Summary
Abstract
District 31 of the United Mine Workers of America respresents workers in northern West Virginia and eastern Ohio. This collection includes a banner, agreement booklets, constitution booklets, photographs, and scrapbooks.
Dates
- Creation: circa 1910-2012
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1940-1973
Extent
6.25 Linear Feet (Housed in 2 Paige boxes, 2 14" drop front boxes, 1 23" drop front box)
Background
Biographical / Historical
Throughout the history of American labor, the United Mine Workers of America occupied a position of leadership. The UMWA established collective bargaining in American industrial life in the twentieth century.
District 31 of the United Mine Workers of America, respresents workers in northern West Virginia and eastern Ohio. District 31 representation includes: coal miners, federal research technicians, manufacturers and county employees.
Content Description
The collection consists of 120 items generated and created by the United Mine Workers of America and its District 31 office and membership, covering the geographical region of Northern Virginia. Representative items include historical photographic images documenting UMWA international union constitutional conventions, the founding of the UMWA District 31 in 1973, union coal miners and shop men (Koppers Coal Company) in and around Fairmont, West Virginia, and CIO state and county Industrial Union charters issued to UMWA Local 1643, Monongah, West Virginial. In addition, there are historical scapbooks containing newspaper clippings covering the formation of the Miners for Democracy movement in northern West Virginia, and the founding of UMWA District 31, 1969-1973. Also noteworthy are two time books attributed to the Barnes Coal Company which included the names of employees and a log recording their hours worked.
Collateral items include collective bargaining and wage agreement booklets and a large ornamental textile banner, "UMWA District 31 Family Auxiliary, Fairmont, WV" that was displayed in labor day parades and various UMWA District events.
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.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The materials were donated by the international office of the United Mine Workers but were formerly the generated and collected by the UMWA District 31 office, located in Fairmont, West Virginia.
Appraisal
This collection supplements our historical records of the United Mine Workers of America archives and supports our collection development initiatives in the subject areas of documenting labor and working class history for research, instruction, and outreach purposes.
Processing Information
This collection was minimally processed at the point of accessioning. Items housed in glass frames were removed and foldered by staff. Curator Jim Quigel reviewed the collection and identified items.
In fall 2020, Lexy deGraffenreid minimally processed this collection by housing loose items. This collection did not include an original order and she did not impose one due to the small size of the collection. She added the inventory and Processing Information note. She updated the Abstract and retained other notes created during accessioning and supplied by the curator.
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
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
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.
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.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], United Mine Workers of America District 31 Collection, 10013, Eberly Family Special Collections Library, Pennsylvania State University.
- Title
- Guide to the United Mine Workers of America District 31 collection
- Status
- Published
- Author
- Compiled by Lexy deGraffenreid and Robyn Dyke
- Date
- 2020
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- 2021 January: Lexy deGraffenreid revised this finding aid following hybrid processing. She inventoried the collection and updated collection-level notes.