This collection has access restrictions. For details, please see the restrictions.
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the World Wide Web. See the Duplication Policy section for more information.
Size | 178.5 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 87700 items) |
Abstract | Southerners for Economic Justice (SEJ) was founded in 1976 during a successful campaign to help J. P. Stevens textile workers unionize. Since then, SEJ has focused on empowering the unemployed and working poor to develop community-based strategies to solve social problems associated with economic crisis. Records, 1977-2001, of Southerners for Economic Justice document the organization under the leadership of its first three directors: James Sessions, Leah Wise, and Cynthia D. Brown. Administrative records document the everyday operations and strategic planning of SEJ, as well as the organizational culture of a non-profit organization. Project and subject files document programmatic work, grassroots organizing, and related interests of the organization, especially unemployment due to plant closings, racist violence, environmental racism, shrinking union membership, contingent work, workplace health and safety reform, leadership training for minority women and youth, and literacy. Subject files also show collaboration with churches and like-minded organizations and grassroots activists at local, state, regional, national, and international levels to build and participate in support networks and coalition groups, including the Southeast Regional Economic Justice Network, among many others. Highlights of SEJ's documented activist work include the J. P. Stevens campaign; the Schlage Lock campaign; the workers' bill of rights for city employees of Durham, N.C.; Betrayal of Trust: Stories of Working North Carolinians , a report published in 1989 that documents workplace discrimination and wrongful firing of workers; the Hamlet, N.C., coalition for workplace safety reform; the Working Women's Organizing Project; Youth for Social Change; and Voices of Experience, a collaborative group that advised and advocated for people experiencing welfare reform. Other materials include an extensive collection of economic and social justice newsletters and photographs, chiefly documenting SEJ meetings and events, but also showing Durham, N.C., scenes. |
Creator | Southerners for Economic Justice. |
Curatorial Unit | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection. |
Language | English |
Processed by: Nancy Kaiser, December 2008
Encoded by: Nancy Kaiser, December 2008
Updated by: Amelia W. Holmes, August 2016; Dawne Howard Lucas, February 2021; Laura Smith, February 2022
Back to TopThe following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.
Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.
Southerners for Economic Justice (SEJ) was founded in 1976 during a successful campaign to help J. P. Stevens textile workers unionize. The organization formed to support the empowerment of workers by developing community and institutional allies at the local and national levels. SEJ especially engaged churches, locally to build community support for organizing workers and nationally at the denominational level for expressions of solidarity with their cause.
During the 1980s, SEJ focused its efforts on building community responses to the effects of economic crisis--unemployment due to plant closings, escalating racist violence, shrinking union membership, oppressive working conditions, environmental damage, and abuse of workers' health. Projects and networks such as the workers rights project, Betrayal of Trust: Stories of Working North Carolinians , North Carolinians Against Religious and Racial Violence (NCARRV), the Schlage Workers for Justice, and the womens/legal organizing project, grew out of their empowerment agenda. Their chief constituency during this period was dislocated and marginalized workers, often low income or unemployed and injured women of color. Development of leadership and organizational skills in African American youth became a second focus later in the decade.
In addition to organizing local grassroots projects, SEJ worked to articulate the conditions and concerns of southern workers and communities in a regional, national, and international context. In 1989, the organization helped to launch the Southeast Regional Economic Justice Network (REJN), with the goal of building a broad-based economic justice movement in the South. REJN sought to develop grassroots working-class leadership, to strengthen activist organizations, and to infuse local organizing work with a global political/economic analysis. Its working groups focused on transient industry, contingent workforces, health and safety, poultry/catfish workers, religious partnerships, and economic research. SEJ also allied with a number of other existing organizations, including the Center for Democratic Renewal, the Interreligious Economic Crisis Organizing Network (I/Econ), and the Federation for Industrial Retention and Renewal (FIRR) among many others.
During the 1990s, SEJ concentrated on responding to economic restructuring and global economic integration. SEJ continued to study contingent work, environmental racism, destabilized African American communities, and cuts in welfare and other health and social programs for the poor. Their programmatic efforts included building and participating in coalitions at the local, regional, national, and international levels, advocating for policy changes and analyzing economic trends. Some of their many networking and coalition partners during this period included the North Carolina Welfare Reform Collaborative; the North Carolina Multi Issue Alliance; and Voices of Experience, a collaboration of organizations to advise and advocate for people experiencing Work First welfare reform. SEJ's community organizing work, including the Working Women's Organizing Project and Youth for Social Change, aimed to help their chief constituencies--African American women and youth in Durham, N.C.--to achieve changes in their lives, neighborhoods, workplaces, as well as in community institutions and public policies.
As of 2009, Southerners for Economic Justice continues to work for the cause of economic and social justice.
Back to TopThe collection is records, 1977-2001, of Southerners for Economic Justice, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the unemployed and working poor to develop community-based strategies to solve social problems associated with economic crisis. Administrative records, including correspondence (chiefly outgoing), board of directors, press, fundraising, financial, and personnel materials, document the everyday operations and strategic planning of SEJ, as well as the organizational culture of a non-profit organization. Project and subject files document programmatic work, grassroots organizing, and related interests of the organization, especially unemployment due to plant closings, racist violence, environmental racism, shrinking union membership, contingent work, workplace health and safety reform, leadership training for minority women and youth, and literacy. Subject files also show collaboration with churches, like-minded organizations, and grassroots activists at local, state, regional, national, and international levels to build and participate in support networks and coalition groups, including the Southeast Regional Economic Justice Network, North Carolinians Against Racial and Religious Violence, the North Carolina Welfare Reform Collaborative, and the North Carolina Multi Issue Alliance, among many others. Highlights of SEJ's documented activist work include the J. P. Stevens campaign; the Schlage Lock campaign; the workers' bill of rights for city employees of Durham, N.C.; Betrayal of Trust: Stories of Working North Carolinians , a 1989 publication documenting individual accounts of worker abuse; the Hamlet, N.C., coalition for workplace safety reform; the Working Women's Organizing Project; Youth for Social Change; and Voices of Experience, a collaborative group that advised and advocated for people experiencing welfare reform. Other materials include an extensive collection of economic and social justice newsletters and photographs, chiefly documenting SEJ meetings and events, but also showing Durham, N.C., scenes.
Researchers should note that there is considerable overlap of subjects in Series 2 through 5 because of the programmatic continuity from one director to the next. File titles for similar materials, however, may vary from one series to the next.
Back to TopArrangement: alphabetical by subject.
Materials relating to the court cases, boycott, and public relations campaign against J. P. Stevens & Co., which was accused of unfair labor practices. Included are legal materials, correspondence, reports, financial materials, clippings, and other printed material documenting grassroots organizing of workers and public sentiment against J. P. Stevens & Co.
Box 1-3
Box 1Box 2Box 3 |
J. P. Stevens & Co. |
Administrative records and subject files that document the first programmatic period of the organization, chiefly under the leadership of James Sessions. Some materials related to this time period were filed by the organization with like materials in Series 3.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Box 3a |
Address files |
Box 3b |
Address files |
Box 3 |
Advertisements |
Annual meetings, 1981, 1983 |
|
Background information |
|
Box 3-4
Box 3Box 4 |
Board of Directors |
Box 4 |
Center for Education Toward Peace and Justice in North Carolina |
Chambers, Stein, Ferguson and Becton, P.A. |
|
Correspondence |
|
Box 4-5
Box 4Box 5 |
Fair Measure |
Box 5 |
Financial MaterialsIncludes bills, budgets, check stubs, audits, ledger sheets, receipts, and reports |
Box 5-6
Box 5Box 6 |
Fundraising MaterialsIncludes planning notes; proposal drafts; and correspondence with churches, unions, and charitable individuals and organizations |
Box 6 |
Marshall, Bishop Arthur |
Office administration |
|
Personnel |
|
Box 6-7
Box 6Box 7 |
Press releases and other communicationsRegarding Southerners for Economic Justice programs, technology and economic justice, Duke Committee, the Thompson Committee, and labor news |
Box 7 |
StaffMeetings, biographies, retreat |
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Administrative records, project files, subject files, and organization files that document the second programmatic period of the organization, chiefly under the leadership of Leah Wise.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Box 12 |
Annual report notes |
Box 12-14
Box 12Box 13Box 14 |
Board of Directors |
Box 14-16
Box 14Box 15Box 16 |
Correspondence, 1985-1993Chiefly outgoing letters |
Box 16 |
Electronic networking |
Employment inquiries |
|
Financial materialsBudgets, fundraising, income sources, tax materials, reports |
|
Box 16-18
Box 16Box 17Box 18 |
Fundraising materialsIncludes training notes, correspondence, project proposals, and information about potential funders |
Box 18 |
Information Management and Resources |
Box 18-19
Box 18Box 19 |
Loose papersScattered correspondence, proposals, notes Includes 5.25 and 3.5 inch floppy disks (FLD-5320/1-83). |
Box 19 |
Personnel |
Box 20 |
Program Review, 1989-1990 |
Quarterly report |
|
Research notes, catalogs, books |
|
Floppy Disc FLD-5320/86-133
FLD-5320/86FLD-5320/87FLD-5320/88FLD-5320/89FLD-5320/90FLD-5320/91FLD-5320/92FLD-5320/93FLD-5320/94FLD-5320/95FLD-5320/96FLD-5320/97FLD-5320/98FLD-5320/99FLD-5320/100FLD-5320/101FLD-5320/102FLD-5320/103FLD-5320/104FLD-5320/105FLD-5320/106FLD-5320/107FLD-5320/108FLD-5320/109FLD-5320/110FLD-5320/111FLD-5320/112FLD-5320/113FLD-5320/114FLD-5320/115FLD-5320/116FLD-5320/117FLD-5320/118FLD-5320/119FLD-5320/120FLD-5320/121FLD-5320/122FLD-5320/123FLD-5320/124FLD-5320/125FLD-5320/126FLD-5320/127FLD-5320/128FLD-5320/129FLD-5320/130FLD-5320/131FLD-5320/132FLD-5320/133 |
Software5.25 inch floppy disks with software program files for Wordstar, WordPerfect, Printmaster, and other programs. Floppy discs are not numbered at this time. |
Box 20 |
Staff materialsMeeting minutes and memos |
Extra Oversize Paper XOP-5320/1 |
Strategic planning notes |
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Project files include materials relating to programmatic activities of the organization, board of director materials for various grassroots organizations that Leah Wise served on, and other subject files. Also included are research, interview, and other files related to Betrayal of Trust: Stories of Working North Carolinians , a 1989 Southerners for Economic Justice publication documenting cases of dislocated workers.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Subject files provide background information for social and economic justice issues of interest to the Southerners for Economic Justice.
Box 31 |
AfricaSubtopics include Angola, Eritrea, Mozambique, South Africa, United States anti-apartheid and divestment, and unions |
Anti-nuclear energy |
|
Appalachia |
|
Articles |
|
Extra Oversize Paper XOP-5320/2 |
Articles |
Box 31 |
African American communityHealth care, data, land loss |
BoycottsGeneral Electric, grapes |
|
Campaign finance reform |
|
Cointelpro |
|
Canadian free trade issue |
|
Carolina Institute of Politics |
|
Central AmericaSubtopics include Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Cuba, El Salvador |
|
Cointelpro |
|
Community organizing |
|
Concerned Citizens United of Durham, N.C. |
|
Conferences |
|
Contingent workforce |
|
Corporate ethics |
|
Democracy |
|
Directories |
|
Discounts |
|
Economic crisisSubtopics include agriculture, African Americans, plant closings, economic dislocation, economic development, industrial development, health, rural development, economic education, North Carolina, and women |
|
Box 31-32
Box 31Box 32 |
Economic justiceSubtopics include conferences, women, faith, march on Washington (1983) |
Box 32 |
Economic policySubtopics include budget cuts, federal budget, pay equity, free trade, General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), Mexico and free trade, industrial policy, Kentucky Broad Form Deed Campaign, legislation, minimum wage, national rural agenda, poverty, taxes |
Economic Research |
|
Education |
|
Box 33 |
EmploymentSubtopics include at-will termination, minority workers, full employment, North Carolina surveys, pay equity, rights, women in the labor force |
EnvironmentSubtopics include chemical spills, justice, emergency planning, community right-to-know, environmental risks, racism, toxic waste and minorities, legislative proposals, toxic waste in North Carolina, Shiloh community |
|
Grenada invasion |
|
Gulf War |
|
History of struggle |
|
Homeless |
|
Housing |
|
Box 34 |
Hunger |
Immigration |
|
IndustrySubtopics include agribusiness, automobile, furniture, office work, postal, poultry, shipbuilding, textile |
|
Inquiries |
|
Japan |
|
Jobs with JusticeIncludes newsletters |
|
JusticeSubtopics include court system, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), police |
|
Keysville, Ga. |
|
King, Martin Luther Jr. |
|
LaborSubtopics include management challenges, union busting, child care, child labor, data, farmworkers, federal job programs, migrant workers, labor climate report of Southern Regional Economic Justice Network |
|
Box 35 |
Labor issuesSubtopics include concession bargaining, hazardous conditions, industrial health and safety, right to know, minimum wage, North Carolina, workers' rights, workers' compensation, Occupational Safety and Health Act |
Labor OrganizingSubtopics include unions, the South, campaigns, building multi-ethnic agricultural workers' organization in the East |
|
Labor unionsSubtopics are individual unions listed by name |
|
Box 35-36
Box 35Box 36 |
Mailing lists |
Box 36 |
Maps |
Military spending |
|
Minority Farmers Rights Bill |
|
Native Americans |
|
Occupational Safety and Health Act |
|
Palestine |
|
Participatory research |
|
Pensions |
|
Philipines |
|
Box 36-38
Box 36Box 37Box 38 |
Plant closingsSubtopics include various plant closings around the country, from South Carolina to Alabama to California; grassroots community organizations, interfaith task forces, and unemployment networks that formed in response to these economic crises; government responses; impact on women; impact on African American workers |
Box 38-40
Box 38Box 39Box 40 |
Racism and ViolenceSubtopics include North Carolinians Against Racist and Religious Violence (NCARRV); Governor's Task Force on Racial, Religious, and Ethnic Violence; Greensboro Coalition for Unity and Justice; Greensboro Klan killings; Greensboro Justice Fund; North Carolina Anti-Klan Activity Conference; White Knights suit; Populist Party report; right wing and public education; racism and anti-semitism; Ku Klux Klan activity in Georgia and North Carolina; Center for Democratic Renewal (CDR); law enforcement guidebook for responding to racial and religious violence |
Box 40-42
Box 40Box 41Box 42 |
Religious groupsSubtopics include various religious faiths and faith-based organizations, church and women |
Box 42 |
ResourcesBooks, film, art, magazines |
Retreat Centers Information |
|
Robeson County, N.C.: Eddie Hatcher and Timothy Jacobs |
|
South Pacific |
|
Southern economy |
|
Technology |
|
Third World |
|
Training programs |
|
Transnational CorporationsSubtopics include impact on rural poor in Asia, in African American communities; Bhopal and Union Carbide, Maquiladores |
|
Unemployment |
|
United States Department of Commerce |
|
Video resources |
|
Welfare |
|
Who Owns Whom |
|
Women in machining |
|
Worker owned business |
|
Workplace democracy |
|
World Policy Journal |
|
Youth |
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Organization files document the work of other grassroots social justice organizations at local, national, and international levels. Similar organization files may also be found in series 2.2, 3.2, 4.2, and 5.2.
Administrative records and subject files that document the first segment of the third programmatic period of the organization, chiefly under the leadership of Cynthia D. Brown.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Box 48 |
Archives |
Announcements, invitations |
|
ArticlesSubject areas of interest |
|
Board of DirectorsMany of the materials from this time period are filed with the Board of Directors materials in series 5.1. |
|
Brochures and event flyers |
|
Cynthia D. Brown: Miscellaneous correspondence |
|
Calendar: Barbara Taylor |
|
Computer |
|
Box 48-50
Box 48Box 49Box 50 |
Correspondence, 1994-1997 |
Box 51 |
Educational materials |
Executive director |
|
Facilitator notes |
|
Faxes from the White House |
|
Box 51-54
Box 51Box 52Box 53Box 54 |
Financial materialsRoutine accounting records and budget planning documents |
Box 54 |
Fiscal agentRecords for Black Public Works Association, Southeast Regional Economic Justice Network (REJN), United States Urban Rural Mission (US/URM), and UNC Housekeepers Association |
Box 54-55
Box 54Box 55 |
Fundraising materialsIncludes training notes, correspondence, project proposals, and information about funders |
Box 56 |
History and program background |
Legislative information |
|
Letters of support |
|
Loose papersScattered material on houskeepers, working women, and contingent workers |
|
Mailing lists |
|
Media contacts |
|
Menus |
|
Mission Intern Program |
|
Box 57 |
News articles |
North Carolina Community Shares |
|
Box 57-58
Box 57Box 58 |
Notes |
Box 58 |
Office materials |
Organizational materialsAssessments, policies, structure and relationships, workplans |
|
Box 58-59
Box 58Box 59 |
Personnel |
Box 59 |
Program planning |
Box 59-60
Box 59Box 60 |
Program review |
Box 60 |
Public Allies |
Public relations |
|
PublicationsIncludes Common Good, Everybody's Business , Fair Measure, and miscellaneous brochures and flyers |
|
Reference/Resources |
|
Solidarity support provided/requested |
|
Box 60-61
Box 60Box 61 |
Special events |
Box 61 |
Speeches: Cynthia D. Brown |
StaffMemos, program meetings and reports, resource readings, retreat, training and education materials |
|
Staff: Timesheets |
|
Box 61-62
Box 61Box 62 |
Staff: Workplans |
Box 62 |
Strategic planning |
Extra Oversize Paper XOP-5320/3 |
Strategic planning notes |
Box 62 |
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Work-Study |
Video production |
|
Volunteers |
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Administrative records and subject files that document the second segment of the third programmatic period of the organization, chiefly under the leadership of Cynthia D. Brown.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Box 79 |
Articles of Incorporation |
Box 79-81
Box 79Box 80Box 81 |
Board of Directors |
Box 81 |
Brochure |
Box 81-84
Box 81Box 82Box 83Box 84 |
Correspondence, 1998-2001Chiefly outgoing letters |
Box 84 |
Flyers |
Box 85-86
Box 85Box 86 |
Financial materialsIncludes audits and contracts but is comprised chiefly of files of expenses submitted to accounting firm |
Box 86 |
Fiscal agentSoutherners for Economic Justice served as fiscal agent for Casa Multicultural, El Centro Hispano, Project Excellence, Project Rescue, Southern Echo Inc. |
Box 86-87
Box 86Box 87 |
FundraisingIncludes correspondence, funding proposals (1991-2000), letters of support, and background on funders |
Box 88 |
Incident reports |
Mailing lists |
|
Box 89 |
Mission statement and history |
News articles |
|
OfficeIncludes information about equipment, supplies, vendors, and insurance (health, retirement, workers' compensation) |
|
Organizational relationships |
|
Box 89-91
Box 89Box 90Box 91 |
Personnel |
Box 91 |
Press |
Program review (1985-1991) |
|
Retreat centers |
|
Sample anniversary invitations |
|
Solicitation license |
|
Box 92 |
StaffIncludes meeting minutes and memoranda |
Statement of principle |
|
Strategic planning |
|
Volunteers |
|
WorkplansIncludes expense cutback planning |
|
MiscellaneousIncludes email and presentations of Cynthia D. Brown and reading material |
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Correspondence, grant applications, printed material for foundations and donors of interest to Southerners for Economic Justice. Similar material also may be found in administrative files in series 3, 4, and 5.
Newsletters, subject files, and other printed material, including reports, conference materials, pamphlets, handbooks, foundation annual reports, and other publications, relating to welfare and poverty, labor relations, social change, race relations, non-profit organizations, grassroots organizing, and other subjects of interest to Southerners for Economic Justice.
Arrangement: alphabetical by newsletter or publishing organization name.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Newsletter articles organized by topic.
Box 114-119
Box 114Box 115Box 116Box 117Box 118Box 119 |
Other printed materials |
Photographs chiefly of events sponsored and/or supported by Southerners for Economic Justice. Some photographs document Durham, N.C., scenes.
Image Box IB-5320/1 |
Community appreciation banquet |
Durham, N.C.Crest Street, West End Community Center, Hayti Cultural Center, senior housing in old mill complex, dry cleaners, Community Development Corporation projects, Edgemont, laundromat, Mechanics and Farmers Bank, Habitat for Humanity |
|
Economic literacy training |
|
Few Gardens training |
|
International Dia de la Mujer |
|
Organizer training |
|
Santa Fe, N.M. |
|
Southeast Regional Economic Justice Network (REJN) |
|
Working Women Count luncheon |
|
YSC/Foodshare/CWOP meeting |
|
MiscellaneousUnidentified meetings, events |
|
Miscellaneous negatives |