Holdings Liberal Arts and Sciences History Department James R. Barrett Papers Finding Aid Holdings Liberal Arts and Sciences History Department James R. Barrett Papers Finding Aid Title: James R. Barrett Papers, 1903-2025
ID: 15/13/61
Primary Creator: Barrett, James R. (1950-)
Extent: 5.6 cubic feet
Arrangement:
Series 1: Personal Papers and Jenny Barrett’s UIUC Service Records, 1967-2025
Series 1 contains James Barrett’s CV, his student papers, records related to other academic positions, awards, photographs, and memorial speeches/obituaries. Folders are arranged by topic and chronologically within.
At the end of series 1 are listed records of Jenny Barrett’s work with the Association of Academic Professionals (AAP), the Interfaith Committee, and Women Against Racism (WAR). Folders are arranged alphabetically.
Series 2: Subject Files, 1968-2017
Series 2 contains Barrett’s correspondence, talks and guest lectures, conference and primary research materials, history department records, and course materials. Also included are his on-campus and off-campus service in organizations such as the Campus Faculty Association, the Union of Professional Employees, the Graduate Employees’ Organization, committees (Licensing Advisory Committee), the Center for Advanced Study, Illinois Labor History Society, or Labor and Working-Class History Association. His on-campus activism materials focus on the Chief (previous university mascot), labor and anti-war movements.
Within these categories folders are arranged chronologically with the exception of course materials, arranged by course number and chronologically within. Folders without course numbers are arranged alphabetically by course title at the end of the series.
Series 3: Off-Campus Activism, 1980-2001
Series 3 contains Barrett’s off-campus activism, including flyers, meeting minutes and agendas, printed materials, mailing lists, and correspondence related to unions and socialist and progressive organizations. Series 3 is arranged alphabetically by folder titles.
Series 4: Secondary Literature, 1903-1975
Series 4 contains rare secondary literature related to political history, unions, progressive organizations, student groups, and Illinois Bell. Included here are flyers, brochures, pamphlets, newspapers, articles, journals, newsletters, song lyrics, and postcards. Series 4 was arranged alphabetically by Barrett and was kept alphabetical.
Series 5: Publications, 1977-2019
Series 5 contains Professor Barrett’s books, articles, reviews of books and films, op-eds, reviews of his work, and an interview with him (2006). Series 5 is arranged chronologically.
Series 6: Artifacts, 1976-1990
Serie 6 contains union, labor, and activist buttons as well as stickers collected by Barrett from 1976 to 1992, union posters and a poster advertising a talk by Professor Barrett. Buttons and stickers are arranged alphabetically; posters are arranged chronologically.
Date Acquired: 03/18/2019
Subjects: Faculty Papers, Immigration History, Irish American History, Labor Unions, Socialism, Working Class History
James R. Barrett (1950- ) is an emeritus professor of History and African American Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In 1984, Barrett started as assistant professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and received tenure in 1994. During his time at the University of Illinois, Professor Barrett served as chair of the History Department (1997-2000, 2010-2011) and as the President of the Union of Professional Employees (1994-1996, 2012-2013). Since 2014, Barrett has also been a scholar in residence at the Newberry Library in Chicago. Professor Barrett is recognized for his work in US working-class history, Irish American labor history, and urban racial and ethnic history.
The papers of James R. Barrett consist of Barrett’s CV, and records from his school years, non-UIUC academic positions, awards, photographs, memorial speeches/obituaries, correspondence, talks and guest lectures, conferences, primary research, publications, and artifacts. His papers also contain course materials, History Department records, professional service, and activism at UIUC. His papers also includes records documenting his professional service and activism off campus. Barrett’s collection of secondary literature includes rare print materials on labor history and organizing.
Part of James R. Barrett’s paper are the records of Jenny Barrett’s work with Association of Academic Professionals (AAP), the Interfaith Committee, and Women Against Racism (WAR) at the end of Series 1.
The collection is organized into six series: Series 1: Personal Papers and Jenny Barrett’s UIUC Service Records, 1967-2025, arranged by topic and chronologically within; Series 2: Subject Files, 1968-2017, arranged by topic and chronologically within; Series 3: Off-Campus Activism, 1980-2001, arranged alphabetically; Series 4: Secondary Literature, 1903-1975, arranged alphabetically; Series 5: Publications, 1977-2019; arranged chronologically; Series 6: Artifacts, 1976-1990, arranged by topic, and chronologically or alphabetically within.
James R. Barrett (1950- ) is an emeritus professor of History and African American Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In 1984, Barrett started as assistant professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and received tenure in 1994. During his time at the University of Illinois, Professor Barrett served as chair of the History Department (1997-2000, 2010-2011) and as the President of the Union of Professional Employees (1994-1996, 2012-2013). Since 2014, Barrett has also been a scholar in residence at the Newberry Library in Chicago. Professor Barrett is recognized for his work in US working-class history, Irish American labor history, and urban racial and ethnic history.
James R. Barrett was born on June 14, 1950, in Chicago, Illinois. He earned his undergraduate degree in History at the University of Illinois Chicago in 1972. Barrett attended a history master’s program at Northern Illinois University and then transferred to the University of Warwick where he received an M.A. in Comparative Labor History in 1974. In 1981, he earned a Ph.D. in History from the University of Pittsburgh. Barrett worked as an assistant professor at North Carolina State University from 1981-1984 and as a visiting assistant professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill from 1983-1984. Barrett was married to Jenny Barrett until her passing in 2021.
While at the University of Illinois, Professor Barrett developed courses on labor history, Chicago and Illinois history, and Irish American history. He served on numerous University of Illinois committees. In addition to being Chair of the History Department (1997-2000, 2010-2011), he acted as Associate Chair and Director of Graduate Studies (1991-1993) and still acts co-editor of The Working Class in American History (2000-Present).
In addition to his work at UIUC, Professor Barrett has consulted on educational videos teaching labor organizing and labor history. He was interviewed and consulted for television and radio including programs on Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle and a National Public Television Play on the Chicago stockyards and 1919 race riot called “The Killing Floor.” Barrett also taught working-class history, social history, and African American history to teachers in Illinois school districts. He was professionally involved in the Organization of American Historians (OAH), the Labor and Working-Class History Association (LAWCHA), the Society for Immigration and Ethnic History, and the Illinois State Historical Society.
Both at the University of Illinois and throughout the state of Illinois, Barrett engaged in labor and reform movements. On campus, Barrett supported the development of the Graduate Employees’ Organization (GEO) and their strikes. Off campus, he supported strikes of organizations such as United Farm Workers and Staley workers (UPIU Local 7837) in Decatur. Barrett contributed to petitions and participated in demonstrations for labor rights.
A prolific author, Barrett has published numerous books, articles, book chapters, blog posts, encyclopedia entries, photo essays, conference and invited papers, op-eds as well as over 125 book and film reviews. His books include Steve Nelson, American Radical (1981), Work and Community in 'The Jungle': Chicago's Packing House Workers (1987), William Z. Foster and the Tragedy of American Radicalism (2000), The Irish Way: Becoming American in the Multi-Ethnic City (2012), and, recently, A David Montgomery Reader: Capitalism and Workers Resistance (2024).
Professor Barrett has received awards and honors including numerous UIUC teaching awards, such as the Richard G. and Carole J. Cline University Scholar (highest recognition for faculty in the University of Illinois system) (1990-93) and Distinguished Lecturer, Organization of American Historians (2006-Present). He has also received the Illinois State Historical Society Book Award for Work and Community in the Jungle (1988); service awards including the Illinois Federation of Teachers AFL-CIO for Outstanding Dedication and Service to the Trade Union Movement (1989) and the Distinguished Service Award, Labor and Working-Class History Association (2019); and two Carlton Qualey Article Awards (1998, 2006).
His fellowships, residencies, and grants include: Lloyd Lewis/NEH Senior Fellowship in American History, The Newberry Library (1990-91); IREX Short-term Research Grant, Center for the Preservation and Study of Documents of Modern History, Moscow, (Summer 1994); Organization of American Historians/Japan Association of American Studies Exchange, Residency at Osaka University of Foreign Studies, (May-June, 2001); Associate, Center for Advanced Study, University of Illinois at Urbana (2007, 2008-2009, 2010); Fellow, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (Summer, 2012); and Guest Professor of History, Osaka University (Summer, 2012).
URL: https://files.archon.library.illinois.edu/uasfa/1503161.pdf
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