Clarence Reed Papers
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Historical/Biographical Note
Clarence Reed was born in New York City in 1909. After working at odd jobs in the army, in lumber camps, and on the railroad, he became active in the Unemployed Councils and the Friends of the Soviet Union in the 1930s. He found work with a shipping company during World War II, when he joined the National Maritime Union. After the War, Reed was expelled from the Communist Party and helped establish a rank and file committee in the NMU. The rank and file committee ran slates of candidates against the incumbent union leadership and concentrated on the problems of corruption and drugs within the NMU's ranks.
Scope and Content Note
The collection consists mainly of correspondence and other material regarding Reed's activity in the National Maritime Union and his 1973-74 campaign for union office. Also included are union constitutions, copies of cartoons by Reed on union issues, and miscellaneous correspondence. The archives also has an oral history interview and a play written by Reed in 1984.
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Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright (or related rights to publicity and privacy) for materials in this collection, created by Clarence Reed was not transferred to New York University. Permission to use materials must be secured from the copyright holder.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; Clarence Reed Papers; WAG 015; box number; folder number; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by Clarence Reed at an unknown date. The accession number associated with this gift is 1974.007.
