Collection Guide
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Inventory of the William J. Lewis Collection, [1919-1959] (bulk 1933-1936)
larc.ms.0119
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Table of contents
Title: William J. Lewis collection
Creator:
Lewis, William J.
Date (inclusive): [1919-1959]
Date (bulk): 1933-1936
Collection number: larc.ms.0119
Accession number: 1997/021
Repository:
Labor Archives and Research Center
J. Paul Leonard Library, Room 460
San Francisco State University
1630 Holloway Ave
San Francisco, CA 94132-1722
(415) 405-5571
larc@sfsu.edu
Language:
Languages represented in the collection:
English.
Extent:
.5 cubic feet
(1 box)
Abstract: Includes correspondence from the period of the 1934 Pacific Coast Maritime strike, when Lewis was International Longshoremen's
Association (ILA) district president for the West Coast; scrapbooks from the 1934 strike era that document his strike leadership,
his attempts to quash insurgent rank and file strike leaders like Harry Bridges, and the funeral procession for the two San
Francisco strike supporters. Collection also contains the ILA district periodical
Pacific Coast Longshoreman, August 12, 1935-April 20, 1936 and records from the 1934-1935 arbitration between the ILA and the Waterfront Employers Union
that led to a strike settlement.
Location: Collection is available onsite.
Collection is open for research.
Copyright has not been assigned to the Labor Archives and Research Center. All requests for permission to publish or quote
from materials must be submitted in writing to the Director of the Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf
of the Labor Archives and Research Center as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission
of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
[Identification of item], William J. Lewis Collection, larc.ms.0119, Labor Archives and Research Center,
San Francisco State University.
Photographs have been added to the Photograph Collection. Images include: Joseph Ryan, John Bjorklund and group photo: "Conference
on Dock Strike," Saturday, May 6, 1934; Michael J. Casey, Colbert Coldwell, Dave Beck, J.J. Finnegan, Albert E. Boynton, Dr.
J.L. Leonard, A.H. Pederson, Herman Phleger, Judge C.A. Reynolds, William J. Lewis, John P. McLaughlin, Joseph P. Ryan, Mayor
Angelo Rossi, Thomas G. Plant and John F. Forbes.
The collection was processed by Leon Sompolinsky in the Spring of 1997.
Before becoming International Longshoremen's Association President, Pacific Coast District(District 38), William Lewis worked
on San Francisco docks as a longshoreman for nearly 25 years. In 1933 he became a business agent for the newly chartered ILA
38-79. In the short space of six months the organization grew from nothing to a claimed membership of nearly 4,000.
Includes correspondence from the period of the 1934 Pacific Coast Maritime strike, when Lewis was International Longshoremen's
Association (ILA) district president for the West Coast; scrapbooks from the 1934 strike era that document his strike leadership,
his attempts to quash insurgent rank and file strike leaders like Harry Bridges, and the funeral procession for the two San
Francisco strike supporters. Collection also contains the ILA district periodical
Pacific Coast Longshoreman, August 12, 1935-April 20, 1936 and records from the 1934-1935 arbitration between the ILA and the Waterfront Employers Union
that led to a strike settlement.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
International Longshoremen's Association.
Labor unions--Longshoremen--United States.
Longshoremen's strikes--California--San Francisco--1930-1940.
Longshoremen's unions--California--San Francisco--1930-1940.
Pacific Coast Longshoremen's Strike, 1934.