Collections : [West Virginia and Regional History Center]

The tax assessment lists for the two collection districts established in West Virginia during the Civil War. It consists of (A) annual, (M) monthly and (S) special taxes and duties levied on income, property, trade and manufactured items. The lists are of two types corresponding to the contemporary categories of corporate and personal income taxes. Also the lists are somewhat incomplete because of a lack of standardization in regulations and enforcement measures. Soon after the Civil War many of the provisions of the original act of 1862 were rescinded by Congress. The act was officially terminated in 1873 when the offices of assessors and their district assistants were abolished.

This collection includes the records of the West Virginia Labor Federation (WVLF), AFL-CIO as a singular organization, established in 1957, and the records of its predecessor organizations prior to their merger, the American Federation of Labor (AFL) and the Congress of Industrial Organization (CIO).

Series 1 comprises records related to the West Virginia State Labor Federation, AFL's internal operation and initiatives, including presidents' files, secretary-treasurers' files, general office files, Department of Education files, and financial materials.

Series 2 comprises the records related to the West Virginia State Industrial Union Council, CIO's internal operation and initiatives, including executive secretary-treasurers' files, central office mailings, and records of the Political Action Committee.

Series 3 is reflective of the organization's operations and initiatives after the AFL-CIO merger, including files of various presidents, various secretary-treasurers, central office files, convention files, political materials, legislative files, assorted programs, and financial materials.

Series 4 is a 1978 addendum to this collection that includes additional files of the WVFL, AFL-CIO after the merger, largely featuring records of initiatives like the Political Action Committee and Women's Activities Department.

Series 5 is a 1981 addendum including mostly internal materials, like the notebooks of former organization leaders, photo albums, and copies of AFL-CIO publications.

Organizers featured prominently in the collection include Tom Cairnes, E. A. Carter, and Volney Andrews (series 1); Miles Stanley (series 3 and 5); Ben Skeen (series 1 and 3); Glen Armstrong (series 1, 3, and 5); and Pat Sleeth (series 3). WVLF initiatives featured prominently in the collection include the Committee on Political Education (series 3 and 4) and the Women's Activities Department (series 3 and 4), the Appalachian Council (series 3), the Manpower Development and Training Act (series 3), and others. There is a small amount of audiovisual material in this collection in the form of audio recordings created by the WVLF and some photographs that have been digitized for remote access. However, much of this collection is comprised of paper records, ledgers, photographs, printed correspondence, and notebooks.

Bulletins, reports, correspondence, and miscellaneous material. Subjects covered include state aid, the Tax Limitation Amendment, New Deal agencies, police education and training, and various municipal services and problems.

Correspondence, papers, and publications of the disbanded W.Va. League of Municipalities. Includes material from the American Municipal Association (AMA); items from the West Virginia Legislature such as proposed municipal legislation; AMA and League conventions, programs,activities, and workshops; surveys of municipal services and ordinances; membership lists; and press releases. Correspondents include:W.W. Barron; Ivor [Boiarsky]; Robert C. Byrd; Eugene Elkins; Carl Frasure; Denzil Gainer; Hubert H. Humphrey; Arch Moore; Jack Nuckols; Elmer Prince; Jennings Randolph; William R. Ross; Paul Selby; Hal Shamberger; Hulett Smith; Cecil Underwood; and Earl Vickers; many state officials, legislators, league officers, mayors, and city officials. See Control Folder for Contents List.