George J. Titler Collection, 1939-1976

Descriptive Summary

Title
George J. Titler Collection, 1939-1976
Creator
Titler, George J., 1895-1976
Extent
6 cubic ft.
Subjects
Boyle, William Anthony, 1904-1985.
Yablonski, Joseph A., 1910-1969.
United Mine Workers of America.
Miners for Democracy.
Coal mines and mining - Kentucky.
Coal mines and mining - Appalachian Region.
Coal miners - Labor unions - Organizing - Kentucky - Harlan County.
Harlan County (Ky.) - History.
Finding Aid Author
Processed by Kate Black; machine-readable finding aid created by Eric Weig
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
George J. Titler is perhaps best known as the author of Hell in Harlan, an account of his union organizing days in Harlan County, Kentucky in the late 1930's. But Titler also served as Vice-President of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) from 1966-1972. It was during his term, and that of President Tony Boyle, that many UMWA miners began challenging the union management.
Initially, the insurgent miners focused on electing Joseph (Jock) Yablonski as the reform candidate for President in the December 9, 1969 election, but Boyle and Titler won the race. Yablonski challenged the legality of that victory; however, before the Labor Department began its investigation, Yablonski, his wife, and daughter were murdered--an act planned by various UMWA officials, including Boyle. Following Yablonski's death a more radical mood dominated and the Miners for Democracy movement emerged from the rank and file.
Scope and Content
Materials in this collection deal primarily with the period of reform that surrounded Titler's term as Vice-President of the UMWA. They include correspondence, memoranda, typescripts of speeches, broadsides, memorabilia, and clippings.

Contents of the Collection

OFFICE FILES, 1969-1972

These are the personal files kept by Titler during his vice-presidency. The files have been left as found except that clarification has been provided in brackets where necessary and many of the newspaper clippings which were deteriorating rapidly have been replaced by photocopies. The correspondence, memoranda, typescripts of speeches, broadsides and clippings contained in these files are a rich source for describing the daily workings of the UMWA during this period. The topics covered in each file are also evidence of the union's tone and focus at the time. Included are correspondence, memoranda, typescripts of speeches, broadsides, and clippings.

Yablonski Campaign, 1969

Brown, Elmer

  • Box 1
  • Folder 1
To top

Campaign Against Yablonski

  • Box 1
  • Folder 2
To top

Campaign for Yablonski

  • Box 1
  • Folder 3
To top

District 29, Local Unions 5997 and 7086

  • Box 1
  • Folder 4
To top

District 50

  • Box 1
  • Folder 5
To top

Election Irregularities Charged by Yablonski

  • Box 1
  • Folder 6
To top

Hechler, Ken [Congressman, West Virginia]

  • Box 1
  • Folder 7
To top

Law Suits by Yablonski

  • Box 1
  • Folder 8
To top

News Clippings

  • Box 1
  • Folder 9
To top

Platform

  • Box 1
  • Folder 10
To top

Water Properties Owned by Yablonski

  • Box 1
  • Folder 11
To top

UMWA Campaign/Election, December 9, 1969

Anonymous letter

  • Box 2
  • Folder 1
To top

Autonomy

  • Box 2
  • Folder 2
To top

Campaign by Budzanoski, Michael [President, District 5]

  • Box 2
  • Folder 3
To top

Campaign by Childers, Alex

  • Box 2
  • Folder 4
To top

Campaign by Titler

  • Box 2
  • Folder 5
To top

Campaign by Yablonski

  • Box 2
  • Folder 6
To top

Candidates--Boyle, Titler, and Owens

  • Box 2
  • Folder 7
To top

Candidates--Kochis and Huffman

  • Box 2
  • Folder 8
To top

Candidates--Wolford, Brown and Thornsberry

  • Box 2
  • Folder 9
To top

Coal Miners' Wives [Committee]

  • Box 2
  • Folder 10
To top

Congratulations

  • Box 2
  • Folder 11
To top

District 23--Committee for Boyle Titler, and Owens

  • Box 2
  • Folder 12
To top

District 29--Committee for Boyle Titler, and Owens

  • Box 2
  • Folder 13
To top

District 30--Committee for Boyle Titler, and Owens

  • Box 2
  • Folder 14
To top

District 50

  • Box 2
  • Folder 15
To top

Hechler, Ken [Congressman, West Virginia]

  • Box 2
  • Folder 16
To top

Invitation to Speak

  • Box 2
  • Folder 17
To top

Miners' Committee for Boyle, Titler, and Owens

  • Box 2
  • Folder 18
To top

News [Media]

  • Box 2
  • Folder 19
To top

News Clippings

  • Box 2
  • Folder 20
To top

Nominations

  • Box 2
  • Folder 21
To top

Pensioners

  • Box 2
  • Folder 22
To top

Voting Instructions

  • Box 2
  • Folder 23
To top

Voting Results

  • Box 2
  • Folder 24
To top

West Virginia (Charleston) Meeting, [May 4, 1969]

  • Box 2
  • Folder 25
To top

West Virginia (Fairmont) Meeting, [April 27, 1969]

  • Box 2
  • Folder 26
To top

West Virginia (Richwood) Meeting, [April 20, 1969]

  • Box 2
  • Folder 27
To top

West Virginia (Welch) Meeting, June 13, 1969

  • Box 2
  • Folder 28
To top

Post - UMWA Election, 1969

Examination by Labor Department

  • Box 3
  • Folder 1
To top

General

  • Box 3
  • Folder 2

These materials cover topics from "challenges to election" to Miners for Democracy.

To top

Post - UMWA Election. Senate Subcommittee [on Labor] Investigations of UMWA, 1969

Automobile Workers

  • Box 4
  • Folder 1
To top

Autonomy

  • Box 4
  • Folder 2
To top

District 5, Officials Indicated

  • Box 4
  • Folder 3
To top

District 5, Officials Summoned

  • Box 4
  • Folder 4
To top

District 28, Officials Indicated

  • Box 4
  • Folder 5
To top

Election Investigation, UMWA

  • Box 4
  • Folder 6
To top

[General]

  • Box 4
  • Folder 7
To top

Pension Raise

  • Box 4
  • Folder 8
To top

Political Contributions

  • Box 4
  • Folder 9
To top

Record Keeping

  • Box 4
  • Folder 10
To top

Support UMWA Letters to Nixon

  • Box 4
  • Folder 11
To top

Welfare Fund

  • Box 4
  • Folder 12
To top

Williams, Harrison [Senator, New Jersey]

  • Box 4
  • Folder 13
To top

Yablonski

  • Box 4
  • Folder 14
To top

UMWA Election, 1972

Boyle

  • Box 5
  • Folder 1
To top

[General], 1970-1972

  • Box 5
  • Folder 1
To top

[General]

  • Box 5
  • Folder 1
To top

Miller [Arnold]

  • Box 5
  • Folder 1
To top

Miller, Trbovich, Patrick

  • Box 5
  • Folder 1
To top

[Nomination Meeting Schedules]

  • Box 5
  • Folder 1
To top

Titler

  • Box 5
  • Folder 1
To top

Trbovich

  • Box 5
  • Folder 1
To top

[People]

Anderson, L.T.

  • Box 6
  • Folder 1
To top

Boiarsky, Mose

  • Box 6
  • Folder 2
To top

Bolin, Coyet

  • Box 6
  • Folder 3
To top

Hechler, Ken - Mine, Health and Safety

  • Box 6
  • Folder 4
To top

Hechler, Ken - Miscellaneous

  • Box 6
  • Folder 5
To top

Hechler, Ken - Rockefeller, John D., IV

  • Box 6
  • Folder 6
To top

Hechler, Ken - Strip Mining

  • Box 6
  • Folder 7
To top

Hechler, Ken - UMWA Election

  • Box 6
  • Folder 8
To top

Hechler, Ken - UMWA, General

  • Box 6
  • Folder 9
To top

Hechler, Ken - UMWA Officials

  • Box 6
  • Folder 10
To top

Hechler, Ken - Welfare Fund

  • Box 6
  • Folder 11
To top

Hechler, Ken - West Virginia Election

  • Box 6
  • Folder 12
To top

Hechler, Ken - Yablonskis

  • Box 6
  • Folder 13
To top

Kee, James [Congressman, West Virginia]

  • Box 6
  • Folder 14
To top

Miller, Arnold

  • Box 6
  • Folder 15
To top

Miller, Myrl

  • Box 6
  • Folder 16
To top

Moore, Arch [Governor, West Virginia]

  • Box 6
  • Folder 17
To top

Rockefeller, John D., IV, 1969-1970

  • Box 7
  • Folder 1
To top

Rockefeller, John D., IV, 1971

  • Box 7
  • Folder 2
To top

Rockefeller, John D., IV, 1972

  • Box 7
  • Folder 3
To top

Rockefeller, John D., IV, n.d.

  • Box 7
  • Folder 4
To top

Silverstein, Harry, 1966-1971

  • Box 7
  • Folder 5
To top

CLIPPINGS AND PUBLICATIONS, 1941-1976

Clippings

Biographical Materials (Oversize)

Miscellaneous

  • Box 8
  • Folder 1
To top

Scrapbook, January 15, 1966 - June 17, 1973

  • Box 8
  • Folder 2
To top

Yablonski Murder and Subsequent Investigations

1970

  • Box 9
  • Folder 1
To top

1971

  • Box 9
  • Folder 2
To top

1972

  • Box 9
  • Folder 3
To top

UMWA, General

1959

  • Box 9
  • Folder 4
To top

1964

  • Box 9
  • Folder 5
To top

1965

  • Box 9
  • Folder 6
To top

1966

  • Box 9
  • Folder 7
To top

1968

  • Box 9
  • Folder 8
To top

1969

  • Box 9
  • Folder 9
To top

1970

  • Box 9
  • Folder 10
To top

1971

  • Box 9
  • Folder 11
To top

1972

  • Box 9
  • Folder 12
To top

UMWA, General (Oversize)

Scrapbook, January 1972 - May 1973

  • Box 10
  • Folder 1
To top

1973

  • Box 10
  • Folder 2
To top

1976

  • Box 10
  • Folder 3
To top

n.d.

  • Box 10
  • Folder 4
To top

Miscellaneous

1953-1977, n.d.

  • Box 10
  • Folder 5
To top

Publications

UMW JOURNAL, April 1, 1956 - January 16, 1975

  • Box 11

[scattered issues]

To top

UMWA Constitution, 1964, 1968, 1973

  • Box 12
  • Folder 1
To top

UMWA Constitution, District 1, 1965

  • Box 12
  • Folder 2
To top

UMWA Constitution, District 5, 1970

  • Box 12
  • Folder 2
To top

UMWA Construction Agreement, 1972, 1974

  • Box 12
  • Folder 3
To top

UMWA Convention Proceedings, 1968

  • Box 12
  • Folder 4
To top

UMWA Treasurer's Report, 1964-1971

  • Box 12
  • Folder 5
To top

UMWA Wage Agreement, 1958, 1968

  • Box 12
  • Folder 6
To top

UMWA Wage Agreement Typescript, 1971

  • Box 12
  • Folder 7
To top

UMWA Wage Agreement, 1971, 1974

  • Box 12
  • Folder 8
To top

UMWA Wage Agreement for Districts 30 and 31, 1941-1968

  • Box 12
  • Folder 9
To top

CALENDARS, DIARIES, AND NOTEBOOKS, 1939-1972

Date Book, 1939

  • Box 13
  • Folder 1
To top

Trip Diary, June 29, 1952 - August 3, 1952

  • Box 13
  • Folder 2
To top

Appointment Calendars, 1966-1972

  • Box 13
  • Folder 3
To top

Miscellaneous handwritten notes

  • Box 13
  • Folder 4
To top

Notebook of Wage Contract terms, ca. late 1960's

  • Box 13
  • Folder 5
To top

Address Books, Lists of telephone numbers

  • Box 13
  • Folder 6
To top

Sada Titler's Diary [George Titler's first wife]

  • Box 13
  • Folder 7
To top

Sada Titler's Funeral Register, September 25, 1966

  • Box 13
  • Folder 8
To top

CORRESPONDENCE, SPEECHES, AND HELL IN HARLAN, 1966-1976

Correspondence

Other correspondence is located throughout the section, "Office Files", where it was originally placed by Titler's office.

General, 1967-1974

  • Box 14
  • Folder 1

This contains some letters and memoranda to and from other UMWA personnel, including Tony Boyle.

To top

Letters to the editor. Drafts and published copies.

  • Box 14
  • Folder 2
To top

Personal, 1966-1976, n.d.

  • Box 14
  • Folder 3
To top

Sympathy letters following Titler's death, May 1, 1976

  • Box 14
  • Folder 4
To top

Christmas. Cards received and sent, gift acknowledgements, gift lists.

  • Box 14
  • Folder 5
To top

Speeches

1966-1969

  • Box 14
  • Folder 6
To top

HELL IN HARLAN (1972)

Draft of Chapter 26, Epilogue

  • Box 14
  • Folder 7
To top

Reviews and related materials

  • Box 14
  • Folder 8
To top

Records of orders and sales

  • Box 14
  • Folder 9
To top

BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL RECORDS

Black Lung Benefits

  • Box 15
  • Folder 1
To top

Campaign Expenses, 1969

  • Box 15
  • Folder 2
To top

Contributions

  • Box 15
  • Folder 3
To top

Health Insurance

  • Box 15
  • Folder 4
To top

Metropolitan Life Insurance

  • Box 15
  • Folder 5
To top

Organizing Expenses, 1968-1971

  • Box 15
  • Folder 6
To top

Social Security

  • Box 15
  • Folder 7
To top

Union Dues and other club dues

  • Box 15
  • Folder 8
To top

UMWA Health and Retirement Funds

  • Box 15
  • Folder 9
To top

Vacation Benefits

  • Box 15
  • Folder 10
To top

MEMORABILIA

Oversize

Appointments, awards, and memberships.

  • Box 16
  • Folder 1
To top

"Bloody Harlan County Blues" [anti-UMWA tract].

  • Box 16
  • Folder 2
To top

The Day the Red Baron Died. Book by Dale Titler [probably George Titler's nephew]

  • Box 16
  • Folder 3
To top

Bumper stickers, campaign card, and license plate.

  • Box 16
  • Folder 4
To top

Miscellaneous illustrations

  • Box 16
  • Folder 5
To top

Stationery samples

  • Box 16
  • Folder 6
To top

UMWA Commissions

  • Box 16
  • Folder 7
To top

Artifacts

Hard Hat, white with "Tony Boyle, District 19" in black letters.

  • Box 17
  • Item 1
To top

Gavel from 45th Consecutive Constitutional Convention, UMWA, Denver, Colorado, September 4-13, 1968.

  • Box 17
  • Item 2
To top

Paperweight with Slab Fork Coal Company insignia.

  • Box 17
  • Item 3
To top

Buttons

  • Box 17
  • Item 4
To top

AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIALS

Arnold Miller Viewpoint. Reel-to-reel, July 31, 1972

  • Box 18
To top

Coal Miner Songs by Merl[e] Travis, Hobo Jack, and the Goins Bros. Reel-to-reel. 7 1/2 ips. Fulltrack. WLSI, Pikeville, Kentucky.

  • Box 18
To top

"Coal Miners for Boyle, Titler, Owens." 33 1/3 rpm singles (2 copies).

  • Box 18
To top

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UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.

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You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.

If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.