Guide to the Elmer J. Maloy Collection, 1916-1989 AIS.2003.05
- Repository
- ULS Archives & Special Collections
- Title
- Elmer J. Maloy Collection
- Creator
- Maloy, Elmer J.
- Collection Number
- AIS.2003.05
- Extent
- 0.25 Linear Feet (1 box)
- Date
- 1916-1989
- Date
- 1936-1945
- Abstract
- Elmer J. Maloy was elected mayor (Democrat) of the city of Duquesne, Pennsylvania, in 1937. During his time as mayor, he implemented various reforms on behalf of the rank and file workers in the steel industry. This collection contains a majority of newspaper clippings chronicling Maloy's election and labor policies. In addition, there are a small amount of photographs, election memorabilia, correspondence, and later oral history interviews with Maloy.
- Language
- English .
- Publisher
- ULS Archives & Special Collections
- Address
- University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Biography
Elmer J. Maloy was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1896. He later moved to the city of Duquesne, Pennsylvania. In 1911 at age fifteen, Maloy dropped out of high school to take a job as a water boy at Duquesne Works. Wanting to learn a skilled trade, he apprenticed to become a Millwright, which repaired and serviced various machines in the mill. He left the Duquesne Works for a short stint in the United States Army in 1918. When he went to war, Maloy was promised by the superintendent of the mill that his job would be held for him and he would continue to receive any promotions he would have earned, if he had stayed. When he returned in 1919, his foreman did not promote him to Millwright as expected, but rather kept him as a Millwright's Helper. Maloy witnessed more inequality on the job, such as nepotism, long hours, unsafe working conditions, and low pay. These conditions under which he worked caused him to look toward unionization. However, he knew if he mentioned unionization around the mill he would be terminated. Maloy, with a few other laborers, at one point refused to work overtime. After the men discovered their ability to create a type of "slow down strike," they gained break time and overtime payment. Despite Maloy's own gains in the workforce, he remained discontent with the wage rates. After experiencing hardships as a laborer, Elmer Maloy joined up with the Steel Workers' Organizing Committee (later to become the United Steel Workers of America). It was with this organization where he helped pioneer an attempt to unionize the Duquesne steel mills. Maloy showed great leadership among the rank and file workers and was first president of this committee, Local 1256, in 1937.
At the time, the Republican Party had control of the politics of the city of Duquesne. The Republican Party also controlled many organizations and services in the city. A majority of the citizens in the town voted Republican as well. Since the Republicans held a majority in the city and mill leadership positions, they were also in control of the issues that affected the lives of many plant laborers. However, after the Great Depression when Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected in November 1932 and implementing New Deal economic policies more Duquesne citizens began to vote Democrat. As a result of this new majority, the Republican Party was unable to change or discount Democrat Party votes like they had in the past.
In 1937, Maloy ran for Mayor on the Democrat ticket. He spoke out against the Republican administration that did not come out in support of Roosevelt's New Deal economic policies. Maloy's original intention for running for mayor was anger. As President of Local 1256, he would try to obtain permits to hold union meetings and the Duquesne police chief would routinely deny him the permit. Out of spite, Maloy decided he would run for mayor. Maloy was supported by the workforce of the entire Duquesne area to which he called, "the best organized political organization that didn't go into politics that's ever been created (Maloy interview November 7, 1967, p. 57)." Maloy was elected Mayor of the city of Duquesne in 1937 at age 41.
Elmer Maloy was the first Democrat to be elected mayor of Duquesne and he served two consecutive four year terms. During his mayoral terms, Maloy desired to be a fair labor leader. Some of his labor policies included the implementation of a forty hour work week for all municipal employees without increasing taxes. Maloy also had a plan to implement a 'New Deal' type policy, which brought Works Progress Administration projects to Duquesne.
Scope and Contents Note
The Elmer J. Maloy Collection documents the political career of a union activist in the steel industry. The bulk of this collection (1937-1945) contains a series of news clippings that document Maloy's decision to run as the first democratic mayor of Duquesne, Pennsylvania. The clippings concentrate on his decision to run, his victory, his immediate reforms, and his mayoral career. There are a small number of photographs of Maloy and those related to his political or union career.
As interest in the steel industry and labor unions became more evident, Elmer Maloy was interviewed in 1967 and 1968 by members of Penn State University. The collection contains a transcription of each of these interviews. Both contain valuable information about Maloy's early career as a day laborer and explanations on his opinions on unionization. In addition, they also give a good deal of information about his political career, his work in the Steel Workers Organizing Committee, as well as his work after his two terms serving as mayor were finished.
Access Restrictions
No restrictions.
Arrangement
The arrangement of the Elmer J. Maloy Collection has been mainly kept in its subject form. The collection is arranged chronologically.
Previous Citation
Elmer J. Maloy Collection, 1916-1989, AIS.2003.05, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh
Preferred Citation
Elmer J. Maloy Collection, 1916-1989, AIS.2003.05, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Shelley Byron in September 2009.
Copyright
The University of Pittsburgh holds the property rights to the material in this collection, but the copyright may still be held by the original creator/author. Researchers are therefore advised to follow the regulations set forth in the U.S. Copyright Code when publishing, quoting, or reproducing material from this collection without the consent of the creator/author or that go beyond what is allowed by fair use.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Joan E. Striegel in September 2009.
Related Material
U.S. Steel Corp. National-Duquesne Works Records, 1890-1985, AIS.1991.06, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System
Subjects
- American Federation of Labor. Committee for Industrial Organization
- Steel Workers Organizing Committee (U.S.)
- Carnegie Steel Company
- United States Steel Corporation. Duquesne Works
- Maloy, Elmer J.
- Duquesne (Pa.) -- Politics and government
- Duquesne (Pa.)
- Correspondence
- Photographs
- Interviews
- Clippings (Information artifacts)
- Oral histories (Document genres)
- Labor
- Politics
- Personal papers
- Mayors -- Pennsylvania -- Duquesne
- Steel industry and trade -- Pennsylvania -- Duquesne
- Labor unions -- Organizing -- Pennsylvania -- Duquesne
- Iron and steel workers -- Labor unions -- Pennsylvania -- Duquesne