Guide to the Weaver Social History Collection, 1913-1970 AIS.1964.19

Arrangement

Repository
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title
Weaver Social History Collection
Creator
Weaver, John C.
Collection Number
AIS.1964.19
Extent
115 Linear Feet (104 boxes)
Date
1913-1970
Abstract
The Weaver Social History Collection contains correspondence, memorabilia, newspapers and pamphlets of discussion and action groups interested in economic, social, and labor problems in Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania within a national and international scope from 1913 to 1970.
Language
English .
Author
Wendy Pflug from existing inventory.
Publisher
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address
University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Business Number: 412-648-3232 (Thomas) | 412-648-8190 (Hillman)
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections

Acquisition Information

Gift of John Weaver on February 26, 1964, April 22, 1969, and August 23, 1977.

Previous Citation

Weaver Social History Collection, 1913-1970, AIS.1964.19, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh

Preferred Citation

Weaver Social History Collection, 1913-1970, AIS.1964.19, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

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.

Arrangement

The collection has been arranged into nine series:

Series I. Hungry Club

Series II. University Extension Service

Series III. Council for Peace and Social Action

Series IV. Joint Committee on the Social Crisis

Series V. League for Social Justice

Series VI. ACLU

Series VII. Weaver Correspondence

Series VIII. Assorted Publications

Series IX. Allegheny Roundtable

Scope and Content Notes

The Weaver Social History Collection was created by John C. Weaver, a former social worker turned peace activist. Weaver's active interest in social issues, politics, and world events led him to accumulate a massive amount of research material during his lifetime. This collection reflects his interest in economic, social, and labor issues and problems in Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania.

The Weaver Social History Collection contains correspondence, memorabilia, and publications of organizations devoted to these causes. The collection represents groups that Weaver was actively involved such as the Hungry Club, which contains a voluminous amount of correspondence from 1913 to 1951; University Extension Service; Council for Peace and Social Action; Joint Committee on the Social Crisis; League for Social Justice; American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU); and the Allegheny Roundtable. This collection also contains John C. Weaver's personal correspondence.

The Weaver Social History Collection is only minimally processed. Many series have retained the original order of the creator, John C. Weaver, and is not organized chronologically or by subject. The Assorted Publications and Allegheny Roundtable series contain only a box level inventory. Each series is further described in the scope and content notes for that series.

Biography

John C. Weaver was a peace activist devoted to promoting social justice. He documented these important issues in regards to Pittsburgh's and Western Pennsylvania's history, along with activism in the social and political scene. John C. Weaver was born in Rochester, Pennsylvania in 1896. He was raised in a Methodist household and his father was a minister. Weaver received his education at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania where he majored in Latin and Greek. Soon after graduating, he joined the U.S. Medical Corps in 1917 and served in France during World War I. After returning from the war in 1920 Weaver moved to Pittsburgh and became a social worker. His first employment in Pittsburgh was as an assistant director of the Kingsley Settlement House in East Liberty. He was employed as a social worker who helped Italian-Americans move and settle in Pittsburgh. It was here that he met and married Elsa Stringaro, an Italian translator at the house.

After being frustrated by the limitations of social work at Kingsley, Weaver joined the Hungry Club in the early 1920s. The Hungry Club, named for its members who were hungry for ideas, as well as ideas, was a public forum in Pittsburgh where people from all backgrounds would meet and discuss the leading issues of the day. Weaver joined as a participator but quickly became the executive director of the club. As executive director, Weaver organized the discussions, panels, and brought in speakers. He chose the topics of discussion, which varied from Pittsburgh politics to animal rights. Although interested in many issues, Weaver mostly advocated for single land tax reform and peace activism. He helped to elect William McNair, Pittsburgh's first single tax mayor of the 1930s. Weaver was also McNair's Secretary of Welfare for a brief time, but resigned because of the "dirty" politics that played out in city hall at that time.

In the late 1940s Weaver helped found the Allegheny Roundtable, a panel discussion program that aired on WQED radio and later became a WQED television program. The Allegheny Roundtable resembled the Hungry Club, as it was a forum to discuss affairs in Pittsburgh and world news. His status in Pittsburgh was heightened during the 1960s because of his opinions of the steel industry, unemployment, and the Vietnam War. In addition, Weaver also wrote a commentary column in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the East Liberty Tribune. He also taught courses at the Henry George School of Social Sciences in New York City as an adjunct professor. Weaver remained active even at the age of 79 when he demonstrated against the Vietnam War during a weekly Vigil for Peace at the Gateway Center in 1973. In addition to his politics, Weaver was a lifelong vegetarian, a Catholic, and an active member of the Society of Friends. Weaver moved from Pittsburgh in the late 1970s to live with his three sons in New York City. He died there in 1985 at the age of 86.

Related Material

Kingsley Association Records, 1894-1980, AIS.1970.05, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Processing Information

This collection was inventoried by ASC staff in 1964, 1969, and 1977. The preliminary finding aid was written by Wendy Pflug in September 2010.

Subjects

    Corporate Names

    • American Civil Liberties Union
    • League for Social Justice
    • Joint Committee on the Social Crisis
    • University Extension Service (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
    • Council for Peace and Social Action
    • Hungry Club

    Personal Names

    • Weaver, John C.

    Geographic Names

    • Pittsburgh (Pa.) -- Politics and government
    • Pittsburgh (Pa.) -- Economic conditions
    • Pittsburgh (Pa.) -- Social conditions

    Occupations

    • Activists

    Genres

    • Publications
    • Correspondence
    • Memorabilia
    • Newspapers
    • Pamphlets

    Other Subjects

    • Personal papers
    • Politics
    • Social action
    • Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Protest movements -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Social action -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Social workers -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • University extension -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Allegheny Roundtable (Television program)
    • Depressions -- 1929 -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh

Container List