Sugar, Maurice, 1891-1974

Peter H. Amann Papers

abarker — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:48:36 -0400

The papers of Peter H. Amann reflect his research efforts on the Black Legion, a vigilante organization which operated principally in Michigan and Ohio from 1925 through 1936.

Buck Dinner Committee Records

srafferty — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 09:45:33 -0400

Labor lawyer Maurice Sugar established the Buck Dinner in 1929. Meeting annually in locations throughout metropolitan Detroit, the Buck Dinner Committee provides financial support to advocacy groups involved in civil rights, equality, and social justice. Each year the committee picks “Head Hunters” to invite guests to these dinners to donate money. After they collect funds, the committee meets to decide which organizations need money to continue their activities. A sample of recipient organizations includes the American Civil Liberties Union, the Congress of Racial Equality, and the National Lawyers Guild. The committee remains active as of 2018 and continues to provide financial support to social advocacy groups.

Civil Rights Congress of Michigan Records

drice — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 10:03:46 -0400

The Civil Rights Congress was organized in 1935, and, until 1937, aided the cause of labor; protected academic freedom; and attacked police brutality, censorship, the Black Legion, the Ku Klux Klan, fascism, and discrimination. In 1938, its name was changed to the Civil Rights Federation and the group then turned to problems concerning discrimination against blacks and political minorities. The group dissolved in 1955. CRC records cover their early activities; their focus from 1938-1941 on the "defense of civil rights on the part of widely divergent group throughout Michigan....labor, farm, church, fraternal, language, racial, political, civic, professional, women, and youth groups.;" and their subsequent emphasis on cases of discrimination and those holding unpopular political positions.

George C. Edwards, Sr. Papers

drice — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 10:33:26 -0400

George Edwards, Sr. began his professional career as an educator before he turned to law where he gained a reputation as a pro-labor, pro-ACLU, pro-NAACP lawyer. Politically an active Socialist for over 50 years, he continued throughout his career to champion the downtrodden, specializing in cases involving discrimination or usury. Outside of law practice, he took great personal interest in human rights, fighting segregation and child labor, and supporting women’s suffrage. His papers cover both his personal and professional life.

Ernest Goodman Papers

drice — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 10:49:05 -0400

A founding member of the Detroit Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, Ernest Goodman served as NLG President, and formed the nation’s first (known) interracial law firm: Goodman, Crockett, Eden and Robb. He was deeply involved with the labor movement and some of its most bitter union organizing struggles and remained committed throughout his career to serving the common man, with clients ranging from Communists, Black Panthers, prison inmates, and African-Americans during the civil rights movement.

Part I of Mr. Goodman’s papers reflect his involvement in civil rights, constitutional law and labor issues, focusing on the Michigan Smith Act trial, the Sherrill School desegregation case, and the Black Panther trial for the murder of a Detroit Police officer.

Part II reflects his activities as counsel in controversial cases, particularly first amendment and civil rights cases, courts martial, deportation and denaturalization, and the 1971 Attica prison uprising. These papers further focus on the events, places, and people who influenced both his personal life and a career spent in service to social justice for the common man.

Part III (Two storage boxes) focuses on various cases, mainly from the 1980s-1990s, Goodman's writings, his work with Wayne State University Law School, and Estonian family correspondence.

Henry Kraus Papers

drice — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 16:36:01 -0400

Mr. Kraus was the first editor of the UAW's newspaper The United Auto Worker (later changed to Solidarity). He was active in the early attempts by the UAW (first under the AFL and later under the CIO) to organize the auto industry. Files for the late 1920s and early 1930s cover the attempts by groups, including the Auto Workers Union of the Trade Union Unity League, to organize auto workers, and discuss such events as the Murray Body Strike (1929); the Ford Hunger March (1932); and the Briggs Strike (1933). There are many items pertaining to the AFL's work in the auto industry, such as material on the threatened auto strike of March 1934, the Toledo Auto-Lite and Chevrolet strikes of 1934 and 1935, and conferences and conventions of the UAW-AFL. The collection also has many files of the AFL's Detroit office for the early 1930s. Particularly well covered are the activities of the UAW-CIO from 1936 to 1940, including the South Bend Convention, the sit-downs, early attempts to organize Ford, and the Homer Martin controversy (resulting in the split of 1939). The Flint Sit-Down Strike and factionalism in the UAW are particularly well documented. Correspondents include nearly every major AFL, CIO, and UAW leader of the period. Among them are John Brophy, F. J. Dillon, Adolph Germer, William Green, John L. Lewis, Homer Martin, Rose Pesotta, Walter Reuther, and R. J. Thomas. Public figures include Charles Coughlin and Frank Murphy. Nine reels of microfilm complement content in Part I and are described in a separate guide.

Part 3 contains manuscripts, notes and research materials from Kraus’s three major books, as well as materials from his other books and writings including those on medieval art. Also included are transcripts of oral histories from a variety of individuals involved in the labor movement, especially those from the 1937 Flint Sit-Down Strike.

Edward Levinson Papers

drice — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:47:52 -0500

Correspondence, clippings, research notes, and other materials collected by Mr. Levinson, author of 1 Break Strikes, and Labor on the March, and director of publicity for the UAW. Subjects include strikebreaking in the National Maritime Union, early unions in the auto industry, the Black Legion, the Socialist Party, war production, and wage and price ceilings. Among the correspondents are Victor Reuther, Franklin Roosevelt, and R. J. Thomas.

Victor Reuther Papers

drice — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:24:22 -0500

Correspondence, speeches, and clippings related to organizing auto workers in Indiana and to personnel changes in the UAW, preserved by Mr. Reuther, who was active in organizing auto workers in Detroit and Flint (1936-37). He was UAW director of organization for Indiana (1937); organizer and officer of Detroit West Side Local 174; assistant director of the UAW's War Policy Division; member of the War Manpower Commission and the War Production Board; UAW director of education (1946-51); and currently is director of the UAW Department for International Affairs. Mob violence and vigilantes during the Anderson Strike of 1937; the LaFollette Committee; and UAW factionalism are discussed. Correspondents include George Addes, Homer Martin, Roy Reuther, Walter Reuther, Maurice Sugar, and Mary Heaton Vorse. Additional files of Mr. Reuther may be found under the appropriate UAW department collections listed in this guide. An oral history interview with Mr. Reuther is also available.

Archie W. Robinson Papers

abarker — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:20:16 -0400

Journalist Archie Robinson served as the labor editor of the Detroit News, as a press officer for the National War Labor Board, as labor editor of the U.S. News and World Report, and authored George Meany and His Times, a history of the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) and its president. Mr. Robinson’s papers document his career in journalism and his coverage of major labor issues.

Maurice Sugar Papers

drice — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:28:16 -0500

Chief counsel for the UAW from 1937 to 1946, Mr. Sugar's career as a labor lawyer began in 1916. The items in this collection pertain to his song, Sit Down, a favorite of the sit-downers of the mid-1930's. Subjects include: UAW legal matters; UAW factionalism; Ford Hunger March; HUAC; radical politics.

UAW Bendix Department Records

drice — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:25:06 -0500

Subjects include: Bendix negotiations; supplemental unemployment benefits (SUB)

UAW President's Office: R.J. Thomas Papers

drice — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:17:49 -0500

Minutes of the UAW Executive Board (1940-47). correspondence, clippings, reports, and memorabilia collected by Mr. Thomas during his tenure as president of the UAW (1939-46). and vice-president (1937-39 and 1946-47). He was assistant to Philip Murray from 1947 to 1956, and to George Meany from 1956 to 1964. Subjects of interest in the collection are UAW factionalism, General Motors Strike (1945-46). Allis Chalmers Strike (1947), the UAW war effort, and the organization of the West Coast aircraft industry. Correspondents include George Addes, John Brophy, Richard Frankensteen, Homer Martin, George Meany, Wyndham Mortimer, Frank Murphy, Victor Reuther, Walter Reuther, August Scholle, Maurice Sugar. An oral history interview with Mr. Thomas is available.

UAW President's Office: Walter P. Reuther Records

drice — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:42:54 -0500

Walter Reuther's official files reflect all phases of his career as president, UAW West Side Local 174 (1936); UAW Executive Board member (1936); director, UAW General Motors Department (1939-48); UAW vice-president (1942-46); UAW president (1946-70); president, ClO (1952-55); vice-president, AFL-CIO (1955-67); and president, AFL-CIO Industrial Union Department (1955-67). The records also document Mr. Reuther's work on numerous governmental boards and agencies and many public institutions. The collection contains material on his work in civil rights, politics, poverty programs, medical care, and other social concerns. Other topics include collective bargaining, political action by labor, defense production, government and labor, workers' education, and most other areas of interest to labor. The collection contains correspondence with major political leaders in the U.S. and abroad, leaders in the U.S. and foreign labor movements, and with many other public figures.

UAW Public Relations Department Records

drice — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:15:05 -0500

The records of the UAW Public Relations Department consist of such subjects as, Michigan politics, War Labor Board, the aircraft industry, UAW radio broadcasts and the General Motors strike. In addition, there are correspondence files with Walter Reuther, George Addes and Maurice Sugar.

UAW Secretary Treasurer's Office: George Addes Records

drice — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:50:27 -0500

Correspondence, reports, UAW International Executive Board minutes, and other office files of Mr. Addes, who served as the UAW's International secretary-treasurer from 1936 to 1947. The papers pertain to organizing, factionalism within the UAW, early UAW strikes, UAW Local Union financial statements, and cases appealed by members of the UAW to the union's International Executive Board.

UAW War Policy Division Records

drice — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:39:12 -0500

The United Auto Workers War Policy Division was created to coordinate all of the union's war efforts and to represent the union in its dealings with various governmental agencies. The records of the division reflect its activities through subject files and local and region files.

Albert K. Williams Papers

abarker — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 10:20:31 -0400

Albert K. Williams, also known as Kempton A. Williams, served as an organizer for the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). Mr. Williams’ papers reflect his work with the CIO and his activities as a student at the Wisconsin School for Workers in Industry and at Brookwood Labor College.

College of the City of Detroit Office of the Dean Wilford L. Coffey Records

cwesterman — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 11:19:08 -0400

Frank Cody invited Wilford Coffey to become the Dean of the College of the City of Detroit in February 1928. During these years, CCD consolidated with Detroit Teachers College, cooperated more closely with the College of Medicine, and the Detroit Law School. He oversaw the launch of both the new Nursing School and Graduate School.

Guest Post: More than a Lawyer - Maurice Sugar

Public Relations Team — Tue, 29 Mar 2016 15:17:18 -0400

“Music hath charms to sooth a savage heart, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak.” –William Congreve 1670-1729

This quote, among others, was scribbled on notes belonging to the famous and first Labor Lawyer –Maurice Sugar, and can be found in the Reuther Library’s Maurice Sugar Papers. read more »

(11456) Chrysler Strike, Settlement Committee, Detroit, Michigan, 1939

eclemens — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:17:28 -0400

Members of the Chrysler Strike settlement committee at work, Detroit, Michigan.

1. Herman Weckler; 2. James Dewey; 3. Arthur Raab of the State Labor Mediation Board; 4. R.J. Thomas, UAW president; 5. Maurice Sugar, union attorney; 6. Richard Frankensteen, UAW regional director in charge of Chrysler affairs.

(11485) Leafleting, Rouge Plant, Arrests, Dearborn, Michigan, 1940

eclemens — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:28:08 -0400

R.J. Thomas, president of the UAW; George Addes, UAW secretary-treasurer; and Richard Leonard, leader of the Ford organizing drive for the UAW are booked at the Dearborn police headquarters for defying a local ordinance that prohibited leafleting. At the far right (with pipe) is the union’s attorney, Maurice Sugar.

(34279) "Sit Down" sheet music

mcourtney — Tue, 29 Mar 2016 15:04:36 -0400

Sheet music for "Sit Down," a popular song penned by Maurice Sugar.

(34280) Maurice Sugar

mcourtney — Tue, 29 Mar 2016 15:13:08 -0400

Maurice Sugar with pipe.