Library: Archives & Special Collections: Housing & Unions

Collection Subject: Housing & Unions

Bell Aircraft Corporation & U.A.W. Local 501 - Papers & Strike of 1949 This 1949 strike arose over the application of security regulations and economic demands during the renegotiation of the contract. A strike ensued and the company secured an injunction to restrain the mass picketing. Violence resulted in the arrest of some of the strikers.
Buffalo Model Cities Expo Papers & Photographs [1966-1978] This collection of nine boxes of papers was preserved and organized by Ms. Theresa J. White. Ms. White was involved with the Buffalo Model Cities Program during the early phase of its existence. Even after she left the program she continued to collect and preserve materials that would help to document an important period in the city of Buffalo. For more than a quarter of a century after the program ended, Ms. White continued to collect papers from that historic undertaking. With meticulous care, and over many nears, she organized the papers into the categories in which they are filmed. The papers were indexed and prepared for microfilming by Monroe and Freddie Mae Fordham. The collection was filmed by Charita Jackson and LaShawanda Ingram, students at Buffalo State College. The students were working under the supervision of the Fordham Regional History Center, at Buffalo State College. The Students were paid from a grant from New York State.
Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority | Colston, Sherrill [2003-2006] Mr. Sherrill Colston was chairman of the Board of Commissioners, Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority (BMHA). This selected collection of papers are from the period of his chairmanship. They are also from his files. The papers were organized, indexed, and prepared for microfilming by Monroe Fordham. The papers were microfilmed by James Prokos, a Buffalo State College student, working under the supervision of the Buffalo State College Center for Regional History.
Colored Musicians Association of Buffalo - Musicians Local 533 The records and documents preserved in this microfilm reel are part of our on-going effort to collect and preserve sources (oral and written) relating to the history of the black community of Buffalo, New York and vicinity. The documents herein were gathered together and loaned to us by Mr. Raymond E. Jackson. Mr. Jackson is the oldest living charter member of Musicians Local 533 (Colored Musicians Union of Buffalo). In addition to his active involvement in local 533, Mr. Jackson was the first black to be appointed a field representative for the American Federation of Musicians. He was appointed to that position in 1936. While serving as field representative of the American Federation of Musicians, Mr. Jackson worked with black musicians and their local unions throughout the United States. (We are presently taping conversations and interviews with Mr. Jackson covering topics relating to his extensive involvement in the making of 20th century black American history). We also plan to interview other members of local 533 and record the substance of such discussions on tape or written notes.
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Courier-Express Newspaper Collections [1926-1982] The Courier-Express newspaper was born in 1926, with the merger of the Buffalo Courier and the Buffalo Express to form the Buffalo Courier-Express. William J. Conners, owner of the Buffalo Courier, was the person instrumental in bringing the two papers together. During the 19th century numerous newspapers existed. The Buffalo Courier-Express merger can trace its roots back to 1828. From 1828 to 1926, twelve separate newspapers merged during those years, ending with the formation of the Buffalo Courier-Express; quite a chronology for the history of this newspaper. The Courier and then the Courier-Express took a liberal position on all issues. In the late 1970s, the Courier-Express was sold to Cowles-Media, an out of state publisher. Cowles Media decided to close the paper in 1982. The September 19, 1982 issue was the last one for this very popular Buffalo newspaper. Cowles Media donated the library to the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society and Buffalo State College.
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Ellicott District Coalition [1968-1982] The Ellicott District Coalition was formed in 1968 to bring all agencies together for sharing, innovation, and implementation of beneficial concepts related – the Ellicott District. Some of their accomplishments include: the 1973 Community Service Awards; sharing of services and communications from member organizations; Christmas basket distributions; providing speakers for up-to-date information about the Ellicott District; and annual meeting presentations. Their objective was to “create a community action power base for a united front to attack social injustice.”
Grace Manor Nursing Home Founding Committee Papers [1989-1993] Grace Manor Nursing Home was located at 10 Symphony Circle. The facility was approximately 81,200 sq.ft. on 2.14 acres and had a 167 patient capacity. In 1999, the building underwent a seven million dollar renovation. Grace Manor Health Care Facility, Inc. was placed in receivership by the state Department of Health in 2008. In March 2009, the nursing home officially closed its doors. It was sold at public auction in 2009.
Highland Avenue Neighborhood Preservation Corporation of Niagara Falls [1980-1984] The Highland Avenue Neighborhood Preservation Corporation was formed as a non-profit in 1978. All organizational activities were suspended in 1984. The records and papers of the Highland Avenue Neighborhood Preservation Corporation were assembled by Mr. Sandy L. Perry and turned over to the Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier for microfilming in 1988. The papers were organized, indexed, and microfilmed by Michael Wilson (student at Buffalo State College) working under the supervision of Monroe Fordham (Member of the History Department at Buffalo State College). The papers cover the period 1980-1984.
Housing Opportunities Made Equal [1963-1995] The organization now known as H.O.M.E. was started by a small group of concerned citizens, both white and black. The first meeting was held in the Council of Churches building located at 1272 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, New York. The first and original name given to the organization was, “Niagara Frontier Council for Freedom of Choice in Housing.” This first meeting of the organization was held in the year 1963. The name of the organization was later changed to H.O.M.E. The need for the organization was very great because on the Niagara Frontier many ethnic groups were involuntarily restricted to certain neighborhoods. Members of these groups, particularly non-whites, found it impossible to move to other areas despite economic qualifications. For example in 1963, out of 177 census tracts in Erie County, 86% of the Black population resided in 11 contiguous tracts in Buffalo.
Institute for People Enterprises [1978-1983] The Institute for People Enterprises was founded in 1978 by William Gaiter and became a registered non-profit in 1979. William Gaiter served as the president of the institute, as well as being affiliated with the Buffalo Affirmative Action Program (BAAP), organizing and chairing the Western New York Council for African Relations, and the president of B.U.I.L.D. The Institute for People Enterprises helped to connect workers to more than 120 service groups around the country and provided consulting, training, and operations assistance to various community, business, and political groups.
Neighborhood Housing Services of South Buffalo Records [1979-1986]
Nurses United CWA Local 1168 The Communications Workers of America recognized the need for a unionized workforce among health care workers in Western New York in 1981, when a group of determined registered nurses at the Buffalo General Hospital approached the CWA Union to organize. A critical part of Western New Yorks’ labor history would be carved out by 800 nurses at the Buffalo General Hospital when a strike ensued in 1983 to obtain a fair contract for the registered nurses. Debora Hayes, Patricia DeVinney, Terri Schelter and Sharon Schultz were part of the bargaining committee and Executive Board that mobilized and negotiated the first contract for eight hundred nurses at the Buffalo General Hospital. In spite of anti-union, intimidation and stall tactics the bargaining committee was successful in obtaining a fair contract for all nurses at the Buffalo General Hospital. Debora Hayes would continue her career as President of the CWA Local 1168. Debbie’s unique leadership qualities and negotiation abilities gave her the ability to lead CWA Local 1168 through the merger of the Buffalo General Hospital with the Kaleida Health System.
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Republic Steel Arbitration Cases: The Files of Tom H. Gregory [1938-1960] Republic Steel was once the third largest steel producer in the United States. It was founded as the Republic Iron and Steel Company in Youngstown, Ohio in 1899. After rising to prominence during the early 20th century, Republic suffered heavy economic losses and was eventually bought out before re-emerging in the early 2000s as a subsidiary. Republic Steel was known for its labor problems during the Depression. On Memorial Day, May 26, 1937, a strike escalated into the Memorial Day massacre of 1937, in which Chicago police fired into an unarmed group of protesters, and killed ten, four outright. This was documented by the 1937 short film Republic Steel Strike Riot Newsreel Footage.
United Auto Workers UAW Local 424 Materials in this file are from the personal collection of Mark Zelasko, Education Coordinator for the UAW Local 424. This file contains a history of the UAW Local and the auto plant located on East Delavan Avenue in Buffalo, New York from the 1930s through the early 2000s. The materials were organized, indexed, and filmed by Lynn M. Lombardo, Graduate student in the Department of History and Social Studies Education, Buffalo State College in 2008. The microfilming project was supervised by Dr. Jean Richardson, Associate Professor, Department of History and Social Studies Education, Buffalo State College.
United Citizens Organization Papers [1976-1996] Materials were organized and preserved by Rev. Eugene Radon. They were indexed and microfilmed by Joanne Cofield, Daneen Kee, and Nichole Outhouse. The microfilming project was supervised by Monroe Fordham, Professor of History, Buffalo State College.

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Daniel DiLandro, MLS, CA
College Archivist & Special Collections Librarian
Email: dilanddm@buffalostate.edu
Phone: 716-878-6308

Hope Dunbar, MLIS, JD
Special Collections Archivist
Email: dunbarhm@buffalostate.edu
Phone: 716-878-4790