Urban League, Bronx Branch Records, 1949–2007
Information, Description, and Finding Aid
Collection Information
Reference: MS-ULBX
Dates: 1949–2007 (bulk 1949–1958)
Extent: 3.12 linear ft. across 3 archival boxes
Finding Aid Information
Creator(s): Steven Payne, Ph.D., Librarian and Archivist
Date created/updated: October 21, 2020
Administrative History
The Urban League is a civil rights and social services organization started in 1910 and headquartered in New York City. Throughout its long history, it has focused much of its attention on the economic and educational empowerment and social betterment of African Americans and other people of color. The Bronx Branch of the Urban League of Greater New York was founded in 1948, and it was especially effective as an organization during the first decade of its existence, when it helped run successful electoral campaigns for Walter H. Gladwin, the first Black Assemblyman representing The Bronx, and agitated for fair housing and employment practices for the borough’s steadily growing African American and Puerto Rican populations. In the middle of the 1950s, however, the Urban League nationwide lost a sizable portion of its prominent Black members. Those who left wished to transform the Urban League into a mass organization, more along the lines of the N.A.A.C.P. or even the Civil Rights Congress (which had recently disbanded due to intense government repression). The remaining primarily white leadership at the national level desired that the Urban League retain its traditional character as a social services organization. No doubt racial and class tensions exacerbated this dispute, as Black members who resigned alleged that the Urban League was all too happy doing the bare minimum to assuage white guilt while cozying up to big business (this is the language used in the bitter editorials denouncing the Urban League in the mid-1950s). At any rate, this dispute at the national level played out in its own ways in The Bronx, as Charles A. Ward, Jr., a Black social worker who was appointed head of the branch in 1956, suddenly resigned in 1957—due no doubt to tension within the branch. This was also around the time when the donor of the collection, Elias Karmon, who was sharply critical of Ward, became gradually less active in the organization. These conflicts aside, the Bronx Branch of the Urban League continued offering programming and hosting events throughout the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s. In 1994, with membership declining, the branch folded into the city-wide New York Urban League (the Urban League of Grater New York renamed itself during this 1960s).
Description/Scope and Content
The collection consists of three series. The first comprises subject files, which include correspondence, mailers, minutes, notes, programs, flyers, and other material, from the National Urban League, the Urban League of Greater New York, and the Bronx Branch of the Urban League of Greater New York. Most of the internal organizational documents in the Subject Files series come from the period 1949–1958, when the donor, Elias Karmon, held leadership positions in the Urban League at the local and city-wide levels. Because Karmon remained a member of the organization until his death, however, some material—mostly public-facing—comes from subsequent decades as well.
The second series includes photographs, all taken during Urban League, Bronx Branch events during the 1950s.
The third and final series is made up of scrapbooks of the Urban League’s election campaigns for Walter H. Gladwin, the first Black Assemblyman representing The Bronx; general activities of the Urban League of Greater New York/New York Urban League (including the Bronx Branch); and some later material from the National Urban League. Karmon himself created these scrapbooks.
Provenance
The Urban League, Bronx Branch Records were donated as part of the Elias Karmon papers in 2010 by his daughter and son-in-law, Charles and Sharon Landsberg. The material comprising this collection was removed from the Elias Karmon Papers and made into a separate collection in September 2020 by the Society’s Librarian and Archivist, Dr. Steven Payne.
Preferred Citation
[Item name or description,] Urban League, Bronx Branch records, box _, folder _, The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
Points of Access
- Civil rights activism -- anti-discrimination -- education access -- fair housing -- hiring practices
- Ethnic groups and nationalities -- African Americans -- Puerto Ricans (Boricuas)
- Housing (The Bronx, New York) -- Forest Houses -- Parkchester
- Individuals -- Bensley, Charles J. -- Davies, J. Clarence, Jr. -- Gladwin, Walter H. -- Hawkins, Rev. Edler G. -- Holmes, Walter J. -- Karmon, Elias -- Shulman, Rabbi Charles E.
- Urban League -- Bronx Branch -- Brooklyn Branch -- Conflict, 1955 -- Greater New York -- Manhattan Branch -- Queens Branch
Related Collections
- Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, Eta Omega Omega Chapter records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
- At Home in Utopia collection. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
- The Bronx African American History Project Digital Collection of Oral Histories. Fordham University Library.
- The Bronx African American History Project. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
- Frederick Bell papers on St. Augustine Presbyterian Church. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
- Bronx Board of Trade records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
- Bronx Political Campaigns collection. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
- Elias Karmon papers. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
- Listener-News collection. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
- Hansel L. McGee papers. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
- Jackie Robinson papers. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
- Maxine Sullivan papers. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
Series
| Series | Title | Box | Folders |
| 1.1 | Subject files, National Urban League and Non-New York City Branches | 1 | 1–12 |
| 1.2 | Subject files, Urban League of Greater New York/New York Urban League, Central and Non-Bronx Branches | 1 | 13–47 |
| 1.3 | Subject files, Urban League of Greater New York City/New York Urban League, Bronx Branch | 2 | 1–35 |
| 2 | Photographs [PH-UL.01–46] | 2 | 36–43 |
| 3 | Scrapbooks | 3 | 1–8 |
Container List
Series 1, sub-series 1: Subject files, National Urban League and Non-New York City Branches
|
Box |
Folder |
Contents |
Date |
|
1 |
1 |
National Urban League, General |
1950s |
|
1 |
2 |
National Urban League, General |
1960s |
|
1 |
3 |
National Urban League, General |
1970s |
|
1 |
4 |
National Urban League, General |
1980s |
|
1 |
5 |
National Urban League, Clippings |
1953–1988 |
|
1 |
6 |
National Urban League Dispute |
1954–1956 |
|
1 |
7 |
National Urban League Newsletter |
1956 |
|
1 |
8 |
National Urban League, On to Cleveland in ’52! |
1952 |
|
1 |
9 |
National Urban League, People Above Race (P.A.R.) |
1951 |
|
1 |
10 |
National Urban League Theatre Benefits |
1956–1958 |
|
1 |
11 |
Urban League, Jacksonville, Florida |
1956 |
|
1 |
12 |
Urban League, Westchester County, New York |
1956 |
Series 1, sub-series 2: Subject files, Urban League of Greater New York/New York Urban League, Central and Non-Bronx Branches
|
Box |
Folder |
Contents |
Date |
|
1 |
13 |
Urban League, Greater New York: General |
1950s |
|
1 |
14 |
Urban League, Greater New York: General |
1960s |
|
1 |
15 |
Urban League, Greater New York (New York Urban League): General |
1970s |
|
1 |
16 |
Urban League, Greater New York (New York Urban League): General |
1980s |
|
1 |
17 |
Urban League, Greater New York (New York Urban League): General |
1990s |
|
1 |
18 |
Urban League, Greater New York (New York Urban League): General |
2000s |
|
1 |
19 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Administrative and Clerical Council |
1954–1956 |
|
1 |
20 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Annual Meetings and Dinners |
1954–1957 |
|
1 |
21 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Annual Reports/Year-End Summaries |
1952–1957 |
|
1 |
22 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Annual Reports/Year-End Summaries |
1978–1982 |
|
1 |
23 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Board of Directors |
1954–1956 |
|
1 |
24 |
Urban League, Greater New York: CUE Magazine |
1949 |
|
1 |
25 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Delany, Hubert T. |
1955 |
|
1 |
26 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Education |
1954–1956 |
|
1 |
27 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Executive Committee |
1955–1956 |
|
1 |
28 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Events, misc. |
1954–1957 |
|
1 |
29 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Employment and Industry |
1954–1956 |
|
1 |
30 |
Urban League, Greater New York (New York Urban League): Focus Magazine |
1979–1984 |
|
1 |
31 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Housing |
1953–1957 |
|
1 |
32 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Literature, general |
c. 1950–2000 |
|
1 |
33 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Literature, Behind This Symbol |
1950s |
|
1 |
34 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Literature, Economic Opportunity |
1950s |
|
1 |
35 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Literature, employment, assorted |
1950s |
|
1 |
36 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Literature, Human Achievement |
1950s |
|
1 |
37 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Negro History Week |
1954 |
|
1 |
38 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Press Releases, Statements, and Publicity |
1953–1957 |
|
1 |
39 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Puerto Rico |
1954–1955 |
|
1 |
40 |
Urban League, Greater New York (New York Urban League): Quest Newsletter |
1990 |
|
1 |
41 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Rummage Sale |
1955 |
|
1 |
42 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Sound-Off |
1954–1956 |
|
1 |
43 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Urban League Lens/The League Lens |
1951–1954 |
|
1 |
44 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Urban League News |
1957 |
|
1 |
45 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Brooklyn Branch |
1950–1957 |
|
1 |
46 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Manhattan Branch |
1953 |
|
1 |
47 |
Urban League, Greater New York: Queens Branch |
1953–1957 |
Series 1, sub-series 3: Subject files, Urban League of Greater New York/New York Urban League, Bronx Branch
|
Box |
Folder |
Contents |
Date |
|
2 |
1 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: General |
1949–1959 |
|
2 |
2 |
Urban League, Greater New York (New York Urban League), Bronx Branch: General |
1961–1979 |
|
2 |
3 |
Urban League, Greater New York (New York Urban League), Bronx Branch: General |
1980–1989 |
|
2 |
4 |
Urban League, Greater New York (New York Urban League), Bronx Branch: General |
1990–1994 |
|
2 |
5 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: 3rd Annual Luncheon in Honor of Rabbi Charles E. Shulman |
1951 |
|
2 |
6 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: 5th Annual Luncheon in Honor of Walter J. Holmes |
1953 |
|
2 |
7 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: 6th Annual Luncheon in Honor of Walter H. Gladwin, folder 1 |
1954 |
|
2 |
8 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: 6th Annual Luncheon in Honor of Walter H. Gladwin, folder 2 |
1954 |
|
2 |
9 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: 7th Annual Luncheon in Honor of Rev. Edler G. Hawkins, and Charles J. Bensley |
1955 |
|
2 |
10 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: 8th Annual Luncheon in Honor of J. Clarence Davies, Jr. and Elias Karmon, with guest of honor Eleanor Roosevelt |
1956 |
|
2 |
11 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Advisory Committee, general |
1949–1958 |
|
2 |
12 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Advisory Committee, minutes and agendas |
1951–1962 |
|
2 |
13 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Boosters |
1950–1958 |
|
2 |
14 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Bulletin |
1954 |
|
2 |
15 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Correspondence, general |
1950–1956 |
|
2 |
16 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Education, general |
1958 |
|
2 |
17 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Employment, general |
1949–1957 |
|
2 |
18 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Employment, Williamsbridge Project |
1954–1955 |
|
2 |
19 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Housing, general |
1955–1956 |
|
2 |
20 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Housing, Castle Hill Houses |
1954 |
|
2 |
21 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Housing, Committee for Balance Communities/Forest Houses |
1952–1954 |
|
2 |
22 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Housing, Parkchester |
1954 |
|
2 |
23 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Individual members, clippings |
1953–1957 |
|
2 |
24 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Membership and fundraising |
1952 |
|
2 |
25 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Membership and fundraising |
1953 |
|
2 |
26 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Membership and fundraising |
1954 |
|
2 |
27 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Membership and fundraising |
1955 |
|
2 |
28 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Meeting on November 18, 1952 |
1952 |
|
2 |
29 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Meeting on March 5, 1953 |
1953 |
|
2 |
30 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Meeting on June 9, 1953 |
1953 |
|
2 |
31 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Meeting on February 18, 1954 |
1954 |
|
2 |
32 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Meeting on March 10, 1955 |
1955 |
|
2 |
33 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Meeting on March 21, 1956 |
1956 |
|
2 |
34 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Meeting on November 19, 1958 |
1958 |
|
2 |
35 |
Urban League, Greater New York, Bronx Branch: Public Welfare |
1952–1966 |
Series 2: Photographs [PH-UL.01–46]
|
Box |
Folder |
Contents |
Date |
|
2 |
36 |
PH-UL.01–06: Photographs, Bronx Branch: Unidentified events |
1950s |
|
2 |
37 |
PH-UL.07–18: Photographs, Bronx Branch: 5th Annual Luncheon in Honor of Walter J. Holmes |
1953 |
|
2 |
38 |
PH-UL.19–25: Photographs, Bronx Branch: 6th Annual Luncheon in Honor of Walter H. Gladwin |
1954 |
|
2 |
39 |
PH-UL.26: Photograph, Bronx Branch: 7th Annual Luncheon in Honor of Rev. Edler G. Hawkins and Charles J. Bensley |
1955 |
|
2 |
40 |
PH-UL.27–31: Photographs, Bronx Branch: Boosters |
1950–1956 |
|
2 |
41 |
PH-UL.32–35: Photographs, Bronx Branch: Career Conference |
1954 |
|
2 |
42 |
PH-UL.36–38: Photographs, Bronx Branch: Housing Conference |
1955? |
|
2 |
43 |
PH-UL.39–46: Photographs, Bronx Branch: Membership Meetings |
1953–1954 |
Series 3: Scrapbooks
|
Box |
Folder |
Contents |
Date |
|
3 |
1 |
Scrapbook: Walter H. Gladwin campaigns, folder 1 |
1949–1956 |
|
3 |
2 |
Scrapbook: Walter H. Gladwin campaigns, folder 2 |
1949–1956 |
|
3 |
3 |
Scrapbook: National Urban League |
1990s–2000s |
|
3 |
4 |
Scrapbook: New York Urban League, folder 1 |
1950–1959 |
|
3 |
5 |
Scrapbook: New York Urban League, folder 2 |
1950–1959 |
|
3 |
6 |
Scrapbook: New York Urban League, folder 3 |
1950–1959 |
|
3 |
7 |
Scrapbook: New York Urban League, folder 4 |
1980s–1990s |
|
3 |
8 |
Scrapbook: New York Urban League, folder 5 |
1980s–1990s |