The records of the Western Massachusetts locals and district councils of the UBCJA documents the rise of unionization among carpenters in the Connecticut River Valley since the 1880s. This collection represents a merger of separate accessions for the District Councils in Springfield (MS 110), the Pioneer Valley (MS 231), and Holyoke (MS 108), along with post-merger records for Local 108. In general, each has been maintained as a distinct series.
The collection consists mainly of items documenting the French Canadian Community of New England, such as newspapers, flyers, programs, calendars, and notes on the history of French Canadian immigration, all collected by retired UMD professor of Foreign Languages (French) Melvin B. Yoken. Also included in the collection is a series of recordings made at events organized by the Friends of the Fall River Public Library. Prof. Yoken was involved in this organization. See MC 106 for a student oral history project overseen by Prof. Yoken.
Collection includes statutes and by-laws, minutes, administrative records, correspondence, financial records and receipts, scholarship records, publications, records of programs and events, and artifacts and ephemera.
