Finding aid to the California Labor School Negative Collection
Prepared by Wendy Welker.
Labor Archives and Research Center
2020
San Francisco State University
J. Paul Leonard Library, Room 460
1630 Holloway Ave
San Francisco 94132-1722
larc@sfsu.edu
Title: California Labor School negative collection
Date (inclusive): 1942-1957
Creator:
California Labor School
Physical Description:
1 Cubic Feet
(2 boxes)
Collection number: larc.pho.0013
Accession number: 1992/066
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
Abstract: This collection of negatives contains images of people, programs, and events related to the California Labor School from 1944
to 1957. The purpose of the progresive California Labor School was to train the influx of new workers into a wartime economy
in trades, the humanities, and in various aspects of labor relations. Includes images of lectures, performances, workshops,
symposia, festivals, and portraits of administrators, faculty, and students.
Physical Location: Collection available on site.
Languages: Languages represented in the collection: English.
Collection is open for research.
Copyrighted. Rights are owned by Labor Archives and Research Center. Copyright Holder has given Institution permission to
provide access to the digitized work online. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that
allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owner. In addition, the reproduction of some materials
may be restricted by terms of gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing and
trademarks. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility
for any use rests exclusively with the user.
[Identification of item], California Labor School Negative Collection, larc.pho.0013, Labor Archives and Research Center,
San Francisco State University.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by International Longshore and Warehouse Union Library, 1992 (1992/066).
Arranged as received.
The California Labor School (CLS) was originally founded as the Tom Mooney School in San Francisco in 1942. In 1944, the
school changed its name to the California Labor School. The California Labor School was a cultural hub for the Bay Area's
progressive and labor communities during the 1940s and 1950s. The school's curriculum included training in various trades,
along with history, philosophy, and other humanities courses taught from a working class perspective. The art programs were
among the most popular and many leading artists, musicians, and actors taught at the school. The school also hosted an annual
artists' ball, as well as exhibitions and cultural symposia. Because the school was ethnically diverse during the Jim Crow
era and many of the students and faculty were politically progressive, it was targeted as subversive during the anti-Communist
1950s, which led to its closure in 1957.
This collection of negatives contains images of people, programs, and events related to the California Labor School from 1944
to 1957. The purpose of the progresive California Labor School was to train the influx of new workers into a wartime economy
in trades, the humanities, and in various aspects of labor relations. Includes images of lectures, performances, workshops,
symposia, festivals, and portraits of administrators, faculty, and students.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Alternative schools -- California -- 20th century.
Labor movement -- Study and teaching.
Labor unions and education -- United States.
Progressive education -- California -- 20th century.
Working class -- Education -- California.
Negatives.