The photographs span the years 1940 to 1985 with the bulk of the photographs dating from 1952-1985. The earliest images in the collection are copy photographs of early aviation. IAM images consist of Machinist officials, banquets, speeches, negotiation meetings, union agreement signings, Machinists Leadership School, Grand Lodge Conventions, Kennedy Space Center strike, government and work-related photographs of Atlas and Polaris missile launches at Patrick Air Force Base, Saturn 5 rocket preparations, and the Apollo space program.
Government images consist of awards, banquets, contracts, dedications, exhibitions, graduation ceremonies, industrial arbitration, legislative hearings, meetings, negotiations, oaths, parties, receptions, speaking and vacations. Notable persons include Buz Aldrin, Gerald Ford, George Meany, Richard Nixon, Charles Schultz, Roy Siemiller, as well as numerous British and German labor leaders. Notable organizations include Airline Employees Association, National Airlines, Northwest Airlines, and the Presidential Emergency Board.
A selection of the Usery collection photographs have been digitized and are available for research via Georgia State University Library's Digital Collections website.
Series I: International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
The series begins with studio portraits of Mr. Usery, which date between 1969 and 1979. Also included are images of W. J. Usery's union related activities as Special Representative (1954-1956) and Grand Lodge Representative (1956-1969) of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
The earliest images in the collection are copy photographs of early aviation. A few early images relate to Usery's career as a Navy welder during World War II and as a maintenance machinist in the early 1950s. The IAM images consist of Machinist officials, banquets, speeches, negotiation meetings, union agreement signings, Machinists Leadership School, Grand Lodge Conventions, Kennedy Space Center strike, government and work-related photographs of the Atlas and Polaris missile launches at Patrick Air Force Base, Saturn 5 rocket preparations, and the Apollo space program.
Series II: US Government Service
The US Government Service series consists of images from Usery's years of service to the United States Department of Labor. Government images consist of awards, banquets, contracts, dedications, exhibitions, graduation ceremonies, industrial arbitration, legislative hearings, meetings, negotiations, oaths, parties, receptions, speaking engagements and vacations. Notable persons include Buzz Aldrin, Gerald Ford, George Meany, Richard Nixon, George Shultz, Roy Siemiller, as well as numerous British and German labor leaders. Notable organizations include Airline Employees Association, National Airlines, Northwest Airlines, and the Presidential Emergency Board.
Series III: Bill Usery Associate files
There are also photographs related to the Bill Usery Associates which contain images related to building dedications, conferences, speaking engagements, and Usery's business trips to Japan and Brazil.
Special Collections and Archives
Southern Labor Archives
W. J. Usery, Jr., Papers
Phone: (404) 413-2880
Fax: (404) 413-2881
E-Mail: archives@gsu.edu
Mailing Address:
Special Collections & Archives
Georgia State University Library
100 Decatur Street, SE
Atlanta, Georgia 30303-3202
In Person:
Library South, 8th floor
