Labor Party; and threats to academic freedom from the Rapp-Coudert Committee investigations in the early 1940s and the post-war red scare which led to the harassment and firing of a number of New York's teachers. Finally, there is a variety of publications, pamphlets, photographs and ephemera to provide additional historical context.

Conditions Governing Access

Materials are open without restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Any rights (including copyright and related rights to publicity and privacy) held by Charles James Hendley were transferred to New York University in 2004 by Dr. Edith Di Pasquale Hendley. Permission to publish or reproduce materials in this collection must be secured from Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Archives. Please contact tamiment.wagner@nyu.edu, (212) 998-2630.

Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:

Identification of item, date; Charles James Hendley Papers; TAM 109; 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.

Location of Materials

Materials stored offsite and advance notice is required for use. Please contact tamiment.wagner@nyu.edu at least two business days prior to research visit.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated by Dr. Edith Di Pasquale Hendley, 2004. The accession numbers associated with this gift are 2004.018 and 2004.019.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Due to the fragile nature of the originals, Series III.A. General Meeting Minutes and Membership Meeting Minutes in box 19 are accessible on microfilm only in the Tamiment reading room: Call Number R-7435 and R-7435A.

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

The following archival collections contain material relating to the Teachers Union of New York City, academic freedom and other areas of interest to Charles Hendley:

Sam Wallach Papers (TAM 241)

Irving Adler Papers (TAM 273)

Henry Foner Papers (TAM 254)

Printed Ephemera Collection of Trade Unions (PE 001)

Oral History of the American Left: Radical History Collection (OH 002)

Frederic Ewen Audiotape and Videotape Collection (OH 052) This collection contains more than 30 interviews of teachers affected by the investigations of the Rapp-Coudert Committee.

Records of the United Federation of Teachers (WAG 022) Included within this collection are records of two predecessor unions, the Teachers Union of New York City and the Teachers Guild.

Rabinowitz, Boudin, Standard, Krinsky and Lieberman Legal Files (TAM 287)

Collection processed by

Jan Hilley and Melissa Haley, 2010

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-20 16:50:57 -0400.
Using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language: Finding aid is written in English

Processing Information

Photographs separated from this collection during processing were established as a separate collection, the Charles James Hendley Photographs (PHOTOS 234). In 2014, the photograph collection was reincorporated into the Charles James Hendley Papers (TAM 109). In 2019, microfilmed meeting minutes in Series III.A. were added to the finding aid.

Revisions to this Guide

March 2019: Revised by Weatherly Stephan to include microfilmed meeting minutes

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