The University of Massachusetts Amherst
Robert S. Cox Special Collections & University Archives Research Center
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Belanger, J. William, 1907-1986

J. William Belanger Papers

1932-1986
3 boxes 3 linear feet
Call no.: MS 117

A leader in organized labor, William Belanger began as an organizer for the AFL’s United Textile Workers in 1932, eventually becoming the New England Regional Director and International Vice President of the TWUA and in 1958, the first President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO.

The Belanger Papers provide insight into the long career in labor activism, and include correspondence, writings, subject files, and printed materials. Of particular interest is a series of four oversized scrapbooks that cover Belanger’s career from 1934 through his final position as Director of the Massachusetts Department of Employment Security. These are especially enlightening on labor’s political activities, the CIO’s success in thwarting anti-labor referenda in 1948, and the efforts to expel Communists from the labor movement.

Biographical Note

J. William Belanger was born in Newmarket, New Hampshire, in 1907 and began working in textile mills at the age of fourteen. By the time he was nineteen, he had worked in organized mills in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and in the early 1930’s, had returned to New England to work as an organizer for the United Textile Workers of America. In 1934, he lead a 17-day general strike, acting as Assistant Director for New England.

In 1936 when the textile unions joined the CIO, Belanger served as Connecticut State Director of the Textile Workers Organizing Committee (TWOC-CIO), and later in Boston as the Assistant New England Regional Director of TWOC-CIO. In 1941, he was elected to the Executive Board of the Massachusetts State CIO, and made Secretary the following year. When the offices of Secretary and Treasurer were combined in 1946, Belanger was elected to the post. That same year he was chosen an International Vice President of the Textile Workers Union of America (TWUA), and in 1948, became President of the Massachusetts State CIO Council.

Belanger worked with leaders in the Massachusetts State Federation of Labor (the state branch of the American Federation of Labor) to defeat the three anti-union referenda on the 1948 state ballot. The cooperation between the two state organizations led to their eventual merger in 1958. At the merger convention held in December of that year, Belanger was elected the first President of the Massachusetts State Labor Council, AFL-CIO. He held this post until 1964, when he was appointed Director of the Massachusetts Division of Employment Security.

In addition to his union activities, Belanger served on a number of governmental agencies, civic agencies and commissions. He died in Naples, Florida, in 1986.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

Correspondence, biographical material, writings, scrapbooks, subject files, newsclippings; pamphlets, manuals, and other printed materials; and memorabilia related to Belanger’s union and election activities, and his work with various government agencies and commissions. Scrapbooks comprise the bulk of the collection and include correspondence, news clippings, photographs, postcards, and various memorabilia. Correspondents include: the U.S. Conciliation Service of the U.S. Department of Labor; the National War Labor Board; the War Manpower Commission of the Office for Emergency Management; the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts; the Council for Constitutional Reform in Massachusetts, Inc.; and The White House.


Information on Use
Terms of Access and Use
Restrictions on access:

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Cite as: J. William Belanger Papers (MS 117). Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

History of the Collection

Acquired from J. William Belanger, 1986

Processing Information

Processed by Ken Fones-Wolf, December 1987.


Additional Information

Sponsor
Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Language
English.


Contents List
Series 1. Biography
1944-1986
Biographical material
1951-1986
Box 1:1
Writings
1944-1968
Box 1:2

Series 2. Subject Files
1932-1964
AFL Organizer’s Commission
1932
Box 1:3
Election Activities
1948
Box 1:4
Election Activities
1958
Box 1:5
Election Activities
1962
Box 1:6
General Correspondence
1937-1964
Box 1:7
Mass. AFL-CIO COPE
n.d.
Box 1:8
New England Textile Study
1957-1959
Box 1:9
Politics
1963
Box 1:10
United Textile Workers Organizing
1933
Box 1:11
University of Massachusetts
1964
Box 1:12

Series 3. Printed Materials
1948-1978
AFL-CIO
1957-1958
Box 1:13
Congress of Industrial Organizations
1953
Box 1:14
Connecticut State Labor Council
1978
Box 1:15
Industrial Union Dept., AFL-CIO
n.d.
Box 1:16
Northern Textile Association
1973
Box 1:17
Textile Workers Union of America
1943, n.d.
Box 1:18
Union Manuals
1952-1962
Box 1:19
United Labor Committee of Massachusetts
1948
Box 1:20

Series 4. Scrapbooks (oversize)
1934-1986
Vol. 1
1934-1954
Box 1
Vol. 2
1955-1962
Box 1
Vol. 3
1962-1963
Box 1
Vol. 4
1964-1968
Box 1

Series 5. Plaques and Memorabilia
1934-1986
(oversize)
Box 2
Photos
1934-1986
Box 3

Subjects

Elections--Massachusetts--History--20th centuryLabor leaders--New England--BiographyLabor unions--MassachusettsMassachusetts--Politics and government--1865-1950New England--Economic conditions--20th centuryTextile Workers Organizing CommitteeTextile Workers Union of AmericaTextile industry--MassachusettsTextile workers--Labor unions--New England

Contributors

Belanger, J. William, 1907-1986

Types of material

PhotographsScrapbooks