William M. Leiserson papers, 1901-1959

Author / Creator

Leiserson, William M

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Summary

Professional and personal correspondence, diaries, photographs, speeches, articles, book drafts, and other writings, biographical materials, clippings, and trade union files of William M. Leiserson...

Professional and personal correspondence, diaries, photographs, speeches, articles, book drafts, and other writings, biographical materials, clippings, and trade union files of William M. Leiserson, labor economist, teacher, and arbitrator, who served on a number of state and national unemployment and labor relations boards. He also taught at Antioch College, 1926-1933, and did research in labor relations for the Twentieth Century Fund in the 1930s and 1940s. Particularly well documented is Leiserson's work as arbitrator for the clothing industry in the 1920s and his guidance in enactment of Ohio's unemployment law in the 1930s. While heading the National Mediation Board and serving as a member of the National Labor Relations Board, Leiserson provided expert opinion to Presidents Roosevelt and Truman and members of Congress. In the trade union files are materials gathered from numerous unions in the 1940s for Leiserson's study of trade union government.

The extensive correspondence includes frequently detailed letters from Leiserson to union leaders, economists, and government officials. Among the most informative letters are those exchanged with longtime friends such as John R. Commons, Edwin E. Witte, Selig Perlman, David Saposs, Max Otto, Louis Stark of the New York Times, John A. Fitch of the New York School of Social Work, and poet Carl Sandburg.

The photographs include images of Leiserson, his family, and colleagues. Also present are images of meetings and commissions with which Leiserson was involved.

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