There’s much more to the Greater New Haven Labor History Association than a newsletter, annual meeting and an occasional event. The group was founded by veterans of the labor movement and supporters to gather and preserve their history and the history of other working people of the Greater New Haven Area. That remains its purpose and its function today.

What does this mean for you, the member? It means you have the opportunity to play a hands-on role in preserving labor history that’s important to you, be it your own personal experiences, the experiences of your friends and families, or anything else that interests you. You can research a topic for a paper for our archives, or you can record on video or in writing the experiences of veterans of the labor movement.

WHAT: It can be the story of a labor leader, from a shop floor activist to a union organizer or leader. It can be the story of an organizing drive, or strike. It can be the first-person account of someone who lived through a strike or organizing drive. It can be a story of abuses at various shops. It can be the story of union-busting activities at a company or group of companies. You can be the judge. It can be a primary source document or a research project. It can be a traveling exhibit about the people and events involved with the labor history of the area.

HOW: Once you have an idea, you can do your own research or enlist a task force to help you with it. The executive board will be happy to advertise your project in the newsletter to help you recruit task force members. History instructors can develop a list of possible projects for students’ required assignments.

ALTERNATIVES: If you’re not excited by research, writing, photography and/or videography, you can still participate in LHA work by helping to set up and take down traveling exhibits; staffing information tables; and transcribing oral history interviews.

IN ADDITION: In an effort to plan and implement long term financial stability, the board has formed a development committee to raise funds for Labor History. The committee needs both members and contacts. If you are interested in joining the committee and/ or if you know of potential funding partners, please contact the committee chair, Anson Smith, at 602-300-2000 or at ansonsmith@att.net.

You can get more information about any of these endeavors by contacting any board member or Archivist/Director Joan Cavanagh at (203) 777-2756 ext. 2.; joan@laborhistory.org