Isaiah Bennett papers
Collection Overview
This collection contain five small series:
The first series consists of biographical documents regarding Isaiah Bennett's life. They include a disassembled album regarding Bennett's campaign for Charleston County Council in 1980, with a letter from Rosalynn Carter; an obituary and funeral program; and the finding aid for the collection he donated to the Georgia State University archives pertaining to his involvement with the local 1199 Union.
The second series consists of primary and secondary source material on the Charleston Hospital Workers' Strike of 1969 and includes correspondence between Bennett and other leaders of the strike, memorabilia, photographs, and news clippings.
The third series contains original items donated to the Avery Research Center for inclusion in the Isaiah Bennett Papers from the Georgia State University archives collection on the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). These include strike bulletins, correspondence, and news releases regarding the national 1945 Tobacco Workers' Strike.
Materials regarding the local South Carolina chapter and the national A. Philip Randolph Institute constitute the fourth series. Included are correspondence, minutes, and bylaws.
The miscellaneous series includes resolutions from the AFL-CIO on Civil Rights and the South Carolina Democratic Party regarding state minimum wage, voter registration, and election reform as well as other material.
Dates
- Creation: 1932-2002
Creator
- Bennett, Isaiah, 1926-2002 (Person)
Access Restrictions
No restrictions.
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Biographical Note
Isaiah Bennett was born in McClellanville, South Carolina on September 19, 1926 and died on February 24, 2002. He moved to Charleston, South Carolina and was employed at the American Tobacco Company's Cigar Factory
in 1942. He was drafted in the Second World War and served with the United Stated Army from 1943-1946. Bennett returned to work at the Cigar Factory until his retirement in 1973.
Active in Union work, Bennett served as the business director for the local tobacco workers' union (Local 15A of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union) and state director of the National Hospital Workers. He played a key role as a leader and negotiator of the Charleston Hospital Worker's Strike of 1969. In 1969, he joined the staff of the Local 1199-B of the the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). He also founded and was president of the Charleston chapter of the A. Phillip Randolph Institute, an umbrella organization for black trade unions.
Bennett was active in politics and ran unsuccessfully for Charleston County Council in 1980.
Extent
0.5 linear feet (1 archival box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Isaiah Bennett (1926-2002) served as a union representative for tobacco workers at the American Tobacco Company's Cigar Factory
and as a leader and negotiator of the Charleston Hospital Workers' Strike of 1969. Bennett also founded and was president of the Charleston chapter of the A. Phillip Randolph Institute, an umbrella organization for black trade unions.
This collection contains five small series that pertain to the life and career of Isaiah Bennett. 1.) The biographical series includes a album relating to Bennett's campaign for Charleston County Council in 1980; an obituary and funeral program; and the finding aid for the collection he donated to the Georgia State University archives pertaining to his involvement with the local 1199 Union. 2.) The second series consists of primary and secondary source material on the Charleston Hospital Workers' Strike of 1969 and includes correspondence between Bennett and other leaders of the strike, memorabilia, photographs, and news clippings. 3.) The third series contains original items donated to the Avery Research Center for inclusion in the Isaiah Bennett Papers from the Georgia State University archives collection on the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). These include strike bulletins, correspondence, and news releases regarding the national 1945 Tobacco Workers' Strike. 4.) Materials regarding the local South Carolina chapter and national A. Philip Randolph Institute constitute the fourth series. Included is correspondence, minutes, and bylaws. 5.) The miscellaneous series includes resolutions from the AFL-CIO on civil rights and from the South Carolina Democratic Party regarding state minimum wage, voter registration, and election reform, as well as other material.
Collection Arrangement
1. Biographical, 1930-2002
2. Hospital Workers' Strike, 1969-1994
3. The American Tobacco Workers' Strike, 1945
4. A. Philip Randolph Institute, 1976-1981
5. Miscellaneous, 1970-1980
Acquisitions Information
Donated by Isaiah Bennett, May 1992
Processing Information
Processed by Jessica Lancia, April 2008
Encoded by Melissa Bronheim, August 2010
Edited by Melissa Bronheim, August 2010, and Amanda Ross, February 2011
Funding from the
Funding from the
Subject
- A. Philip Randolph Institute (Organization)
- American Tobacco Company (Organization)
- Bennett, Isaiah, 1926-2002 (Person)
- Carter, Rosalynn (Person)
- Riley, Richard W. (Richard Wilson) (Person)
- Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union. Local 15-A (Charleston, S.C.) (Organization)
Source
- Bennett, Isaiah, 1926-2002 (Donor, Person)
Topical
- African American labor union members -- South Carolina -- Charleston
- African Americans -- Civil rights -- South Carolina -- Charleston -- History -- 20th century
- African Americans -- South Carolina -- Politics and government -- History -- 20th century
- Factories -- Employees -- Labor unions -- South Carolina
- Hospital Workers' Strike, Charleston, S.C., 1969
- Hospitals -- Employees -- Labor unions -- South Carolina -- Charleston
- Tobacco Workers' Strike, Charleston, S.C., 1945
- Tobacco workers -- Labor unions -- South Carolina -- Charleston
- Title
- Inventory of the Isaiah Bennett Papers, 1932 - 2002 AMN 1056
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Processed by: Jessica Lancia; machine-readable finding aid created by: Melissa Bronheim
- Description rules
- Dacs
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Description is in English
- Sponsor
- Funding from the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation and the Council on Library and Information Resources supported the collection processing and encoding of this finding aid.
Repository Details
Part of the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture Repository
125 Bull Street
Charleston South Carolina 29424 United States
843-953-7608
averyresearchcenter@cofc.edu