George Washington Carver did much in his lifetime to promote racial harmony and black achievement in American life. Collection includes memorabilia, correspondence to and from Carver, Carver's writings, writings about Carver, and miscellaneous materials relating to Carver's life and work. As an internationally known author and activist, DuBois corresponded with some of the most important figures of his time, including Sherwood Anderson, Andrew Carnegie, Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King, Jr., Margaret Mead, Booker T. Washington, and Roy Wilkins. Collection documents the changes in DuBois's political and social philosophy over the years as he shifted more and more toward radicalism and eventually at the age of 93 joined the Communist Party of America. A federal statute of 1867 outlawed peonage, but it was not enforced until 1898.
Peonage is a form of labor control that relies on debt to compel a worker.
This microfilm publication, primarily from records in the National Archives, is rich in legal, social, and labor history. While most complaints involved black rural workers, at times immigrants, coal miners, and others from among the poor and ill-educated fell victim to peonage. Press coverage of NACW activities from 1899-1939 is also included. This collection of source materials on slave life includes correspondence, business records, financial and legal papers, slave task books, and some manuscripts. The use of hired slaves for industrial labor is covered in detail.