PEACE AND JOBS COALITION (La Crosse, Wis.). RECORDS, 1980-1990.  0.6 cubic feet (1 archives box)

Abstract

An organization active in La Crosse, Wisconsin, from 1980-1990 that supported world peace, weapons reductions, weapon freezes, and union activity. They also took a strong stance against U. S. involvement with the Contras in Nicaragua.

Materials include background information, newspaper clippings, state and national background materials, articles of incorporation and by-laws, committee materials, Coordinating Council materials, correspondence, minutes, newsletters, project information, financial materials, and materials from related organizations.

Acc. No. 2005-33
Donated by Robert Bilby, April 2005
Processed by Christine Stolz, 2005

History

The Peace and Jobs Coalition (PJC) was an organization comprised of an alliance of individuals from church, labor, and community organizations working for peace. The PJC formed in response to the loss of jobs related to the growing number of nuclear weapons and increased defense spending. The group supported world peace, weapons reductions, weapon freezes, and union activity. They also took a strong stance against U.S. involvement with the Contras in Nicaragua.

Forty-four people attended the first PJC meeting on December 6, 1981. As the group became organized, general membership was lead by a coordinating council made up of ten persons. Six members of the council were elected from the general membership. Four of the ten persons were elected by each of four standing committees. Those four committees included the Finance Committee, the Public Relations Committee, the Political and Legislative Research Committee, and the Internal Communications Committee.

Usually PJC meetings included a business portion and an educational portion. The educational part of the meetings included information related to the purposes of the coalition and work on PJC projects.

Projects and events undertaken by PJC included rallies and marches, workshops and presentations, fundraising, guest editorials to the La Crosse Tribune, several press conferences, annual leafleting on April 15, and several retreats.

The PJC worked to include a referendum on the November 1982 La Crosse election ballot asking the Common Council to request the president and Congress agree with the Soviet Union to stop the testing, production and installation of nuclear weapons. The referendum passed by a vote of 7,408 to 4,213.

Members also participated in the Freeze Voter ’84 campaign during which members walked door-to-door in neighborhoods to enlist voters to elect candidates to national and state offices who favored weapon freezes.

The organization became dormant and published their last newsletter in January 1990. Reasons given for the dormant status included lack of funds and people to carry on the organization’s objectives.

Scope and Content

Materials from the Peace and Jobs Coalition are divided into four series: HISTORICAL MATERIALS, ADMINISTRATIVE MATERIALS, FINANCIAL MATERIALS, and RELATED ORGANIZATIONS.

HISTORICAL MATERIALS include a background folder (n.d.) with materials relating to the history and organization of the group, newspaper clippings (1982-1988), and state and national background (1981-1986), which contains information on the political climate in which the group existed.

ADMINISTRATIVE MATERIALS include articles of incorporation and by-laws (1982-1983). Committee materials include general materials (1982), Political Action Committee (1982), Political and Legislative Research Committee (1982-1983), and Steering Committee (1981-1982; 1989). Coordinating Council materials include membership materials (1984-1987) and minutes (1982-1988).

Other ADMINISTRATIVE MATERIALS are correspondence (1981-1988), events (1982-1986), fundraising (1988), grants (1982), membership (1985-1986), minutes (1982-1986), miscellaneous (1980-1986), newsletters (1982-1990), and political statements (n.d.). Projects include general information (1983-1988), Freeze Voter ’84 (1984), and Peace and Jobs Coalition Referendum (1982). Publicity includes general materials (1987) and press releases (1986-1987).

FINANCIAL MATERIALS include checkbook registers (1982-1989), financial reports (1982-1989) and materials relating to the organization’s tax-exempt status (1982; 1987).

RELATED ORGANIZATIONS include materials (1983-1986) from organizations with similar goals of the local Peace and Jobs Coalition.

Related Materials available at the La Crosse Public Library

Newspaper Clipping File Organizations-Peace and Jobs Coalition

Ephemera File Organizations-Peace and Jobs Coalition

Local Publications Peace and Jobs Coalition Newsletter