Summary
Abstract
United Mine Workers of America commisions signed by John L. Lewis to William A. Boyle, future president of the UMWA and the convicted murderer of Joseph Yablonski.
Dates
- Creation: 1945-1951
Extent
5 Items
Background
Biographical / Historical
John L. Lewis was President of the United Mine Workers of America from 1920 until 1960. In the 1950's Lewis won periodic wage and benefit increases for miners and led the campaign for the first Federal Mine Safety Act in 1952.
In 1948, William Anthony Boyle aka "Tough Tony" became the assistant to president of the union, John L. Lewis. Boyle held this position for over a decade, becoming UMWA vice president in 1960 and president in 1963. On September 6, 1973 Boyle was convicted of ordering the murder of his United Mine Workers of America union rival Joseph Albert "Jock" Yablonski. Joseph Yablonski, his wife Margaret, and daughter Charlotte were murdered on December 31, 1969.
Scope and Contents
Small archive consisting of two official United Mine Workers of America commissions signed by UMWA President John L. Lewis to William Anthony "Tony" Boyle, appointing him as a UMWA special international union representative and provisional district president of District 27, covering Montana, in April 1951. Additionally, the archive includes Boyle's United States of America Office of Price Administration mileage ration, identification folder.
Physical Location
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Penn State University Libraries catalog via the link above. Archival collections may be housed in offsite storage. For materials stored offsite, please allow 2-3 business days for retrieval.
Custodial History
This collection was purchased on September 4, 2020 from Between the Covers Rare Books, Inc.
Appraisal
This collection supports research and instruction in labor history, working class history, and the institutional history of the United Mine Workers of America.
Using These Materials
Repository Details
Part of the Eberly Family Special Collections Library Repository
104 Paterno Library
Penn State University
University Park 16802 USA
(814) 865-1793
spcollections@psu.edu
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright is retained by the creators of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law. Patrons seeking advice on the availability of unpublished materials for publication should consult relevant copyright law and laws of libel.
Photocopies of original materials may be made available for research purposes at the discretion of the Eberly Family Special Collections Library. Photocopies or reproductions of original materials may be subject to fees as outlined by the Pennsylvania State University Libraries reproduction policies.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], United Mine Workers of America comissions signed by John L. Lewis to William A. Boyle collection, 10031, Eberly Family Special Collections Library, Pennsylvania State University.
- Title
- Guide to the United Mine Workers of America commissions signed by John L. Lewis to William A. Boyle
- Status
- Minimal Record
- Author
- Robyn Dyke
- Date
- 2020
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin