MG-321. CHARLES T. DOUDS PAPERS, 1920-1978.
Charles Douds (b. 1898-d. 1982) was a nationally recognized labor arbitrator with state and local governments. Born in Plumville, Indiana County, Douds served as secretary of the YMCA at the University of Rochester in New York between 1922 and 1929 and commenced his labor career as executive secretary of the League for Social Justice in 1932 and as a labor compliance officer with the National Recovery Administration (NRA) in Pittsburgh in 1933. Douds was also involved with the Pennsylvania Security League that was dedicated to improving the industrial security of industrial workers and farmers. He became a Detroit field examiner for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) from 1937-1958; was appointed director of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Mediation by Governor George Leader, 1958-1969; and served as president of the Association of Labor Mediation Agencies of the United States and Canada, 1958-1959. The papers consist primarily of business correspondence, reports, publications, newspaper articles, brochures, and other documentation relating to the University of Rochester YMCA, Industrial Relations League, Pennsylvania Security League, League for Social Justice, Pennsylvania State Mediation Board, and the Committee on Labor Management Relations and General Welfare. Also present are biographical materials, personal and professional correspondence, diaries, photographs from National Labor Relations Board conferences, and two papers authored by Douds. Much of this material has a bearing upon understanding the plight of African American workers in Pennsylvania. Other noteworthy items include:
PERSONAL PAPERS
YMCA File, 1923-1931. Contain several programs and pamphlets for a mid-winter conference on the Dynamic of Christian Living held under the auspices of the Middle Atlantic Field Council of the Student Young Men’s Christian Association. Pictured in the program is Howard Thurman, who presided over the worship exercises. Another pamphlet is entitled "A Million Students" and is dedicated to the million college men and women in America. On the cover is a photograph of a group of college students, probably committee members for the paper, and below is a caption "'Northfield,’ 1928." Included are several African American men from member colleges such as the City College of New York. The back page also has a photograph of the National Council of Student Associations that includes several African American men. A single photograph of Benjamin E. Mays appears under the heading of "Secretaries of three specially significant aspects of the Movement’s work." Mays is identified as the leader of the Negro Colleges who later became the president of Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. Inside the paper are two articles that relate to African American students. One folder contains a history of the League for Social Justice (LSJ) of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1932-33, that was written by Douds in 1978. This contains an entry about a speech presented January 23 [1933], by Mr. William Pickens, field secretary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, on "Trends in the Labor Movement."
Magazines (Items from), 1932-1935. Included are articles on "The Race Issue at Detroit" and "Race Issue Rocks Detroit Conference" from The Christian Century dated January 14, 1931.
Miscellaneous Items, 1933-1936. Includes a chart titled "A Survey of the Parties-1932" which was a special supplement of The World Tomorrow, September 28, 1932. The chart lists all the parties sponsoring candidates for office, a brief history of each, and their political positions on selected issues including race relations and civil liberties. Also present is a program for the Community Forum of Pittsburgh, 1935-1936. The topic for discussion on December 16 was "Our Own Race Problem" by Dr. Mordecai Johnson, president of Howard University. A copy of The Penn Stater dated March/April 1982, page 14, contains a photographs of Larry Atwell, coordinator of the Lion Ambassadors (Penn State Student Alumni Corps), and a photograph labeled "Planning military maneuvers with King Juan Carlos of Spain in 1981" depicting "Alumni Major General William E. Brown, Class of 1949."