About Us

The American Labor Studies Center is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization whose mission is to collect, analyze, evaluate, create and disseminate labor history and labor studies curricula and related materials, aligned to the various state and national standards, to kindergarten through 12th grade teachers nationwide. They will include such areas as the history, organization, activities, and issues affecting the labor movement

and the political, economic, and cultural aspects of workers and their unions. It is governed by a Board of Directors and funded by contributions and government grants.

The ALSC will be located in the Kate Mullany House at 350 Eighth Street in Troy, New York, which was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1997 and dedicated by the First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton on July 15, 1998. There is currently legislation before Congress to make the Mullany

House a National Historic Site. Kate Mullany, a young Irish Immigrant and daughter of a widowed mother, became the leader of the first women's union in the nation and the first woman to hold office in a national union. At the age of 24, Mullany organized 200 women and became the first president of the Troy Collar Laundry Workers Union. In February 1864, the collar workers went on strike demanding a 25 percent increase in wages - and won. In 1868, she became assistant secretary of the National Labor Union

under William Sylvies. There are a wide variety of curriculum materials for teachers of virtually every subject and grade level including historical events, music, art, literature, biographies and contemporary issues, among others, that will be accessible on the web site through direct downloads and dozens of links.

The ALSC will also sponsor workshops, courses, conferences and other events to acquaint teachers with the curriculum and related materials.

The goal of the ALSC is not to indoctrinate or proselytize, but provide students with an opportunity to explore the many facets of a very complex and important part of out nation's history and contemporary life. Teachers are encouraged to use a variety of research and inquiry approaches as they select their pedagogical strategies.

Board of Directors

Honorary Chair	John J. Sweeney	President AFL-CIO

Chair	Kathleen Donahue	Vice President NYS United Teachers

Vice Chair	Dr. Susan Schurman	Rutgers

Secretary	Robert Haynes President	Mass. AFL-CIO

Treasurer	Dr. William Scheuerman	President, National Labor College

Executive Director	Paul F. Cole Sec-Treas	NYS AFL-CIO

Members

Rachel Bernstein		History Professor New York University

Paul Bray		Attorney

P. Thomas Carroll		Director Hudson-Mohawk Industrial Gateway

Jan Conti		Training Director NYS United Teachers

Dr. Clete Daniel		Labor History Professor Cornell University

Fred Glass		Communications Director CA Federation of Teachers

Thomas Y. Hobart, Jr.		President Emeritus New York State United Teachers

Denis Hughes		NYS AFL-CIO

Dr. Thomas Juravich		Director Umass Amherst Labor-Relations Ctr

Mike Keenan		President Troy Area Labor Council

Hank Landau		NYS Building and Construction Trades

Edward J. McElroy		Secretary-Treasurer American Federation of Teachers

George Nee		Secretary-Treasurer Rhode Island AFL-CIO

David Newby		President Wisconsin AFL-CIO

Richard Strassberg		Director Cornell University Kheel Center

Dr. Irwin Yellowitz		President NYS Labor History Association