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TABLE OF CONTENTS


Descriptive Summary

Biographical Note

Scope and Contents

Arrangement

Restrictions

Administrative Information

Related Material

Index Terms

Bibliography

Detailed Description of the Collection

Series 1: Appointment and Passport Books, 1942-1975

Series 2: Oral Histories, 1968, 1971, and 1976

Series 3: Correspondence, 1935-1972

Series 4: Miscellaneous Articles, Reports, and Publications, 1938-1974

Series 5: Union Activities Subject Files, 1956-1976

Series 6: Service Activities Subject Files, 1960-1976

Series 7: Photographs, Scrapbooks, and Miscellaneous, n.d.

Series 8: Addendum 1: Francis X. Gannon Research Materials, n.d.

Series 9: Addendum 2: Miscellaneous, n.d.

Joseph D. Keenan

An inventory of The Joseph D. Keenan Papers at The American Catholic History Research Center and University Archives


Contact Information:

Mailing Address: The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. 20064

Telephone: 202-319-5065

Email: archives@mail.lib.cua.edu

URL: http://libraries.cua.edu/achrcua/index.html


Descriptive Summary

Repository: The American Catholic Research Center and University Archives
Creator: Joseph D. Keenan, 1896-1984
Title: The Joseph D. Keenan Papers
Dates: 1935-1976
Extent: 20 linear feet; 39 boxes
Abstract: The Joseph Daniel Keenan Papers consist of correspondence, memos, minutes, reports, legal documents, articles, news releases, telegrams, newspaper clippings, and photographs relating to Keenan's long and active union career and to his involvement in government and civic affairs.
Collection Number: ACUA 075
Language: English

Biographical Note

Joseph Daniel Keenan was a labor leader who was an important labor-government laison during the Second World War, a significant force in labor's post war support for Democratic presidential candidates, and a key advisor to the AFL-CIO's George Meany. Born in Chicago in 1896, he was the eldest of eight children. He left school at an early age to help support his family after his father was injured and he became an electrician by trade. He participated in the labor movement in Chicago, beginning with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers' (IBEW) Local 134 in 1914, and then from 1937 as Secretary of the Chicago Federation of Labor. In 1940, he moved to Washington, DC, to work with President Franklin Roosevelt's National Defense Advisory Commission to mobilize national defense in the face of Hitler's European onslaught. He eventually became the Vice Chairman for Labor of the War Production Board, 1943-1945, where he worked effectively to stabilize industrial relations in the construction field and to halt strikes and work stoppages while arbitration agreements were conducted. He served in postwar Germany, 1945-1948, as both an advisor to American commander General Lucius D. Clay and as President Truman's special coordinator between labor and industry for reorganizing trade unions.

Keenan returned home for the 1948 elections where he was first director of the League for Political Education where he was credited with an important role in Truman's upset victory over Thomas Dewey. He later served as labor's campaign liaison with presidents John F. Kennedy (1960) and Lyndon B. Johnson (1964), Vice President Hubert Humphrey (1968), and Senator George McGovern (1972). He served as first Secretary of the Building and Construction Trades Department of the American Federation of Labor (AFL), 1951-1954, and IBEW International Secretary, 1954-1976. He was a key friend and advisor to George Meany when the latter merged the rival AFL and CIO into one organization in 1955 and Keenan served thereafter as Vice President and Executive Council member of the combined AFL-CIO. He was an active Catholic layman and was honored with the papal medal, Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Award, in 1973, and an honorary doctorate from The Catholic University of America (CUA) in 1974. He was also a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Merit and Presidential Medal of Freedom. He was known to support civil rights organizations and the State of Israel. He was married three times, first to Ethel Fosburg, by which they had son Joseph Jr; second to Mytle Fox, whose son John was adopted by Keenan; and third to Jeffie Hennessy.

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Scope and Contents

The Joseph Daniel Keenan Papers (1935-1976) consist of correspondence, memos, minutes, reports, legal documents, articles, news releases, telegrams, newspaper clippings, and photographs relating to Keenan's long and active union career and to his involvement in government and civic affairs. The correspondence series includes material from the early years of Keenan's career when he was Recording and Correspondence Secretary for the Chicago Federation of Labor (1937-1949) and deals primarily with union disputes, especially the unionization of the Kohler Company. Other material pertaining to Keenan's early career can be found in the 1976 oral history interview. The correspondence and the miscellaneous articles, reports, and publications, as well as the 1971 oral history interview, contain material relating to two important positions which Keenan held during world War II and the years immediately following. As a member of the War Production Board (1940-1945) he was in charge of labor production for the war effort, and, after the war, he aided in the reorganization of the German labor unions under General Lucius Clay of the War Manpower Division in Germany (1945-1948). There is little material from the 1950s and early 1960s when Keenan entered on his IBEW international Secretaryship and AFL-CIO Vice Presidency. In the correspondence series, this period is represented by some miscellaneous letters and memos which do not seem to be directly related to either his union or his service activities. There are however several pieces of correspondence mainly in the form of memos, from several prominent political figures of this period, presidents, senators, and presidential aides.

The bulk of the collection is found in the two subject series, the Union Activities Subject files (1956-1976) and the Service Activities Subject Files (1960-1976). Keenan's union activities have been divided into two main groups, the IBEW and the AFL-CIO, and contain material relation to committee work and meetings of international labor organizations at which he represented these organizations. Much of this is printed or duplicated and is dated after 1965. The materials from the various meetings, while primarily in the form of printed agenda items and published minutes and reports, frequently provide information on labor conditions in various areas of the world. Two files of special interest deal with the United Farm Workers and Keenan's special trip to Vietnam. As a member of the Executive Committee on the AFL-CIO, Keenan investigated the troubles between the teamsters and the farm workers over unionization. There is extensive correspondence between Keenan, Cesar Chavez, and Monsignor George G. Higgins, of the United States Catholic Conference, who acted as an intermediary. The other important file documents Keenan's trip to South Vietnam in 1967, under the joint sponsorship of the AFL-CIO and the United States Government, to study South Vietnam's labor movement.

The series of photographs, though largely undated, is a good supplement to Keenan's papers. They show the many activities in which he participated. Two groups of particular interest are those from post war Germany and from Keenan's trip to South Vietnam. The numerous pictures of Keenan with political and union officials illustrate the respect and esteem in which he is held by those with whom he works. In addition, there are two addendums, which, in effect, make up series eight and nine. These consist of material, much of it photocopied, for Francis X. Gannon's 1984 Keenan biography as well as miscellaneous files donated by Thomas A. Hannigan, Keenan's former Administrative Assistant at the IBEW.

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Arrangement

The Joseph D. Keenan Papers consists of nine series:

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

None.

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Administrative Information

Acquisition Information

The Joseph D. Keenan Papers were donated in 1976, 1983, 1984, 1987, and 1988. Donors included Joseph Daniel Keenan, Francis X. Gannon, George Meany Memorial Archives, and Thomas A. Hannigan.

Processing Information

Processing completed in 1978 by Mary A. Zimmerman. Revised in 2003 by William John Shepherd. Data entry completed in 1997 by Mary Beth Fraser. EAD markup completed in February 2006 by Cathey Dugan and Jordan Patty.

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Related Material

The CUA Archives also contains:

The Cardinal Aloisius Joseph Muench Papers

The George G. Higgins Papers

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Index Terms

This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.

Persons:

Boyle, Michael Joseph, 1879-1958
Chavez, Cesar, 1927-1993
Clay, Lucius D. (Lucius DuBignon), 1897-1978
Cushing, Richard James, Cardinal, 1895-1970
Daley, Richard J., 1902-1976
Farley, James
Green, William
Harrison, George M.
Higgins, George G., 1916-
Johnson, Lyndon B. (Lyndon Baines), 1908-1973
Keenan, Joseph D.
Kelly, Edward
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963
Kennedy, Robert F., 1925-1968
Kennelly, Martin
McGovern, George S. (George Stanley), 1922-
Meany, George, 1894-1980
Muski, Edmund
O'Boyle, Patrick, 1896-1987
Paulsen, Charles
Reuther, Walter, 1907-1970
Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962
Schnitzler, William F., 1904-
Shriver, Sargent, 1915-
Sorenson, Theodore
Trace, D.W.
Truman, Harry S., 1884-1972
Walsh, Richard
Werts, Leo
Woll, Matthew

Organizations:

American Institute for Free Labor Development
International Federation of Builders and Wood Workers
International Metal Workers Federation
United Farm Workers of America

Places:

Germany
South Vietnam

Subjects:

Labor unions reorganization Germany
Labor unions United States
Postwar reconstruction (1939-1951) -- Germany

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Bibliography

Gannon, Francis X. Joseph D. Keenan, Labor's Ambassador in War and Peace. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 1984.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Series 1: Appointment and Passport Books, 1942-1975 (1 box)
Joseph Keenan Appointment books, 1942, 1958, and 1971-1975. Passports for Joseph Keenan dated 1944, 1951, 1957, 1959, and 1965. Passport for his second wife, Myrtle Fox Keenan, dated 1951.
Box Folder
1 BV Appointment Book: Volumes 1-11, 1942, 1958, 1971-1975
BV Passports: Volumes 12-17, 1944, 1951, 1957, 1959, 1965
Series 2: Oral Histories, 1968, 1971, and 1976 (1 box)
Three transcriptions of interviews. A. Larry J. Hackman of the John F. Kennedy Library, January 3, 1968, deals primarily with Keenan's views of Kennedy's Labor relations. B. Jerry N. Hess of the Harry S. Truman Library, February 2, 1971, concerned mainly with major labor events during Truman's presidency. C. George A. Hruneni of the Catholic University Archives, March 12, 1976, deals with Keenan's early labor experiences and major events of his career, tapes included.
Box Folder
1 CT Oral History (Tapes 1 and 2), 3/12/1976
1 Oral History, 1/3/1968, 2/2/1971
2 Oral History, 3/12/1976
Series 3: Correspondence, 1935-1972 (3 boxes)
The bulk of this series is from 1935-1949. There is a gap from about 1950-1965, in which the material is fragmented. Correspondence from 1965 through 1976 is located primarily in Series 5 and 6. The correspondence, arranged chronologically, includes letters reflecting Keenan's early career with the Chicago Federation of Labor. There is also much material related to Keenan's assignment with the War Manpower Division in Germany.
Box Folder
2 1 Chronological, 5/13/1935-5/11/1938
2 Chronological, 5/13/1938-8/16/1938
3 Chronological, 8/30/1938-11/29/1938
4 Chronological, 12/1/1938-3/1/1939
5 Chronological, 3/2/1939-7/24/1939
6 Chronological, 7/25/1939-12/30/1944
7 Chronological, 1/28/1945-2/9/1946
8 Chronological, 4/9/1946-8/8/1946
9 Chronological, 8/12/1946-8/31/1946
10 Chronological, 9/9/1946-11/27/1946
11 Chronological, 12/3/1946-1/13/1947
12 Chronological, 1/14/1947-6/21/1947
13 Chronological, 6/24/1947-8/11/1947
14 Chronological, 8/25/1947-8/30/1947
15 Chronological, 9/13/1947-10/15/1947
16 Chronological, 10/16/1947-11/14/1947
17 Chronological, 11/18/1947-12/15/1947
18 Chronological, 12/8/1947-12/20/1947
Box Folder
3 1 Chronological, 12/22/1947-12/31/1947
2 Chronological, 1/2/1948-1/20/1948
3 Chronological, 1/21/1948-2/10/1948
4 Chronological, 2/11/1948-3/30/1948
5 Chronological, 4/6/1948-12/31/1948
6 Chronological, 1/3/1949-2/26/1949
7 Chronological, 3/1/1949-5/20/1949
8 Chronological, 5/21/1949-7/13/1949
9 Chronological, 7/19/1949-8/27/1949
10 Chronological, 9/7/1949-10/31/1949
11 Chronological, 11/1/1949-1/11/1950
12 Chronological, 1/12/1950-3/3/1950
13 Chronological, 3/6/1950-3/30/1950
14 Chronological, 4/1/1950-5/22/1950
15 Chronological, 5/24/1950-11/5/1950
16 Chronological, 11/10/1950-3/7/1951
17 Chronological, 5/20/1951-2/16/1961
18 Chronological, 2/17/1961-12/1/1961
Box Folder
4 1 Chronological, 3/9/1962-3/7/1963
2 Chronological, 3/13/1973-3/8/1974
3 Chronological, 3/12/1974-5/8/1974
4 Chronological, 5/9/1974-5/10/1974
5 Chronological, 5/11/1974
6 Chronological, 5/13/1974-10/28/1974
7 Chronological, 10/29/1974-1/2/1976, n.d.
Series 4: Miscellaneous Articles, Reports, and Publications, 1938-1974 (2 boxes)
The bulk of this series is from the 1940s and 1950s and consists of a variety of materials chronologically arranged. There are articles on Keenan and the labor movement, legal documents such as law suits and Congressional legislation, and material related to Keenan's work in post war Germany. Among the miscellaneous items is a signed copy of Cardinal O'Boyle's address when Keenan received an honorary doctorate in 1974. Another item of interest is an 1889 Souvenir Programme" of Chicago's Trade and Labor Assembly which includes an historical essay on the Assembly and a brief history of the American Federation of Labor.
Box Folder
4 8 Articles and Speeches, 1945-1974
9 Committee Reports and Activities, 1941
10 Committee Reports and Activities, 1942-1948
11 Committee Reports and Activities, 1948-1957
12 Legal Documents, 1938-1939
13 Legal Documents, 1946
14 Legal Documents, 1946-1948, n.d.
15 Newspaper Clippings, 1937-1950
16 Certificates and Citations, 1940-1960, n.d.
17 Publications, 1889-1950
Box Folder
5 1 Publications, 1948
2 Speeches and Articles-Germany, 1945-1947
3 Publications-Ofc. of Military Government for Germany (US), 1946-1949
4 Publications-OMG (US), 1947
5 Publications-OMG (US), 1947-1948
6 Publications-OMG (US), 1948
7 Publications-OMG (US), 1948-1949
8 Publications-Re: Germany, 1946-1947
9 Publications-Re: Germany, 1948-1949
10 Publications-Re: Germany, 1947-1948
11 Publications-Re: Germany, 1949-1950, n.d.
12 Lists-Re: Germany, n.d.
Series 5: Union Activities Subject Files, 1956-1976 (10 boxes)
This series is divided into two main groups of papers, arranged chronologically by subject: those pertaining to the IBEW and those of the AFL-CIO. The IBEW papers include correspondence and conference materials of the International Metalworkers Federation (IMF) and the International Federation of Builders and Wood Workers (IFBWW), several of whose meetings Keenan attended as a representative of the IBEW. The AFL-CIO papers consist of general correspondence and committee materials, as well as material relating to several foreign conferences at which Keenan represented the AFL-CIO. Two significant groups of material within this series pertain to the establishment of the United Farm Workers Union and Keenan's trip to South Vietnam in 1967.
Box Folder
5 13 IBEW-IMF Correspondence, 10/2/1967-10/2/1969
14 IBEW-IMF Correspondence, 11/4/1969-5/27/1971
15 IBEW-IMF Correspondence, 5/29/1971-10/30/1971
16 IBEW-IMF Correspondence, 12/16/1971-7/6/1972
17 IBEW-IMF Correspondence, 7/7/1972-1/28/1973
18 IBEW-IMF Congress and Committee Meetings-21 IMF Congress Zurich, 1968
Box Folder
6 1 IBEW-IMF Cong. and Comm. Mtgs-IMF Comm. on Multi-Nat. Elec. Co.-Bogota, 1969
2 IBEW-IMF Cong. and Comm. Mtgs-22 IMF Cong. -Laussanne, 1971
3 IBEW-IMF Cong. and Comm. Mtgs-22 IMF Cong. -Laussanne, 1971
4 IBEW-IMF Cong. and Comm. Mtgs-22 IMF Cong. -Laussanne, 1971
5 IBEW-IMF Cong. and Comm. Mtgs-IMF Exec. Comm. Mtg.-San Francisco, 1972
6 IBEW-IMF Cong. and Comm. Mtgs-IMF Exec. Comm. Mtg.-San Francisco, 1972
7 IBEW-IMF Cong. and Comm. Mtgs-IMF Exec. Comm. Mtg.-San Francisco, 1972
8 IBEW-IMF Cong. and Comm. Mtgs-IMF Exec. Comm. Mtg.-San Francisco, 1972
9 IBEW-IMF Cong. and Comm. Mtgs-IMF Exec. Comm. Mtg.-San Francisco, 1972
10 IBEW-IMF Cong. and Comm. Mtgs-IMF Exec. Comm. Mtg.-San Francisco, 1972
11 IBEW-IMF Cong. and Comm. Mtgs-23 IMF Cong.-Stockholm, 1974
12 IBEW-IMF Cong. and Comm. Mtgs-23 IMF Cong.-Stockholm, 1974
13 IBEW-IMF Cong. and Comm. Mtgs-IMF Exec. Comm. Mtg.-Geneva, 1974
14 IBEW-IMF Cong. and Comm. Mtgs-IMF Exec. Comm. Mtg.-Geneva, 1974
15 IBEW-IMF Cong. and Comm. Mtgs-IMF Exec. Comm. Mtg.-Geneva, 1974
16 IBEW-IMF Cong. and Comm. Mtgs-IMF Exec. Comm. Mtg.-Geneva, 1974
17 IBEW-IMF Cong. and Comm. Mtgs-IMF Exec. Comm. Mtg.-Geneva, 1974
Box Folder
7 1 IBEW-IMF Published Minutes and Reports, 1969-1970
2 IBEW-IMF Published Minutes and Reports, 1971-1972
3 IBEW-IFBWW Correspondence, 9/11/1964-5/1/1970
4 IBEW-IFBWW Correspondence, 5/18/1971-4/14/1973
5 IBEW-IFBWW Correspondence, 6/27/1973-1/26/1976
6 IBEW-IFBWW Cong. and Comm. Mtgs.-12th IFBWW Cong.-Tel Aviv, 1969
7 IBEW-IFBWW Cong. and Comm. Mtgs.-12th IFBWW Cong.-Tel Aviv, 1969
8 IBEW-IFBWW Cong. and Comm. Mtgs.-IFBWW Exec. Comm. Mtg.-Paris, 1971
9 IBEW-IFBWW Cong. and Comm. Mtgs.-13th IFBWW Cong.-Belgium, 1972
10 IBEW-IFBWW Cong. and Comm. Mtgs.-IFBWW Exec. Comm. Mtg.-Dublin, 1974
11 IBEW-IFBWW Cong. and Comm. Mtgs.-IFBWW Exec. Comm. Mtg.-Geneva, 1975
12 IBEW-IFBWW Cong. and Comm. Mtgs.-14th IFBWW Cong.-Stockholm, 1975
13 IBEW-IFBWW Cong. and Comm. Mtgs.-14th IFBWW Cong.-Stockholm, 1975
14 IBEW-IFBWW Cong. and Comm. Mtgs.-14th IFBWW Cong.-Stockholm, 1975
15 IBEW-IFBWW Minutes and Published Reports, 1971-1973
16 IBEW-IFBWW Minutes and Published Reports, 1973-1974
Box Folder
8 1 IBEW-IFBWW Minutes and Published Reports, 1974
2 IBEW-IFBWW Minutes and Published Reports, 1974
3 IBEW-IFBWW Minutes and Published Reports, 1974-1975
4 IBEW-IFBWW Minutes and Published Reports, 1975
5 IBEW-IFBWW Minutes and Published Reports, 1975
6 IBEW-IFBWW Minutes and Published Reports, 1975
7 IBEW-Int'l Entertainment Trade Unions 2nd Asia-Pacific Conf.-Corres., 2/1/1973-9/21/1973
8 IBEW-Int'l Entertainment Trade Unions 2nd Asia-Pacific Conf.-Corres., 10/8/1973-11/22/1974
9 AFL-CIO Correspondence, 4/25/1957-8/17/1959
10 AFL-CIO Correspondence, 1/16/1960-12/26/1962
11 AFL-CIO Correspondence, 2/19/1966-12/10/1970
12 AFL-CIO Correspondence, 1/7/1971-6/9/1972
13 AFL-CIO Afro-Am. Labor Ctr.-Corres., 9/2/1964-4/2/1974
14 AFL-CIO Afro-Am. Labor Ctr.-Corres., 3/8/1973-6/27/1975
Box Folder
9 1 AFL-CIO Am. Inst. for Free Labor Development Correspondence, 6/11/1971-3/10/1972
2 AFL-CIO AIFLD Correspondence, 6/30/1972-3/31/1973
3 AFL-CIO AIFLD Correspondence, 6/4/1973
4 AFL-CIO AIFLD Correspondence, 4/25/1973-11/11/1974
5 AFL-CIO AIFLD Correspondence, 4/15/1975-3/12/1976
6 AFL-CIO AIFLD Bd. of Trustees Mtg., 1973
7 AFL-CIO AIFLD Bd. of Trustees Mtg., 1974
8 AFL-CIO AIFLD Exec. Council Mtg., 1975
9 AFL-CIO AIFLD Bd. of Trustees Mtg., 1975
10 AFL-CIO AIFLD Published Reports, 1973-1975
11 AFL-CIO Asia-Am. Free Labor Inst. Correspondence, 3/9/1969-3/12/1971
Box Folder
10 2 AFL-CIO AAFLI Correspondence, 3/1/1973-4/4/1973
3 AFL-CIO AAFLI Correspondence, 5/31/1974
4 AFL-CIO AAFLI Correspondence, 10/5/1974-8/13/1975
5 AFL-CIO Civil Rights Comm. Corres., 12/17/1956-12/5/1972
6 AFL-CIO Civil Rights Comm. Corres., 5/14/1973-10/24/1974
7 AFL-CIO Civil Rights Comm. Corres., 11/14/1974-5/9/1975
8 AFL-CIO Civil Rights Comm. Corres., 6/2/1975-10/28/1975
9 AFL-CIO Civil Rights Comm. Corres., 12/2/1975-2/5/1976
10 AFL-CIO Civil Rights Comm. Mtgs., 1975
11 AFL-CIO Civil Rights Comm. Misc. Printed Material, 1974-1975
12 AFL-CIO Colo. Labor Council Corres., 2/9/1972-3/7/1973
13 AFL-CIO Colo. Labor Council Corres., 4/9/1973-7/8/1973
14 AFL-CIO Colo. Labor Council Corres., 7/17/1973-9/14/1973
15 AFL-CIO Community Service Corres., 3/15/1972-8/13/1974
16 AFL-CIO Community Service Corres., 8/23/1974-2/7/1975
Box Folder
11 1 AFL-CIO Community Service Corres., 2/10/1975-4/1975
2 AFL-CIO Community Service Corres., 5/14/1975-6/20/1975
3 AFL-CIO Community Service Corres., 6/23/1975-12/9/1975
4 AFL-CIO Comm. on Education Corres., 1/19/1961-4/20/1961
5 AFL-CIO Comm. on Education Corres., 5/13/1961-8/10/1962
6 AFL-CIO Comm. on Education Corres., 4/5/1963-12/8/1966
7 AFL-CIO Comm. on Education Corres., 3/25/1970-8/24/1971
8 AFL-CIO Comm. on Education Corres., 7/24/1972-2/24/1974
9 AFL-CIO Advisory Comm. on Foreign Affairs Corres. and Related Mat., 1/2/1966-10/10/1966
10 AFL-CIO Advisory Comm. on Foreign Affairs Corres. and Related Mat., 12/12/1966-4/4/1968
11 AFL-CIO Advisory Comm. on Foreign Affairs Corres. and Related Mat., 6/17/1968-2/24/1969
12 AFL-CIO Advisory Comm. on Foreign Affairs Corres. and Related Mat., 3/10/1969-4/3/1970
13 AFL-CIO Advisory Comm. on Foreign Affairs Corres. and Related Mat., 5/9/1970-9/23/1974
14 AFL-CIO Health, Welfare, and Pensions Corres. and Related Mat., 2/20/1967-2/28/1967
15 AFL-CIO Health, Welfare, and Pensions Corres. and Related Mat., 3/13/1967-5/10/1967
16 AFL-CIO Health, Welfare, and Pensions Corres. and Related Mat., 5/15/1967-7/17/1967
17 AFL-CIO Human Research Dev. Ints. Corres. and Related Mat., 8/4/1969-3/16/1971
Box Folder
12 1 AFL-CIO Human Research Dev. Ints. Corres. and Related Mat., 10/4/1971/11/2/1972
2 AFL-CIO Human Research Dev. Ints. Corres. and Related Mat., 11/10/1972-11/6/1974
3 AFL-CIO Comm. on International Affairs Correspondence, 8/26/1965-10/25/1966
4 AFL-CIO Comm. on Int. Affairs Corres., 11/4/1966-3/9/1970
5 AFL-CIO Comm. on Int. Affairs Corres., 8/14/1970-12/27/1974
6 AFL-CIO George Meany Foundation Correspondence, 6/2/1962-2/2/1964
7 AFL-CIO Geo. Meany Fd. Corres., 3/10/1965-6/7/1967
8 AFL-CIO Geo. Meany Fd. Corres., 6/9/1967-6/2/1971
9 AFL-CIO Geo. Meany Fd. Corres., 1/8/1975-2/25/1976
10 AFL-CIO Ad Hoc Comm. on Mexican Industry Correspondence, 5/7/1968-7/15/1968
11 AFL-CIO Ad Hoc Comm. on Mexican Industry Correspondence, 8/6/1968-8/9/1968
12 AFL-CIO Ad Hoc Comm. on Mexican Industry Correspondence, 8/16/1968-5/13/1971
13 AFL-CIO Comm. on Organization Correspondence, 2/6/1962-10/31/1962
14 AFL-CIO Comm. on Organization Correspondence, 5/14/1968-7/16/1973
15 AFL-CIO United Farm Workers Corres., 2/10/1961-3/26/1971
16 AFL-CIO United Farm Workers Corres., 4/12/1971-12/11/1972
Box Folder
13 1 AFL-CIO United Farm Workers Corres., 1/4/1973-1/8/1973
2 AFL-CIO United Farm Workers Corres., 1/12/1973-6/4/1973
3 AFL-CIO United Farm Workers Corres., 6/22/1973-11/30/1973
4 AFL-CIO United Farm Workers Corres., 4/2/1974-10/9/1975
5 AFL-CIO United Farm Workers Corres., 10/12/1975-11/1/1975
6 AFL-CIO United Farm Workers Corres., 11/6/1975-11/14/1975
7 AFL-CIO Foreign Mtgs.-ILO 6th Regional Conference-Havana, 1956
8 AFL-CIO Foreign Mtgs.-ICFTU 6th World Congress-Brussells, 1959
9 AFL-CIO Foreign Mtgs.-ILO 47th Session Geneva, 1963
10 AFL-CIO Foreign Mtgs.-Irish Congress of Trade Unions-Belfast, 1964
11 AFL-CIO Foreign Mtgs.-5th National CISL Congress Rome-Correspondence, 10/20/1964-4/22/1965
12 AFL-CIO Foreign Mtgs.-5th National CISL Congress Rome-Correspondence, 4/25/1965-6/3/1965
13 AFL-CIO Foreign Mtgs.-ICFTU 8th World Conf. Amsterdam-Correspondence, 5/21/1965-9/1/1965
14 AFL-CIO Foreign Mtgs.-ICFTU 8th World Conf. Amsterdam-Reports, 1965
15 AFL-CIO Foreign Mtgs.-ICFTU 8th World Conf. Amsterdam-Minutes, 1965
16 AFL-CIO Foreign Mtgs.-ICFTU 8th World Conf. Amsterdam-Minutes, 1965
17 AFL-CIO Foreign Mtgs.-ICFTU 8th World Conf. Amsterdam-Misc. Pubs., 1965
18 AFL-CIO Special Trips-India, 12/1958-2/1959
19 AFL-CIO Special Trips-Berlin, 1962
Box Folder
14 1 AFL-CIO Special Trips-Helsinki, 1964
2 AFL-CIO Special Trips-Helsinki, 1964
3 AFL-CIO Special Trips-Vietnam (and India) Correspondence, 8/14/1967-10/25/1967
4 AFL-CIO Special Trips-Vietnam (and India) Correspondence, 10/27/1967-10/28/1967
5 AFL-CIO Special Trips-Vietnam (and India) Correspondence, 10/26/1967-11/14/1967
6 AFL-CIO Special Trips-Vietnam (and India) Correspondence, 1/15/1967-12/18/1967
7 AFL-CIO Special Trips-Vietnam (and India) Misc. Information, n.d.
8 AFL-CIO Special Trips-Vietnam (and India) Misc. Info., Pubs., Maps, 1967
9 AFL-CIO Special Trips-AIFLD Trip to Brazil-Correspondence, 1/30/1975-6/9/1975
Series 6: Service Activities Subject Files, 1960-1976 (4 boxes)
This series includes correspondence and related materials of the various service organizations in which Keenan was active, such as the American National Red Cross, the Boy Scouts of America, the National Corporation for Housing Partnerships, and the Eleanor Roosevelt Memorial Foundation. Keenan was an active fund raiser for many of these organizations and much of the material is printed reports and financial statements.
Box Folder
14 10 American National Red Cross-Corres., 8/6/1970-5/22/1974
11 American National Red Cross-Corres., 8/9/1974-11/6/1974
12 American National Red Cross-Corres., 11/11/1974
13 American National Red Cross-Corres., 11/18/1974
Box Folder
15 1 American National Red Cross-Corres., 11/19/1974-12/13/1974
2 American National Red Cross-Corres., 2/7/1975
3 American National Red Cross-Corres., 2/4/1/75-6/12/1975
4 American National Red Cross-Corres., 3/21/1975-8/5/1975
5 Am. Red Cross, D.C. Chapter-Corres., 7/1/1972-6/4/1974
6 Boy Scouts Capital Area-Corres., 4/28/1961-4/26/1974
7 Boy Scouts Capital Area-Corres., 3/18/1974-2/3/1976
8 Brookings Institution-Corres., 9/14/1962-8/29/1974
9 Fed. Nat. Mortgage Assoc.-Corres., 1/10/1972-3/14/1974
10 FNMA-Advisory Comm. Mtg., 2/16/1972
11 FNMA-Advisory Comm. Mtg., 12/12/1972
12 FNMA-Advisory Comm. Mtg., 5/30/1973
Box Folder
16 1 FNMA-Advisory Comm. Mtg., 12/12/1973
2 Nat. Assembly for Social Policy and Development-Correspondence, 2/1/1968-12/14/1972
3 Nat. Conf. of Christians and Jews-Correspondence, 10/6/1969-10/4/1973
4 Nat. Conf. of Christians and Jews-Correspondence, 10/4/1973-5/24/1975
5 Nat. Conf. of Christians and Jews-Correspondence, 5/27/1975-3/16/1976
6 Nat. Coordinating Comm. of the Beverage Industry-Corres., 2/1970-7/29/1974
7 Nat. Corp. for Housing Partnerships-Corres., 5/15/1970-3/16/1976
8 Nat. Corp. for Housing Partnerships-Corres., 3/24/1972-12/17/1974
9 Nat. Housing Research Council-Corres., 12/1/1971-12/31/1973
10 Nat. Housing Research Council-Corres., 1/24/1974-3/18/1974
11 Nat. Housing Research Council-Corres., 3/19/1974-8/19/1974
12 Nat. Institute of Justice-Corres., 10/25/1972-6/25/1973
13 Nat. Institute of Justice-Corres., 7/16/1973-11/20/1973
14 Nat. Institute of Justice-Corres., 1/25/1974-2/25/1974
15 Nat. Institute of Justice-Corres., 2/25/1974-5/16/1975
16 Ofc. of Emergency Planning-Corres., 6/30/1963-8/5/1969
17 Ofc. of Emergency Planning-Corres., 8/18/1969-8/17/1971
Box Folder
17 1 Population Crisis Comm.-Corres., 10/24/1966-3/24/1971
2 Population Crisis Comm.-Corres., 3/26/1971-12/7/1973
3 Population Crisis Comm.-Corres., 5/15/1974-12/18/1975
4 Eleanor Roosevelt Cancer Fund, 9/17/1960-12/11/1969
5 Eleanor Roosevelt Memorial Foundation Correspondence, 2/25/1963-10/16/1963
6 Eleanor Roosevelt Mem. Fd.-Corres., 11/1/1963
7 Eleanor Roosevelt Mem. Fd.-Corres., 1/6/1964-3/13/1964
8 Eleanor Roosevelt Mem. Fd.-Corres., 8/10/1964-4/2/1965
9 Eleanor Roosevelt Mem. Fd.-Corres., 6/8/1965-9/8/1965
10 Eleanor Roosevelt Mem. Fd.-Corres., 9/21/1965-3/31/1967
11 Eleanor Roosevelt Mem. Fd.-Corres., 4/7/1967-6/3/1969
12 Eleanor Roosevelt Mem. Fd.-Corres., 5/17/1970-12/1/1972
13 FDR Monument Comm.-Correspondence, 4/12/1970-8/24/1970
14 Tax Action Campaign-Corres., 10/9/1972-8/6/1973
15 UN Assoc., U.S.A.-Correspondence, 9/26/1967-4/60/1975
16 United Way-Correspondence, 9/9/1970-10/16/1970
17 United Way-Correspondence, 11/6/1970-1/21/1976
Series 7: Photographs, Scrapbooks, and Miscellaneous, n.d. (6 boxes)
The bulk of this series contains photographs covering Keenan's long labor career. The photos are divided into three groups: photos relating to correspondence, dated photos, and undated photos. Two major groups of photos cover post war Germany and Keenan's 1967 trip to South Vietnam, including pictures of Vice President Nguyen Cao Ky and Ambassador Bunker. Key labor figures included are George Meany, William Schnitzler, Dick Walsh, Frank Fitzsimmons, A. Philip Randolph, Arthur Goldber, and Walter Reuther. Political leaders pictured include Presidents Truman, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon, as well as Hubert Humphrey, Adlai Stevenson, George McGovern, Stuart Symington, Richard Daley, Martin Kennelly, Carl Albert, and Wayne Morse. There are also two scrapbooks, plaques, various citations, and a sampling of convention badges in this series. One of the scrapbooks (volume 18) is a record, through newspaper clippings, of the controversy after Kennedy suggested Keenan's appointment to the Manpower post of the Department of Defense. The other (volume 19) was made by Keenan's sister and portrays his career (ca. 1940-1970) through newspaper clippings. The citations include the Rerum Novarum Award (1961) and the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Award (1973). The box of convention badges is a representative sample of the many badges Keenan collected over the years and includes badges from conventions, both state and national, of the AFL, IBEW, and AFL-CIO, as well as from various departments of the AFL-CIO, such as the Building and Construction Trades.
Box Folder
18 1 Photographs Relating to Corres., 1940s-1950s
2 Photographs Relating to Corres., 1960-1965
3 Photographs Relating to Corres., 1965
4 Photographs Relating to Corres., 1967
5 Photographs Relating to Corres., 1967
6 Photographs Relating to Corres., 1967
7 Photographs Relating to Corres., 1969-1970
8 Photographs Relating to Corres., 1972-1973
9 Photographs Relating to Corres., 1974
10 Photographs Relating to Corres., 1975-1976
11 Dated Photographs, 1939-1949
12 Dated Photographs, 1950-1959
13 Dated Photographs, 1960-1964
14 Dated Photographs, 1965-1969
15 Dated Photographs-Kennedy and Johnson Administrations, 1960-1968
16 Dated Photographs, 1970-1975
17 Undated Photographs, 1940-1949
18 Undated Photographs, 1940-1949
Box Folder
19 BV Scrapbook-Clippings Re: Manpower Post Controversy (volume 18), 1960-1961
1 Undated Photographs, 1950-1959
2 Undated Photographs, 1950-1959
3 Undated Photographs, 1950-1959
4 Undated Photographs, 1950-1959
5 Undated Photographs, 1960-1969
6 Undated Photographs, 1960-1969
7 Undated Photographs, 1960-1969
8 Undated Photographs, 1960-1969
9 Undated Photographs, 1960-1969
10 Undated Photographs, 1960-1969
11 Undated Photographs, 1960-1969
12 Undated Photographs, 1960-1969
13 Undated Photographs, 1970-1975
14 Undated Photographs, 1970-1975
15 Undated Photographs, 1970-1975
Box Folder
20 1 Plaque: American Arbitration Association, n.d.
2 Plaque: 'The Democratic Majority of the Congress of the United States presents this Certificate of Appreciation to Joseph D. Keenan......., November 7, 1972,', 1972
3 Box of Miscellaneous Convention Badges, n.d.
Box Folder
39 BV Oversized Scrapbook-Career Clippings (Volume 19), 1940-1970
1 Dated Oversized Photographs-Johnson Administration, 1966-1968
2 Undated Oversized Photographs, 1960-1975
3 Undated Oversized Photographs and Citations, 1956-1973
Series 8: Addendum 1: Francis X. Gannon Research Materials, n.d. (4 boxes)
Accessions 84-14 (box 21, folder 1 to box 24, folder 6) and 84-19 (box 24, folder 7), consists of research material photocopied from other repositories for Gannon's 1984 biography of Keenan titled Joseph D. Keenan, Labor's Ambassador in War and Peace.
Box Folder
21 1 Francis X. Gannon Correspondence, 1981-1983
2 Keenan Correspondence and Other Papers (Photocopies), 1938-1941
3 Keenan Correspondence and Other Papers (Photocopies), 1942
4 Keenan Correspondence and Other Papers (Photocopies), 1943
5 Keenan Correspondence and Other Papers (Photocopies), 1944-1945
6 Keenan Correspondence and Other Papers (Photocopies), 1946-1948
7 Keenan Correspondence and Other Papers (Photocopies), 1950
8 Keenan Correspondence and Other Papers (Photocopies), 1961-1967
9 Keenan Correspondence and Other Papers (Photocopies), 1968-1969
Box Folder
22 1 Keenan Correspondence and Other Papers (Photocopies), 1970-1972
2 Keenan Correspondence and Other Papers (Photocopies), 1973-1980
3 Keenan Correspondence and Other Papers (Photocopies), n.d.
4 Keenan Overseas Diary (Photocopies), n.d.
5 Keenan Articles and Speeches, 1941-1957
6 Keenan Articles and Speeches, 1958-1961
7 Keenan Articles and Speeches, 1962-1964
8 Keenan Articles and Speeches, 1965-1969
9 Keenan Articles and Speeches, 1970-1971
Box Folder
23 1 Keenan Articles and Speeches, 1972-1973
2 Keenan Articles and Speeches, 1974-1981
3 Printed Matter: U.S. War Production Board, 1942, 1946
4 Printed Matter: U.S. War Production Board, 1952
5 Printed Matter: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), 1970-1979
6 Printed Matter: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), n.d.
7 Printed Matter: Postwar Germany, 1946-1949
Box Folder
24 1 Printed Matter: Postwar Germany, n.d.
2 Printed Matter: Postwar Germany, n.d.
3 Printed Matter: Postwar Germany, n.d.
4 Printed Matter: Postwar Germany, n.d.
5 Printed Matter: Postwar Germany, n.d.
6 Photographs, n.d.
7 Photographs, n.d.
Photos used by Gannon but returned to Meany Archives.
8 Keenan Biography by Francis X. Gannon (2 copies), 1984
Series 9: Addendum 2: Miscellaneous, n.d. (14 boxes)
Accession 93-17, Files of Keenan's Administrative Assistant, Thomas A. Hannigan, pertaining to his superior and his activities and include Keenan's correspondence (box 25, folder 1 to box 34, folder 4), in some cases annotated by Hannigan (box 34, folder 5 to box 37, folder 2). There are also oral histories, overseas diaries/notebooks, speeches, testimony, biographical material, and photographs (box 37, folder 3 to box 38; see also Series 7).
Box Folder
25 1 Keenan Oral History Interview, 1969
2 Keenan Oral History Interview, 1972
3 Union Organizations: Force Ouviere de la Metallurgie, 1970-1975
4 Union Organizations: Foreign Trade Unions, 1975
5 Union Organizations: Henry Jackson for President Committee, 1976
6 Union Organizations: Labor's Committee for the Election of Truman and Barkley, 1948
7 Union Organizations: Labor's League for Political Education, March - July 1948
8 Union Organizations: Labor's League for Political Education, August - October 1948
9 Union Organizations: Labor's League for Political Education, November- December 1948
10 Union Organizations: Labor's League for Political Education, January - May 1949
11 Union Organizations: Labor's League for Political Education, June - November 1949
Box Folder
26 1 Union Organizations: Local Union 134, IBEW, 1962, 1966-1975
2 Union Organizations: Metalworkers Federation, International, 1971-1976
3 Union Organizations: Union Label and Service Trades Department, AFL-CIO, 1976
4 Civic Organizations: American Arbitration Association, 1974-1976
Box Folder
27 1 Civic Organizations: American Arbitration Association, 1976
2 Civic Organizations: Americans for Energy Independence, 1975
Box Folder
28 1 Civic Organizations: Americans for Energy Independence, 1976
1 Civic Organizations: British North American Committee, 1969 - 1976
Box Folder
29 1 Civic Organizations: Canadian - American National Planning Committee, 1969-1974
2 Civic Organizations: Canadian - American National Planning Committee, January - June 1975
3 Civic Organizations: Canadian - American National Planning Committee, July - December 1975
4 Civic Organizations: Canadian - American National Planning Committee, 1976
Box Folder
30 1 Civic Organizations: Committee: Cooperative Housing, Foundation for, 1972-1976
2 Civic Organizations: Democratic Advisory Council of Elected Officials, 1973-1976
Box Folder
31 1 Civic Organizations: Democratic National Committee, 1956-1976
2 Civic Organizations: Export - Import Bank Advisory Committee, 1973-1976
3 Civic Organizations: National Alternative Inner City Futures Project, 1975
4 Civic Organizations: National Committee for Full Employment, 1975-1976
4 Civic Organizations: National Housing Conference, 1965, 1974-1976
Box Folder
32 1 Civic Organizations: National Planning Association, 1969-1976
2 Civic Organizations: Urban Coalition, 1975-1976
3 A-G, 1976
4 H-N, 1967-1976
5 O-Z, 1975-1976
Box Folder
33 1 Clubs: Butterfield Country Club, 1956-1976
2 Clubs: Columbia Country Club, 1954-1976
3 Clubs: Electric Golf Club, 1965-1976
4 Clubs: Harmony Club of Chicago, 1972-1976
5 Clubs: Irish Fellowship Club, 1967-1976
6 Clubs: National Capital Democratic Club, 1966-1976
7 Clubs: O'Leary's Upside-Down Club, 1962, 1971-1976
8 Clubs: Touchdown Club, 1957-1976
9 Expenses: Farm Workers, 1971-1975
10 Expenses: Medical, 1963-1976
11 Miscellaneous: Curtin, Cornelius, SJ, India, 19 54-1975
12 Miscellaneous: Keyserling, Leon H., 19 75-1976
Box Folder
34 1 Miscellaneous: Notre Dame University, 1967-1975
2 Miscellaneous: Shiskin, Boris, 1971-1975
3 Miscellaneous: Sample Letters, 1975
4 Miscellaneous: White House, 1969-1974
5 Thomas Hannigan Files: Civic and Union Activities: AIFLD/IMF Program, 1975
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