Scope and arrangement
This collection includes correspondence, speeches, minutes, convention proceedings, articles, printed material, and newspapers clippings describing activities of the labor and civil rights organizations to which Parrish belonged, together with information on his teaching career in public schools. The predominant organization represented in these papers is the National Afro-American Labor Council at the chapter and national levels; there are some papers for the American Federation of Teachers. Correspondents include Cleveland Robinson, president of the NALC. Also included are records of the National Afro-American Labor Council's National Executive Board such as minutes, correspondence, reports, membership records, financial records, subject files, press releases, and convention materials, 1960-1975. Some material of A. Philip Randolph and L. Joseph Overton, National Secretary of the NALC, is also included.
The Richard Parrish papers are arranged in three series:
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1950 - 1975
This series contains a limited amount of incoming personal correspondence; an article about Parrish and another by him; newspaper clippings concerning civil rights and labor issues, including specific information about the National Afro-American Labor Council and the United Federation of Teachers; and printed material and correspondence relating to Parrish's teaching career. Information within the folders is arranged chronologically. A 1950 letter from Constance Baker Motley to the N.Y. Teachers Guild on the Sweatt and McLaurin cases is included in the personal correspondence.
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1960 - 1975
This series has been divided into material on the national organization, 1960-1974, and files on individual chapters, 1962-1975.
National organization records include correspondence, the NALC constitution, executive board minutes, material on annual conventions and conferences, and mailing lists. The correspondence, arranged chronologically, contains many letters to and from Cleveland Robinson, president of the NALC. Folders for particular conventions and conferences include main addresses by Randolph and Robinson, resolutions, transcripts of the proceedings, and newspaper clippings. Financial information on the conventions and the economic conferences has been placed at the end of each folder. A notebook with financial data for the 1965 and 1968 conventions is located in the 1968 convention file.
The chapter files provide some information about the chapters' membership and activities. Information for the Baltimore and Chicago chapters is limited to one and two items respectively. The New York City brewery cases folder describes the New York chapter's efforts to end discrimination in the hiring and promotion practices of the brewery industry and union. The Westchester County file shows the NALC's involvement in improving the hiring practices at the Con Ed/Wedco Corporation Indian Point construction project.
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1957 - 1975
This series includes substantial information about the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), 1963-1975, and its New York City local, the United Federation of Teachers (UFT). The AFT files highlight the issues besetting the union during the 1963-1975 period. The AFT Black Caucus file contains information about the group's support of Angela Davis as well as a history of the organization written by Parrish. The UFT folder contains documents concerning the 1968 teachers strike and one newspaper clipping about the Prince Edward County, Virginia Freedom School of 1963. The Civil Rights folder includes material relating to Freedom Schools in the Deep South, the "Racism in Education" conference of 1966, and the union's civil rights committee. Information within each folder is arranged chronologically.
Material in the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists folder, 1972-1974, describes the organization's founding and purpose, its support of McGovern for President, and its opposition to the nomination of Peter J. Brennan, President of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater N.Y., as Secretary of Labor. Documents include newspaper clippings, press releases, and articles.
The Community Teachers Association file, 1957-1966, contains material about its after-school tutorial program in 1964.
The JFK Library for Minorities folder, 1970-1973, describes the purpose of the organization and lists its 1973 officers and board members.
The National Education Association (NEA), 1973, records are limited to documents opposing the merger of NEA affiliates with AFT locals, and the constitution of the NEA's Official Black Caucus.
The Negro Labor Committee (NLC) file, 1968-1973, contains material about the Riverside Park housing project and the 1973 Frank R. Crosswaith scholarship award program. A brief biographical sketch of Crosswaith is included.
The United Black Caucus of Teachers folder, 1970-1973, includes statements of some of the positions taken by the organization.
The United Black Coalition for Jobs in the Construction Industry folder, 1968-1972, contains material about the Con Ed/Wedco Corporation's Indian Point construction project as well as membership lists. A speech by Cleveland Robinson during the 1968 Poor People's Campaign, and a transcript of testimony by Jesse Jackson, director of Operation Breadbasket, before the U.S. Department of Labor in 1969, are also included.