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Labor Journal (Everett)

Table of Contents [Hide/Show] Title    Digitization plan    History       NEH Approved Essay       Essay Notes    Research Reel    Notes    Evaluation       Totals

Title¶

• Ayer Annual¹
  • Content: Labor
  • Established: 1909
  • Size: 16x22
  • Editor: E.P. Marsh
  • Publisher: E.P. Marsh and J.E. Campbell
• Ayer Annual²
  • size: 7 columns, 28 x 304 (picas?)
  • Editor: Maynard Shipley
  • Publisher: Everett Trades Council
• Frequency: weekly
• Coverage
  • Region: Northwest
  • County: Snohomish
• Unique ids
  • LCCN: sn88085620
  • OCLC: ocm18036796
    

Digitization plan¶

2008-2010 grant

• Substitute title, not digitized in this grant cycle
• 1909-1922 (3 reels)
  

History¶

• Continues:
• Related titles:
  

NEH Approved Essay¶

The Labor Journal [LCCN: sn88085620] was the official paper of the Everett Trades Council, the Central Labor Council of Everett, and the Everett, WA chapter of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) until it ceased publication in October 1978.

Originally published in 1891 as an annual newsletter for the Everett, WA chapter of AFL, the Labor Journal quickly became the vehicle for Progressive politics and Labor Union news in Everett and surrounding regions through the political savvy of its leadership. In 1905, future WA State Senator, John E. Campbell became business manager of the Labor Journal partnering with editor and part-owner Ernest P. Marsh. By 1909, the duo was publishing the Labor Journal weekly and was keeping union members and the general public informed about Labor issues and perspectives. The need for such information is explained by the Washington State Federation of Labor (WFL) in History of the Washington State Federation of Labor, 1902-1954, which states, “For the most part the daily papers and some weekly papers, in times of industrial disputes and on other matters, have either taken a lukewarm attitude toward the labor side or have been openly hostile.” By focusing on issues relevant to local unions, the Journal enjoyed continued support and readership in the thousands. Campbell was elected state Senator in 1912 and authored the eight-hour workday bill for Washington women. Marsh became WFL President in 1913, an office he held until 1918. In 1917, he was appointed by Woodrow Wilson to the President’s Mediation Commission; of which he acted as Director, 1943-1949.

Likewise, the Labor Journal enjoyed success and support until 1978 when the paper’s control board ruled that “only businesses with union employees should be solicited for advertising. But revenues from such ads were not enough to sustain the publication and also pay an adequate salary to an editor.” According to Jack Morgan of the Everett Herald [LCCN: sn 86071992], this ruling resulted in the resignation of the Labor Journal’s editor and an ad salesman, both from the Meatcutters Local 151 of Everett who started the short-lived meatcutters’ union publication, The Journal [LCCN: n/a]. The control board claimed that the similarity of the two titles confused readers and advertisers resulting in decreased circulation for the Labor Journal. However, the meatcutters were not the only union to branch out and create their own newsletter around this time.

Whether The Journal confused readers and advertisers or the increasing number of unions publishing their own newsletters had a hand in the decline of the Labor Journal, it was, nonetheless, the last and longest-running weekly labor journal in Washington State.

Essay Notes¶

American Federation of Labor. Labor Journal’s 60th Annual Yearbook. Everett, WA: Puget Press. 1951.

Morgan, Jack. “Labor’s Love Lost? ‘Oldest and Last’ Union Newspaper May Be Gone Soon.” Everett Herald. September 27, 1978. p.3A.

Washington State Federation of Labor. History of Washington State Federation of Labor, 1902-1954. Seattle, WA: The Federation. 1954.

Research¶

1. N.W. Ayer & Son's American newspaper annual 1910 year 922 page
2. N.W. Ayer & Son's American newspaper annual 1920 year 995 page
3. NDNP Candidate Title List (Appendix A1.2)
4. Chronicling America record (LOC) - Labor Journal
5. WorldCat record - Labor journal
6. WSL record - Labor journal
7. UW record - Labor journal
   

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Reel¶

• Filmed by: UW
• Positives held by: UW
• Negatives held by: UW
  • Call Number: Microfilm A6311
  • 18 reels: 1909-1978 (with gaps)
    

Notes¶

Evaluation¶

See Labor Journal eval spreadsheets (Google)

Totals¶

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