The Jacob F. Friedrick Papers comprise correspondence, speeches, clippings, minutes and
other meeting and conference materials, resolutions, photographs, tape recordings, legal
documents, and other items. Dating primarily between 1940 and 1968, the Papers are organized
in seven groups: Correspondence, General Public Statements, Labor Affairs, Civic Affairs,
Certificates and Biographical Clippings, Photographs, and Tape Recordings. There is little
personal information about Friedrick in these Papers; their subject matter is almost
entirely concerned with his public career as a labor and civic leader.
Correspondence, is divided into general correspondence, 1949-1976, and congratulatory
correspondence classified by the occasions that prompted it. Several letters in the general
correspondence are of special interest: a December 27, 1956, letter from Friedrick to George
Meany which pertains to a request to preserve the jurisdiction of the building trades crafts
in Milwaukee; sharp exchanges in 1956 between Friedrick and Elliot N. Walstead, a candidate
for the U.S. Senate, concerning the AFL's support of Henry Maier in the primary; and a
November 12, 1953, letter from a Marquette University professor that prompted Friedrick to
write a critique of a student's paper which illustrates his knowledge of economics. The
congratulatory correspondence includes correspondents: C. A. Elvehjem, William Green, Fred
H. Harrington, Hubert H. Humphrey, Warren P. Knowles, Henry Maier, George Meany, Gaylord
Nelson, Selig Perlman, William Proxmire, Henry Reuse, W. Willard Wirtz, Edwin E. Witte, and
Clement J. Zablocki. Additional correspondence may be found in the labor and civic affairs
files when it pertains to the specific subjects included there.
General Public Statements, 1939-1968, are a biographical source as they exhibit Friedrick's
philosophy on a wide range of subjects. The newspaper articles, eulogies, commencement and
Labor Day speeches, radio addresses and interviews, statements, and resolutions relate to
many topics: the reasons for labor organization, the value of education, improving the
community, human rights, standards of living, labor legislation, the closed shop, on-the-job
training, Jane Addams, Selig Perlman, and John R. Commons. A few public statements also have
been filed in the labor and civic affairs files when pertaining to the specific subjects
there.
Labor Affairs and Civic Affairs, both contain a variety of materials concerning
organizations and events with which Friedrick was involved. Of special interest are the
materials on the Advisory Commission on Workmen's Compensation in the Labor Affairs files.
The bills, minutes of meetings, and speeches there primarily concern hearing loss and
reflect Friedrick's interest in the field. In Civic Affairs, the papers concerning the
Greater Milwaukee Committee, We-Milwaukee, and the Governor's conferences of 1960 and 1965
especially illustrate Friedrick's thinking on many urban and social problems including
traffic, pollution, unemployment, ghetto living, and inadequate schools.
Certificates and Clippings, from 1936-1980 include some biographical information on
Friedrick.
Photographs include images of Friedrick, George Meany, Walter Reuther, and William Green at
various national and regional labor conventions; photos pertaining to the 1957 and 1958
trips to the Berlin Trade Fairs; and one image, autographed by President Lyndon B. Johnson,
showing him and Friedrick shaking hands, probably at the White House Conference on
Education.
Audio Recordings are of a 1955 testimonial dinner for Friedrick and a 1966 radio interview
with him.
