International Brotherhood of Teamsters Labor History Research Center

Mission | Access and Hours | Research Appointments

Mission

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters Labor History Research Center is dedicated to the study and exploration of the role that the labor movement played in the development of the United States during the late 19th, 20th, and early 21st centuries. The flagship collection of the LHRC is the records of one of the largest and most occupationally diverse labor unions in North America, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT). The Teamsters archives include IBT publications, convention proceedings, documentary materials from the various IBT departments, trade divisions and area conferences, photographs, films, and video/audio tape reels and cassettes. The administrative records of the IBT and records of some locals have been digitized and are available online.

The LHRC also acquires as appropriate other records of the American labor movement, including the papers of significant individuals involved in the labor movement. Another key collection to GW's growing labor history initiative are the records of the National Education Association. The LHRC also maintains and is expanding a general labor publications collection to supplement the Teamsters materials. This includes a comprehensive collection of books on general labor history, American labor biography and labor and industrial relations spanning the years 1856 to the present.

Access and Hours

Access requirements: the Research Center is open to all interested researchers, including members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the GW community, and the general public.

GW students, faculty, staff, and alumni who have a physical GWorld card enabled for campus access may visit without an appointment.

Non-GW patrons (Members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, alumni without GWorld cards, and other members of the public) can access the Research Center by appointment only. Please contact us to schedule an appointment.

Location: Gelman Library, 7th Floor, The George Washington University, 2130 H Street NW, Washington DC, 20052.

Hours: The Teamsters Archives are open when the Special Collections Research Center is open.

Research Appointments

For reference inquiries, please contact the Special Collections Research Center.

One-on-one research appointments can be made on the archivist's Calendly.