Labor Archives of Washington: Pro-Labor Organizations

LAW contains records from individuals and organizations that document the local, national and international dimensions of the labor movement in the Pacific Northwest.

Pro-Labor organization records

Northwest Committee Against Repressive Legislation mailings

Regional chapter of a national organization founded to oppose the activities of the House Un-American Acitivities Committee, changed name to the National Committee Against Repressive Legislation; defends the right of political dissent.

Portland Central America Solidarity Committee records

The Portland Central America Solidarity Committee was founded in 1979 to educate and mobilize community members, workers, and student around struggles for human rights and social justic throughout the Americas. In addition to working to improve conditions in Central America, PCASC also advidcated for rights locally in the Pacific Northwest. PCASC is also affiliated with the Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala (NISGUA) and the Committee in Solidiarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES).

Seattle Union Record Business Records

Cashbooks, subscription records and other business records.

Socialist Labor Party Seattle Section records

Records of a Seattle political labor organization. The Seattle Section of the Socialist Labor Party (SLP) was founded in the early 1890's as a branch of the Socialist Labor Party of America. The SLP was founded as a Marxist political party in 1876, the first nationwide socialist party in the United States. The party promoted the doctrines of Daniel DeLeon, theorist of the SLP, which advocated a classless, stateless, industrial democracy in which private property would be abolished and all natural resources and means of production would be operated by the workers through Socialist Industrial Unions. The SLP planned to achieve its goals through national and local elections and by capturing the trade union movement. However, the party's narrow sectarian ideology, its insistence on doctrinal unity and party discipline, together with its rejection of social reform alienated it from the trade union movement. After modest success in the 1890s, the party declined and never numbered more than a few thousand. It survived however, and continued to run candidates for national and state office. The Socialist Labor Party was the first socialist organization of any importance in the Pacific Northwest but it never established ties with the labor movement and never developed beyond a small cadre.

Washington Committee for Academic Freedom records

The Washington Committee for Academic Freedom was a state-wide group of citizens drawn from both ends of the political spectrum who formed the Committee in June 1948. Frances W. Herring was executive secretary for the organization. Records document the efforts of the Committee to protect academic freedom in response to the Joint Legislative Fact-Finding Committee on Un-American Activities (Canwell Committee) hearings investigating possible Communist activities at the University of Washington and the firings of three professors by the University of Washington. Records were those of Ethelyn M. Hartwich, a member of the executive board.

University Baptist Church Sanctuary Movement records

Records of the University Baptist Church, Seattle, concerning its 1980s sanctuary program for Central American refugees. UBC becamse the first publicly declared sanctuary in the Northwest, the first American Baptist sanctuary in the U.S., and the seventh publicly declared church sanctuary in the nation. UBC successfully petitioned the city of Seattle to declare itself a Sanctuary City, sent relief workers and supplies to El Salvador, and toured the Northwest advocating the sanctuary program's implementation in those areas. In addition, UBC was an active local voice in opposition to U.S. foreign policy.

Washington Association of Churches records, 1935-1996

The Washington-Northern Idaho Council of Churches was first incoporated in 1935, with Dr. Gertrude Apel serving as an executive staff member. She also served on the executive staff in the Seattle Federation of Churches until 1958, at which point the state council and King County Council of Churches split after a consultation with the long-time ecumenical leader, Ross Sanderson. In 1967, the state council's title was changed to the Washington Council of Churches and later, in 1975, it was renamed the Washington Association of Churches. The Washington Association of Churches (WAC) continues to serve as an association of 10 Christian denominations and 11 ecumenical organizations who live and work together on the task of ecumenism in Washington State. Since 1975, WAC has served as a focal point for dialogue, advocacy, action and reflection, facilitating meetings between member churches and forming partnerships with a diverse range of organizations and communities.

Washington State Committee for the Protection of the Foreign Born records

Washington state chapter of the American Committee for Protection of Foreign Born, founded to defend the rights of the foreign born, especially radicals and Communist Party members, thereby filling a void left by other civil rights defense groups.

Pro-Labor Organization Records

American Civil Liberties Union of Washington records, circa 1942-1996
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is an organization dedicated to the protection of constitutional rights and liberties in the United States. It was founded in 1920 by a group of civil libertarians. The ACLU operates by providing legal counsel in cases involving civil liberties. It has been active in cases relating to academic freedom, separation of church and state, the right to privacy, due process of law, freedom of speech, other freedoms guaranteed in the process of law. Established in 1935 as Seattle ACLU, becoming Washington state chapter in Seattle, Washington, in the 1960s.

Dr. Gottfried was a member of the Board of Directors of the Washington ACLU. [Click on link for more information]
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The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is an organization dedicated to the protection of constitutional rights and liberties in the United States. It was founded in 1920 by a group of civil libertarians. The ACLU operates by providing legal counsel in cases involving civil liberties. It has been active in cases relating to academic freedom, separation of church and state, the right to privacy, due process of law, freedom of speech, other freedoms guaranteed in the process of law. Established in 1935 as Seattle ACLU, becoming Washington state chapter in Seattle, Washington, in the 1960s.

Dr. Gottfried was a member of the Board of Directors of the Washington ACLU.

The ACLU national office handled many Japanese-American Evacuation cases, 1942-1945.

Coalition on Government Spying, project of the ACLU, National Lawyers Guild and the American Friends Service Committee. The Coalition requested FBI and other investigatory files under the Freedom of Information Act to determine the extent and nature of such investigations of the Seattle media (especially the Seattle Sun) and Seattle Chicano leaders. In fall 1979 the coalition won a suit against the Seattle Police Department to obtain Seattle police intelligence files. It campaigned successfully for a Seattle ordinance to regulate the collection, use, and dissemination of police intelligence records; this was enacted by the City Council, 7.2.79 and was the first in the nation. From April 1981 to July 1981 the Coalition, with part-time staff, monitored implementation of the law. ACLU has retained most important files relating to the coalition.
Church Council of Greater Seattle records, 1913-2003
Founded in 1919 as the Seattle Federation of Churches with the stated purpose "to promote the welfare, comity and cooperation of the churches and to foster religious movements and Community betterment." Over its history, the organization has championed social service and activism on a wide range of issues including personal morals and civic betterment to international issues of justice, peace, and disarmament. During the 1960s, the council took stands in such socio-political areas of race relations, civil rights, and human service. In 1968 a Task Force for Redesign was appointed to recommend an administrative structure that could more efficiently "meet new and pressing urban problems." It was felt that the ability to address the problems of a rapidly growing urban community was hampered by the tradition-bound philosophy and departmental structure of the existing council. [Click link for more information]
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Founded in 1919 as the Seattle Federation of Churches with the stated purpose "to promote the welfare, comity and cooperation of the churches and to foster religious movements and Community betterment." Over its history, the organization has championed social service and activism on a wide range of issues including personal morals and civic betterment to international issues of justice, peace, and disarmament. During the 1960s, the council took stands in such socio-political areas of race relations, civil rights, and human service. In 1968 a Task Force for Redesign was appointed to recommend an administrative structure that could more efficiently "meet new and pressing urban problems." It was felt that the ability to address the problems of a rapidly growing urban community was hampered by the tradition-bound philosophy and departmental structure of the existing council. The council served thousands of hungry unemployed workers who had been layed off when Boeing Aircraft Company layoffs threw the Seattle economy into a depression and left thousands of people hungry. The Neighbors in Need food bank program was developed by Seattle churches as a response to the crisis.
Communist Party of the United States of America, Washington State District Records, 1919-2003
Records of the Washington State chapter of the Communist Party of the United States of America.
The Washington State arm of the Communist Party of the United States of America actively supported the labor, civil rights, and anti-war movements.
Communist Party of the United States of America Records, circa 1956-1960
The Communist party of the United States is a left-wing Marxist party dedicated to revolutionary socialism and, until the anti-Communist Soviet revolution of 1991, to support of the Communist party of the USSR. With the establishment of the Communist International (COMINTERN) in Moscow in 1919, new Communist parties were founded in many countries including the United States. There have been many name changes and ideological shifts in the party over the years. Beginning in 1956, there was an ideological split over de-Stalinization and the Hungarian Revolution.
Everett Prisoners' Defense Committee Records, 1916
Defense Committee for Industrial Workers of the World members arrested after the Everett Massacre, 1916. Publicity material, resolution, speakers data, 1916.
Freedom Socialist Party Seattle Branch records, 1984-1992
Records of the Branch of the Party
Independent Media Center World Trade Organization video recordings and log books, 1999
The Independent Media Center is an international network of journalists that report on political and social issues. It was founded during the Seattle anti-WTO protests in 1999, employing an open publishing and democratic media process that allows anybody to contribute. Video recordings and logbooks created by filmmakers and activists during the 1999 protests against the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Seattle, Washington. The video recordings from the Independent Media Center (IMC) collection offer a unique perspective into a historic moment that brought together grassroots activists, labor leaders, environmentalists, farmers, anarchists, and artists who made history and shaped social justice movements around the world.
MacKay-Mackie Defense Committee Records, 1958-1961
Correspondence, pamphlets, scrapbooks, and clippings concerning this committee's activities protesting deportation of Hamish S. MacKay and William Albert Mackie for alleged communist activities; 1958-1961.

Sulo S. Syranen translated the clippings in the scrapbook.
Northwest Committee Against Repressive Legislation mailings, c. 1971-1973
Regional chapter of a national organization founded to oppose the activities of the House Un-American Acitivities Committee, changed name to the National Committee Against Repressive Legislation; defends the right of political dissent.
Radical Women National Office (Seattle) records, 1976-1998
Historical Note
Radical Women (RW) is a socialist feminist organization. RW sought to become the socialist wing of the feminist movement. The organization was founded in Seattle in 1967 when Freedom Socialist Party co-founder Clara Fraser and her close colleague, Gloria Martin, joined with young women from Students for a Democratic Society to build women's leadership in the left and anti-war movements. In 1973, RW formally affiliated with the Freedom Socialist Party, and the party gained a sister organization. Other founding members include Melba Windoffer and Susan Stern.

RW is active in intersectional feminist socialist organizing against racism, sexism, homophobia, fascism, and labor exploitation. Their political analysis sees women's political action as essential in creating social change and trains women to lead these campaigns. They have been especially active in pressuring other feminist organizations into better representing women of color and the LBGTQ+ community.
Content Description

The Radical Women National Office records (1976-1998) documents the activities of the national office of the organization, based in Seattle, Washington. They were collected and maintained by Clara Fraser, the co-founder and officer of Radical Women and the Freedom Socialist Party. This collection documents the evolution and collective actions of nationally recognized socialist feminist leaders from 1976-1998. The perspectives from leaders of the national office provides context to how RW has worked and grown their organization via the aid and creation of local offices. The records are especially valuable for researchers seeking to understand how radical organizations and movements evolve and shift through decades of adversity and pushback from the mainstream media and an inhospitable political environment.

This collection provides access to communication among the local and national RW organizers as well as materials concerning mass work such as the protection of Roe vs. Wade, the Seattle City Light fight for affirmative action for tradeswomen electrical workers, the collaborative 1997 Feminist Brigade to Cuba, the landmark Freeway Hall Case, and drafts of RW literature such as the Radical Women Manifesto.

Materials include correspondence, articles, newspaper clippings, press release materials, fliers, event programs, edited drafts and speeches, itineraries, legal documents, conference/event planning, and official newsletters. The content of the materials concern the organization’s planned events, recruitment, and opening communication channels that are centered on social activism, intersectional feminism, and providing a platform for feminist speakers.
Radical Women Seattle Office records
Historical Note

Radical Women (RW) is an all women organization dedicated to "exposing, resisting and eliminating the inequities of women's existence by providing women the leadership skills, social history, and working-class consciousness that they were denied in the male-dominated antiwar, antipoverty and civil-rights movements." RW was founded in Seattle in 1967 when the Freedom Socialist Party co-founder Clara Fraser and her close colleague, Gloria Martin, joined with young women from Students for a Democratic Society to build women’s leadership in the left and anti-war movements. RW also sought to become the socialist wing of the feminist movement. In 1973, it formally affiliated with the Freedom Socialist Party, and the party gained a sister organization. Other founding members include Melba Windoffer and Susan Stern.

RW was active in anti-Vietnam War protests, labor issues, gay rights, women’s rights in the workplace, divorce reform, and other issues that affect oppressed peoples. They are an organization that does intersectional organizing against racism, sexism, homophobia, and labor exploitation. RW's political analysis sees women's leadership and political action as decisive to social change and trains women to lead in these campaigns.
Content Description

Records of the Seattle office of the socialist feminist worker's organization, the Radical Women Seattle office records (1991-1997) primarily contains memos, correspondence, articles, newspaper clippings, fliers, event programs, notes, edited drafts, and newsletters. The content of the materials are mostly concerning the organization’s planned events that are centered on social activism, intersectional feminism, and providing a platform for speakers. These records were collected and created by Clara Fraser, who was a co-founder and officer of Radical Women and the Freedom Socialist Party. Fraser collected, created, and maintained these records as part of her work for the organization.
Rosie's Machinists 751 Caucus records, approximately 2013 - 2022
Rosie's Machinists 751 was an unofficial caucus formed within the International Association of Machinists (IAM), District Lodge 751, in response to the actions of the Boeing Company in 2013.
Records of a Boeing Company machinists' grassroots labor organization in Washington state
Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring Branch No. 304 records
The Workmen's Circle (Der Arbeiter Ring) was founded in the 1890s to serve as a mutual benefit society and a cultural-social organization for members of the Jewish working class. In 1900, it was reorganized as a fraternal insurance company and eventually grew to include 700 branches with a total membership of 70,000. This collection is from the estate of Ben Stein who was respectively secretary, financial secretary, and president, 1930s-1950s, of Branch #304 of the Workmen's Circle.