Records of the Committee on Fair Employment Practice [COFEP]
(Record Group 228)
1940-46
Table of Contents
- 228.1 ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY
- 228.2 GENERAL RECORDS
1941-46
- 228.3 RECORDS OF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES
1940-46
- 228.3.1 Records of the Office of the Chairman
- 228.3.2 Records of the Office of the Deputy Chairman
- 228.3.3 Records of the Office of the Executive Secretary
- 228.3.4 Records of the Information Office
- 228.4 RECORDS OF OPERATING UNITS
1941-46
- 228.4.1 Records of the Legal Division
- 228.4.2 Records of the Division of Review and Analysis
- 228.4.3 Records of the Division of Field Operations
- 228.5 RECORDS OF REGIONAL OFFICES
1941-46
- 228.5.1 Records of Region I, Boston, MA (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT)
- 228.5.2 Records of Region II, New York, NY (NY)
- 228.5.3 Records of Region III, Philadelphia, PA (DE, NJ, PA)
- 228.5.4 Records of Region IV, Washington, DC (DC, MD, NC, VA, WV)
- 228.5.5 Records of Region V, Cleveland, OH (KY, MI, OH)
- 228.5.6 Records of Region VI, Chicago, IL (IL, IN, WI)
- 228.5.7 Records of Region VII, Atlanta, GA (AL, FL, GA, MS, SC,
TN)
- 228.5.8 Records of Region VIII, Minneapolis, MN (IA, MN, NE, ND,
SD)
- 228.5.9 Records of Region IX, Kansas City, MO (AR, KS, MO, OK)
- 228.5.10 Records of Region X, Dallas, TX (LA, NM, TX)
- 228.5.11 Records of Region XI, Denver, CO (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY)
- 228.5.12 Records of Region XII, San Francisco, CA (CA, NV, OR,
WA)
- 228.5.13 Records of Region XIII, New Orleans, LA (LA)
- 228.6 SOUND RECORDINGS (GENERAL)
Established: In the Office for Emergency Management (OEM) by EO 9346, May 27, 1943.
Predecessor Agencies:
COFEP, Office of Production Management (OPM, 1941-42)
COFEP, War Production Board (WPB, 1942)
COFEP, War Manpower Commission (WMC, 1942-43)
Functions: Formulated and interpreted, on an advisory basis, policies to combat employment discrimination based on race, religion, or national origin. Received, investigated, and adjusted complaints of such discrimination.
Abolished: Effective June 28, 1946, pursuant to the National War Agencies Appropriation Act of 1946 (59 Stat. 473), July 17, 1945.
Finding Aids: Charles Zaid, comp., Preliminary Inventory of the Records of the Committee on Fair Employment Practice, PI 147 (1962); supplement in National Archives microfiche edition of preliminary inventories.
Related Records: Record copies of publications of the Committee on Fair Employment Practice in RG 287, Publications of the U.S. Government. Records of the Railroad Labor Board in RG 13, Records of the National Mediation Board.
Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel, RG 24.
Records of the Federal Coordinator of Transportation, RG 133.
General Records of the Department of Labor, RG 174.
Records of the War Production Board, RG 179.
Records of the Office of Employment Security, RG 183.
Records of the War Manpower Commission, RG 211.
Records of the Committee for Congested Production Areas, RG 212.
Records of the Government Contract Committee (also known as the President's Committee on Government Contract Compliance) and Records of the President's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity, in RG 220, Records of Temporary Committees, Commissions, and Boards.
Records of the Committee on Government Contract Compliance, RG 325.
Papers of Philleo Nash, administrative assistant to President Truman with special responsibility for matters related to COFEP, in Truman Library.
228.2 GENERAL RECORDS
1941-46
History: First COFEP established in OPM by EO 8802, June 25,
1941. OPM abolished and COFEP transferred to WPB by EO 9040,
January 24, 1942. COFEP transferred to WMC by Presidential letter
to Paul V. McNutt, Chairman of WMC, July 30, 1942. First COFEP
abolished by EO 9346, May 27, 1943, which established a new
committee of the same name under OEM.
Textual Records: Central files, including correspondence and
transcripts of COFEP meetings, August 1941-April 1946.
Finding Aids: Subject-numeric classification scheme in appendix
I, PI 147.
228.3 RECORDS OF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES
1940-46
228.3.1 Records of the Office of the Chairman
Textual Records: Office files of Malcolm Ross, 1940-46. Reading
files, August 1941-May 1946. Office memorandums, October 1942-
January 1945. Records relating to COFEP meetings, 1942-45. Office
files of Max Berking, Assistant to the Chairman, 1944-45.
228.3.2 Records of the Office of the Deputy Chairman
Textual Records: Reading file of George M. Johnson in his
capacity as Deputy Chairman, 1942-45. Office files, 1941-45.
228.3.3 Records of the Office of the Executive Secretary
Textual Records: Reading file of responses to complaints of
discrimination, December 1941-June 1942 and December 1942-July
1943.
228.3.4 Records of the Information Office
Textual Records: Press releases, 1941-45. Weekly news digests,
1943-45. Files of the information officer, 1943-45. Newspaper
clippings, 1943-46.
Sound Recordings (4 items): Radio series "Weapons for Victory,"
describing black and white workers producing electric cable for
the armed forces during World War II, 1946.
228.4 RECORDS OF OPERATING UNITS
1941-46
228.4.1 Records of the Legal Division
Textual Records: Office files of George M. Johnson in his
capacity as Director of the Legal Division, 1941-45. Records
relating to hearings, including transcripts, December 1941-March
1946, with index. Office files of hearing examiners and trial
attorneys, 1942-46. Indexes to cases, 1941-45; opinions, 1941-43;
interpretations, 1942-44; agreements, 1942-44; and policies,
1943-44.
Subject Access Terms: Consolidated Steel Corporation; California
Shipbuilding Company; International Brotherhood of Boilermakers;
Kaiser Shipbuilding; Oregon Shipbuilding; Philadelphia
Transportation Company; Los Angeles Railway Company; Western Pipe
and Steel Company.
228.4.2 Records of the Division of Review and Analysis
History: Originally the compliance arm of the first COFEP, became
responsible for operational analysis, program planning, and
research after transfer of compliance functions to the field
staff in the reorganization of 1943.
Textual Records: Office file of Director John A. Davis, 1941-46.
Reference file, including publications, synopses, studies,
reports, speeches, and statements, 1941-46. Office files of other
staff members, 1942-45. Records relating to the first report of
the COFEP, March 1944-May 1945. Statistical data concerning
docketed and closed cases, 1944-45. Final disposition reports,
1943-45. Records concerning areas where racial disturbances were
anticipated ("Tension File"), 1943-45. Issuances of an
interagency committee relating to reconversion to peacetime
economy, 1943-45.
Subject Access Terms: "Hate strikes"; Mexican-Americans; Mobile, AL.
228.4.3 Records of the Division of Field Operations
Textual Records: Correspondence and memorandums sent to regional
directors, 1943-46. Case files of sensitive cases and others not
resolved in the field ("Active Cases"), 1943-46. Correspondence
relating to cases, 1943-45. Indexes to cases, 1941-45;
complainants, 1941-45; company files, 1943-45; and charged
parties, 1944-45. Directives, 1943-45. Weekly reports of regional
offices, 1943-44. Office files of Will Maslow, Director, and
Clarence M. Mitchell, Associate Director, 1943-45; Eugene
Davidson, Assistant Director, 1941-46; and senior field
representatives Ernest G. Trimble and John Beecher, 1941-45.
Subject Access Terms: Fair employment councils; General Cable
Corporation; "Hate strikes"; national defense employment
training; U.S. Employment Service; War Shipping Administration.
228.5 RECORDS OF REGIONAL OFFICES
1941-46
History: COFEP established 12 regional offices (designated as
Regions I-XII) between July and November 1943, utilizing the
regional structure of WMC for the 48 states and the District of
Columbia. Separate Region XIII opened for LA (formerly part of
Region X), February 1945.
228.5.1 Records of Region I, Boston, MA (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT)
Textual Records (in Boston): Case files, 1941-46, with indexes,
1942-46.
228.5.2 Records of Region II, New York, NY (NY)
Textual Records (in New York): General records, including
correspondence and other records relating to COFEP hearings,
congressional hearings on COFEP appropriation bills, and cases,
1942-45. Correspondence relating to discrimination complaints,
1942-43. Case files, 1941-46, with indexes, 1942-46.
228.5.3 Records of Region III, Philadelphia, PA (DE, NJ, PA)
Textual Records (in Philadelphia): Case files, 1941-46, with
indexes, 1942-46. Fiscal records, 1942-46.
228.5.4 Records of Region IV, Washington, DC (DC, MD, NC, VA, WV)
Textual Records (in Philadelphia): General records, including
records relating to cases, cutbacks in industrial production late
in the war, and Congressional bills to establish a permanent
COFEP, 1943-45. Case files, 1941-46, with indexes, 1942-46.
228.5.5 Records of Region V, Cleveland, OH (KY, MI, OH)
Textual Records (in Chicago): General records, 1942-46, including
records relating to cases. Case files, 1941-46, with indexes,
1942-46. General file of the Cincinnati office, 1945-46,
including records relating to hearings held by COFEP in the
Cincinnati area.
228.5.6 Records of Region VI, Chicago, IL (IL, IN, WI)
Textual Records (in Chicago): General records, 1941-46, including
those relating to COFEP role in settling labor disputes,
conferences with private employers, and employment of aliens in
war industry. Case files, 1941-46, with indexes, 1942-46.
228.5.7 Records of Region VII, Atlanta, GA (AL, FL, GA, MS, SC,
TN)
Textual Records (in Atlanta): General records, 1943-45, including
records relating to discrimination in war plants, activities of
minority groups in support of COFEP, and the 1945 testimony of
the Regional Director before the Senate Subcommittee on
Appropriations. Case files, 1941-46, with indexes, 1942-46.
228.5.8 Records of Region VIII, Minneapolis, MN (IA, MN, NE, ND,
SD)
Textual Records (in Chicago): Case files, 1941-46.
228.5.9 Records of Region IX, Kansas City, MO (AR, KS, MO, OK)
Textual Records (in Kansas City): General records, including
records relating to cases, COFEP hearings in St. Louis,
complaints by civic organizations against local employers, and
other records, 1941-46. Case files, 1941-46, with indexes, 1942-46.
228.5.10 Records of Region X, Dallas, TX (LA, NM, TX)
Textual Records (in Fort Worth): Case files (including some for
Regions IX and XIII), 1941-46, with indexes, 1942-46.
228.5.11 Records of Region XI, Denver, CO (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY)
Textual Records (in Kansas City): Indexes to case files, 1941-46.
228.5.12 Records of Region XII, San Francisco, CA (CA, NV, OR, WA)
Textual Records (in San Francisco): General records relating to
COFEP efforts to combat discrimination, including correspondence
with COFEP headquarters in Washington, DC, other government
agencies, civil rights organizations, employers, unions, and
private citizens, 1943-45. Records created in preparation for
COFEP hearings in Los Angeles, October-November 1941. Case files,
1941-46, with indexes, 1942-46.
228.5.13 Records of Region XIII, New Orleans, LA (LA)
Textual Records (in Fort Worth): Case files, 1941-46, interfiled
with those of Region X (SEE 228.5.10); with indexes, 1942-46.
228.6 SOUND RECORDINGS (GENERAL)
SEE UNDER 228.3.4.
Bibliographic note: Web version based on Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States. Compiled by Robert B. Matchette et al. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1995.
3 volumes, 2428 pages.
This Web version is updated from time to time to include records processed since 1995.
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