Harold Wright papers, 1981-2016

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Wright, Harold
Title
Harold Wright papers
Dates
1981-2016 (inclusive)
1986-2010 (bulk)
Quantity
2.93 cubic feet (3 boxes and 1 oversize vertical file)
Collection Number
6431 (Accession No. 6431-001)
Summary
Materials from the career of an electrical contractor, author, activist, and community leader in Seattle, 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

No restrictions on access.

Request at UW

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Harold Wright is an electrical contractor, author, activist, and community leader in Seattle, Washington. Wright was born in New York but grew up in Virginia. After graduating from high school and spending three years in the United States Marine Corps, Wright completed electrical apprenticeship training in New York City. He worked as a journeyman electrician from 1960-1972. Wright moved to Seattle in 1966 and started his own independent electrical contractor firm, Wright, Inc., in 1972. Wright is a co-founder of the Seattle Model City's Economic Task Force, the United Construction Workers Association (UCWA), the Central Contractors Association (CCA), the Community Coalition for Contracts and Jobs (CCCJ), and the Black Builders Association (BBA). In addition, Wright has authored numerous books about his activism and Black history, including Freedom , Reconstruction , Pain Inflicted by a Nation , Light Rail in the Valley , and Radiant .

Adapted from http://www.booksbywright.com/about-harold.html

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Materials from Harold Wright’s career as an electrical contractor, activist, and community leader. The collections includes research materials from Wright’s books Reconstruction, and Light Rail in the Valley. This collection would be of particular interest to researchers interested in Black-owned small businesses, construction, transportation, public transit, and African Americans in Seattle.

Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top

Forms part of the Labor Archives of Washington.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

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.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Arranged in 3 series.

  • SERIES I, JOB BIDS, 1986-2010
    • Subseries A: Sound Transit Bids, approximately 1997-2010
    • Subseries B: Bids at Other Agencies,approximately 1986-1995
  • SERIES II, RESEARCH, DATA COLLECTION, AND BOOK MATERIALS, 1981-2016
  • SERIES III, COALITIONS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, 1986-2010
    • Subseries A: Black Builders Association, approximately 2002-2010
    • Subseries B: Central Contractors Association, approximately 1986-2006
    • Subseries C: Community Coalition for Contracts and Jobs, approximately 2000-2007

Each grouping is arranged chronologically.

Acquisition Information

Donated by Harold Wright in 2022.

Related Materials

Wright's author website has been regularly captured by the Internet Archive Wayback Machine since 2023. The snapshots can be viewed here https://wayback.archive-it.org/3988/20230411211252/http://www.booksbywright.com/ .

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

SERIES I:  JOB BIDS, 1986-2010Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Subseries A: Sound Transit Bids
approximately 1997-2010
Box/Folder
1/1
Binder: Sound Transit Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program
approximately 1997-2000
1/2
Link Light Rail Bids and Press
1999-2002
1/3
Sound Transit Correspondence and Light Rail Information
2000, 2003
1/4
Wright, Incorporated and Sound Transit Brochures
approximately 2002
1/5
Sound Transit Diversity
approximately 2004-2007
1/6
Legal Correspondence and Sound Transit Staff Reports
2005-2007
1/7
Assorted CD's
approximately 2006
1/8
Sound Transit Board of Directors Information
2007
1/9
Binder: Sound Transit Procurements [1 of 2]
2008-2010
1/10
Binder: Sound Transit Procurements [2 of 2]
2008-2010
Subseries B: Bids at Other Agencies
approximately 1986-1995
Box/Folder
1/11
Boeing Job Bids [1 of 2]
approximately 1986-1987
1/12
Boeing Job Bids [2 of 2]
approximately 1986-1987
1/13
Todd Pacific Shipyards Bids
approximately 1995

SERIES II:  RESEARCH, DATA COLLECTION, AND BOOK MATERIALS, 1981-2016Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/14
Lockheed Program Office Building Plan
1981
1/15
Mike Zook Daily Journal
1985-1995
1/16
Data on Disadvantaged Businesses
approximately 1986
1/17
News Articles and Research About Minority Contractor Discrimination
approximately 1989-1995
1/18
Binder: News Articles and Letters about Racial Discrimination
approximately 1987-1991
1/19
Notes
approximately 1989
1/20
Binder: Data and Articles on Race [1 of 2]
approximately 1990-1991
1/21
Binder: Data and Articles on Race [1 of 2]
approximately 1990-1991
1/22
Assorted News Articles
approximately 1990-2006
1/23
News Articles About Minority-Owned Contractors
1991-1999, 2006
1/24
University of Washington Health Sciences Building Floorplans
1993
1/25
Binder: Court Documents and Legal Correspondence [1 of 2]
approximately 1994-2003
1/26
Binder: Court Documents and Legal Correspondence [2 of 2]
approximately 1994-2003
1/27
Binder: Contractors Development and Competitiveness Center [1 of 2]
approximately 1996-2003
1/28
Binder: Contractors Development and Competitiveness Center [2 of 2]
approximately 1996-2003
1/29
Daily Journal
1998-2003
2/1
African American Business Directory (Seattle, Wash.). 1999. Seattle, WA: Black Dollar Days Task Force.
1999
2/2
Black Construction Workers Association Materials
approximately 2001-2004
2/3
Minority-Owned Firms Article
2003 June 5
2/4
Pentagon Electric CD's
2003 June 12
2/5
Binder: Pentagon Electric
approximately 2003
2/6
Binder: Pentagon Electric Fax Files
approximately 2003
2/7
Port of Seattle Correspondence and Articles
approximately 2003-2011
2/8
Legal Correspondence
2004-2007
VF:oversize
OSVF0230
Light Rail in the Valley Manuscript and Press Release
2011
Box/Folder
2/9
Title VI Complaints
approximately 2013-2014
2/10
Wright Harold and Shelley Lynn Wright. 2016. Reconstruction : 1866 through 1880 Divided by Foolishness Hatred & Greed : Another National Failure a Collection of Un-Talked About Information. Seattle Washington: Classic Day Publishing.
2016

SERIES III:  COALITIONS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, 1986-2010Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Subseries A: Black Builders Association
approximately 2002-2010
Box/Folder
2/11
Black Builders Association Meeting Minutes, Correspondence [1 of 3]
approximately 2002-2009
2/12
Black Builders Association Meeting Minutes, Correspondence [2 of 3]
approximately 2002-2009
2/13
Black Builders Association Meeting Minutes, Correspondence [3 of 3]
approximately 2002-2009
2/14
Binder: Black Builders Association Meeting Minutes, Outreach [1 of 2]
approximately 2008-2010
2/15
Binder: Black Builders Association Meeting Minutes, Outreach [2 of 2]
approximately 2008-2010
Subseries B: Central Contractors Association
approximately 1986-2006
Box/Folder
2/16
Central Contractors Association Articles and Correspondence
approximately 1986-1987
2/17
Central Contractors Association Minutes
1987
2/18
Binder: Central Contractors Association General File [1 of 4]
approximately 1986-1990
2/19
Binder: Central Contractors Association General File [2 of 4]
approximately 1986-1990
2/20
Binder: Central Contractors Association General File [3 of 4]
approximately 1986-1990
2/21
Binder: Central Contractors Association General File [4 of 4]
approximately 1986-1990
2/22
Binder: Central Contractors Association
approximately 1988-1995
3/1
Central Contractors Association Financial Records
approximately 1991
Subseries C: Community Coalition for Contracts and Jobs
approximately 2000-2007
Box/Folder
3/2
Community Coalition for Contracts and Jobs Implementation Committee [1 of 2]
approximately 2000-2007
3/3
Community Coalition for Contracts and Jobs Implementation Committee [2 of 2]
approximately 2000-2007
3/4
Binder: Community Coalition for Contracts and Jobs [1 of 2]
approximately 2004-2006
3/5
Binder: Community Coalition for Contracts and Jobs [2 of 2]
approximately 2004-2006
3/6
Binder: Community Coalition for Contracts and Jobs [1 of 2]
approximately 2005-2006
3/7
Binder: Community Coalition for Contracts and Jobs [2 of 2]
approximately 2005-2006
3/8
Community Coalition for Contracts and Jobs Appeal and Claims Procedure
approximately 2006-2007

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)

Other Creators

  • Corporate Names
    • Labor Archives of Washington (University of Washington) (host institution)