Teamsters Archival Collections

The Teamsters archives include International Brotherhood of Teamsters (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 archives also includes records from dozens of Teamsters locals.

Digital Collections

Over 270,000 pages (covering years 1905-1952) of Administrative files of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen and Helpers of America Records, as well as many local Teamsters chapters.
The Teamster magazine (1907-1969 digitized), known officially as The International Teamster, The Official Magazine of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Stablemen and Helpers of America, and other names.
191 digitized films, with contents including advertisements, promotional films, conferences, rallies, speeches, and safety training.
Dozens of audio recordings (with full transcriptions). The Labor History Research Center continues to add digitized audio recordings as they are transcribed. Untranscribed digitized recordings are available on demand by contacting Vakil Smallen, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Labor History Archivist
The Labor History Research Center has been hosting virtual talks by authors of books about American labor history. When the authors have given their permission, the talks are recorded and available to stream on Gelman Library's Vimeo page.

Manuscript Collections

Organizational Records

Conference and Convention Records

Membership Records

International Brotherhood of Teamsters Member Groups Records, 1991-2011 Four member organizations within the International Brotherhood of Teamsters support and advocate for their constituents on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity and sexual orientation. These are the Teamsters National Black Caucus, the International Teamster Woman’s Caucus/Women’s Conference, the National Teamsters Hispanic Caucus and the Teamsters GLBT Caucus. The purpose of these groups is to educate themselves and other Teamsters, to communicate with the IBT leadership and to ensure representation at all levels of the organization.

Local Union Records

Personal Papers

Thomas Flynn Papers, 1936-1972 The Thomas E. Flynn Papers cover the professional life of Thomas Flynn and his role in labor and unions from 1936 until his death in 1972. This collection contains correspondence, both personal and business related to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, memos, reports, and speeches. The collection also consists of press material such as wires, journals, magazines, and newspapers that were compiled to document union activity. There are also oral history interviews that were conducted by a Flynn biographer on audio cassette.
James R. Hoffa Documentation Collection The James R. Hoffa Documentation collection contains material relating to the life and work of James R. Hoffa. Included are newspaper clippings, magazine articles, trial transcripts, publicity materials, and copies of congressional hearings.