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Ronald Magden papers, approximately 1874-2015

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Magden, Ronald
Title
Ronald Magden papers
Dates
approximately 1874-2015 (inclusive)
Quantity
32.20 cubic feet (39 boxes, including approximately 1 DVD, 66 videocassettes, and 17 audio cassettes; and 1 oversize folder)
Collection Number
5185
Summary
Papers of a historian, professor, and author from Tacoma, Washington
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

Access to portions of the collection is restricted. Contact University of Washington Libraries Special Collections for details.

Analog and digital media is closed until evaluated.

Some material stored offsite; advance notice required for use.

Request at UW

Languages
English
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Biographical Note

Labor historian, professor, and author from Tacoma, Washington. Magden researched and wrote several books, mainly in partnership with labor organizations in Tacoma and Seattle. Magden's books include The working waterfront: The story of Tacoma's ships and men, Furusato: Tacoma-Pierce County Japanese, 1888-1977, A History of Seattle Waterfront Workers, 1884-1934, Mukashi, mukashi =: Long, long ago : The first century of the Seattle Buddhist Church, and The working longshoreman . Materials from the research for most of these books comprise the collection

WASHINGTON LONGSHOREMEN. In the last two decades of the 19th century longshore labor organizations on the Pacific Coast were in flux, with several charters for local labor organizations appearing, disappearing and re-affiliating under various associations. This lasted into 1902, when the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) became the dominant labor organization in Washington ports until 1937. In that year, several ILA locals re-chartered themselves under the International Longshoremen’s and Warehousemen’s Union (ILWU). This reorganization was a response to the growing movement towards industrial unionism. The ILWU had chosden to affiliate with the newly formed Congress of Industrial Unions (CIO), while the ILA kept its ties to the craft union oriented American Federation of Labor (AFL). Seattle ILA local 38-12 was included in this reorganization; it became and remains ILWU local 19. Companies employing waterfront labor also organized to counter the forces in labor. 1908 saw the formation of the Waterfront Employers’ Union, which in 1920 changed its name to the Waterfront Employers of Seattle. In 1934 a statewide organization – the Waterfront Employers of Washington – appeared. This was followed by the creation of the Waterfront Employers’ Association of the Pacific Coast in 1937. Also present during this time was the Northwest Waterfront Employers’ Association – which included companies from all over the Pacific coast of the U.S. and Canada. The 1910’s saw a number of waterfront labor disputes and a major strike in 1916. This period of time was a peak in labor activity and organization, due in a great part to the local influence of the Industrial Workers of the World (“Wobblies”) and to the continuing global influence of the Russian Revolution. The next and largest west-coast waterfront strike took place in 1934 in the midst of the Great Depression. This labor action was a general strike of all types of waterfront labor in all of the major west-coast ports. During this strike tensions between the strikers and the employers, scabs and police escalated to violent clashes, including the infamous “Bloody Thursday” (July 5, 1934) confrontation in San Francisco.

WASHINGTON TEAMSTERS. Similarly, the collection of Teamster records also tracks the birth and development of regional (Washington) teamster, driver and chauffer unions, as well as the growth of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. This organization was founded in the Midwest in the late 1800s. Its influence and reach grew in the last decades of that century, and in the early 1900s Teamster locals were forming on the west coast and throughout Washington state. Washington locals were involved in a 5-year strike 1910-15 and the various labor struggles of the 1930s – often affected by the efforts of longshore and maritime labor organizations.

NEWSPAPER UNIONS PUBLISHING CO.. The Newspaper Unions Publishing Company was formed in 1952 by striking Tacoma News Tribune workers. The company was created to publish a strike paper – The Tacoma Reporter – that was issued during June, July and August of that year. Following this strike, the company fell into inactivity.

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Content Description

Materials related to Magden's research on labor unions and labor history, much of which is related to books Magden published. Materials include writings, minutes, reports, contracts, unions' administrative materials, historical and biographical notes, personal papers of research subjects, clippings, photographs, audio recordings and transcripts, and audiovisual recordings.

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Other Descriptive Information

Forms part of the Labor Archives of Washington.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

To the extent that they own the copyright, the donor has transferred the copyright of the materials to the University of Washington; however, copyright in some items in this collection may be held by their respective creators. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Organized into 5 accessions.

  • Accession No. 5185-001, Ronald Magden collection, approximately 1879-1988
  • Accession No. 5185-002, Ronald Magden collection, 1896-2005
  • Accession No. 5185-003, Ronald Magden collection, 1930-2003
  • Accession No. 5185-004, Ronald Magden collection, approximately 1983-1990
  • Accession No. 5185-005, Ronald Magden papers, photographs, and audiovisual materials, approximately 1874-2015

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Detailed Description of the Collection

 


2007 (Last modified: 4/26/2024)

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