Collection Full View
Musicians Guild of Essex County Records (1901 - ca. 1983)
RepositoryNew Jersey Historical Society
Collection IDMG 1351
Size7 linear feet (14 boxes)
Collection Description
The collection consists of office files of the Musicians Guild of Essex County (also known as Local 16 of the American Federation of Musicians, AFL-CIO) with offices at at 401 University Avenue, Newark and a suburban office at 141 So. Harrison St., East Orange.Membership included musicians playing with bands and groups, individual performers, members of classical orchestras, and others. Several boxes consist of routine material such as copies of recording contracts, insurance policies, utility bills, mailings from the national union (based in New York City), benefit fund records, ledgers, etc. Other portions of the collection are rich in details of union history (including intra-union conflicts) and the lives and careers of individual musicians.
Collection Contents
Box 1: contains bills for expenses incurred by Local 16 (Associated Musicians of Greater Newark), 401 Plane St., Newark (1960); a Local 16 financial report (1963); a file of documents relating to National Labor Relations (NLRB) cases involving Local 16 (1970s); and a Local 16 ballot with vote tally (1983)
Box 3: contains copies of recording contracts for Newark musicians, William Hedge, Chris Herbert, Josh Milan, Ronald Nathan Bell (aka Khalis Bayyan), and Rashad Muhammad
Box 4: contains election records of Local 16 (1971-1975), and resolutions submitted to the Local (1970-1974) [For access consult archives staff; these records include social security nujmbers.]
Box 5: contains files on individuals regarding arrears of payments to the national union and other infractions, Local proceedings against member Danny Hope and documents on his effort to run for office against an incumbent officer, complaints against officers (including Andy Roberts, Secretary and later President) of malfeasance in office, anonymous letters of complaint, and general correspondence (1970s)
Boxes 6 and 7: contain general correspondence, filed by name
Box 8 and 9: Financial ledgers (1901-1933, with gaps), including lists of members with records of dues payments
Boxes 10 to 14: contain membership applications arranged alphabetically, with biographical details of individual musicians, many of them residing in Newark (most 1920s-1940s, with notations to the 1960s)
Box 3: contains copies of recording contracts for Newark musicians, William Hedge, Chris Herbert, Josh Milan, Ronald Nathan Bell (aka Khalis Bayyan), and Rashad Muhammad
Box 4: contains election records of Local 16 (1971-1975), and resolutions submitted to the Local (1970-1974) [For access consult archives staff; these records include social security nujmbers.]
Box 5: contains files on individuals regarding arrears of payments to the national union and other infractions, Local proceedings against member Danny Hope and documents on his effort to run for office against an incumbent officer, complaints against officers (including Andy Roberts, Secretary and later President) of malfeasance in office, anonymous letters of complaint, and general correspondence (1970s)
Boxes 6 and 7: contain general correspondence, filed by name
Box 8 and 9: Financial ledgers (1901-1933, with gaps), including lists of members with records of dues payments
Boxes 10 to 14: contain membership applications arranged alphabetically, with biographical details of individual musicians, many of them residing in Newark (most 1920s-1940s, with notations to the 1960s)
FormatTextual materials
SubjectsLabor History; Music
Time Period20th Century
LanguageEnglish
Access policyOpen for research
ProcessedNo