named programs · 2 · from sources
What they call their work
Book Review Series
Publishes critical reviews of memoirs and scholarly works on labor history, such as "Railroaded: A Motorman’s Story of the New York City Subway" and "When the Revolution Comes: A Fight for the Future of the Working Class."
Public Commentary and Analysis
Provides historical context and political commentary on labor movements, strikes, and worker organizing efforts in New York City.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Historic Preservation Support Grants 1 activity
- Administers the John Commerford Labor Education AwardsFunds and presents the annual John Commerford Labor Education Awards to individuals who have made major contributions to labor history and education, as part of efforts to restore John Commerford’s historical standing.
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Legal Education Scholarships and Fellowships 1 activity
- Awards prizes for student and scholar research in labor historyFunds and presents annual awards for outstanding research in labor history, including the Barbara Wertheimer Prize for the best undergraduate paper and the Bernard Bellush Prize for the best graduate student paper.
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Historical and Genealogical Research 1 activity
- Conducts and publishes research on New York labor historyConducts scholarly research and evaluation on labor history in New York, including publishing book reviews, maintaining a catalog of labor history literature, and engaging prominent historians for commentary. Activities include studies of labor organizing at Amazon JFK8, the history of the NYC subway system and Transit Workers Union, and the autobiography of Chris Smalls.
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Historic Site Public Programming 1 activity
- Organizes labor history events and public programmingOrganizes and promotes conferences, lectures, book parties, film showings, and exhibits related to labor history, including annual programming during Labor History Month in May.
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Organizational Newsletter Production and Distribution 1 activity
- Publishes Work History News newsletterPublishes and distributes *Work History News*, its official newsletter, free to members. The Summer/Fall 2026 issue was recently published as part of ongoing efforts to share labor history content.
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Cemetery Records and Genealogical Research 1 activity
- Supports commemorative and educational labor history projectsCollaborated on the installation of a grave marker for John Commerford at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, designating him a “Pioneering Labor Leader,” and traced his family tree, making contact with a living descendant who attended the 2023 awards event.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$17K
Contributions & grants——
Program service revenue$10K56%
Investment income$5843%
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$11K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$91K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$91K
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue -7.0%
relationships · 11
Who they work with
- Facebook Network — Uses Facebook for outreach and engagement
- Green-Wood Cemetery Partner — Collaborated to install a grave marker for John Commerford
- Instagram Network — Uses Instagram for outreach and engagement
- Joshua Freeman Network — Recognized labor historian who provides scholarly commentary on works promoted by the New York Labor History Association.
- Kyle Friend Partner — Contact person for submitting resource entries to the labor history resource hub
- Pantheon Books Partner — Co-presented or promoted the book review of Chris Smalls' autobiography published by Pantheon Books.
- Peter Filardo Government — NYLHA Treasurer handling check donations
- Rutgers University Press Partner — Publishes and distributes the book Railroaded: A Motorman’s Story of the New York City Subway, promoted by the New York Labor History Association.
- Sean Wilentz Partner — Provided historical research and information about John Commerford
- Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives of New York University Partner — Collaborated on the development of an online labor history map based on research from the organization's poster map.
- Work History News Network — Official newsletter of NYLHA, used to disseminate labor history content.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Labor-Academic Bridge to Advance Labor Studiesmethodology: labor-academic-bridgeBy connecting contemporary labor movements with academic scholarship, the organization strengthens both research and organizing, because sustained dialogue between practitioners and scholars produces more relevant, impactful labor studies and movement strategy.
- Oral History and Memoir as Historical Analysismethodology: oral_history_and_memoirBy integrating first-person narratives and personal memoirs with scholarly analysis, the organization deepens the understanding of labor history, because lived experiences provide critical insight into worker agency and movement dynamics, especially in understudied sectors like public transit.
- Preservation and Dissemination of Labor Heritagemethodology: preservation-and-disseminationBy preserving and widely sharing labor history, the organization sustains public engagement with New York's labor legacy, because accessible historical knowledge empowers current and future movements with lessons from past struggles and victories.
- Site-Based Worker Leadership as Foundation for Labor Powermethodology: workplace-as-proving-groundBy cultivating leadership rooted in specific workplaces, the organization produces more effective and sustainable labor organizing, because site-based authority enables workers to build authentic power and drive systemic change from within.