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Explore stories in Northwest history through highlights from MOHAI’s collections. Search by keyword below or browse the entire online collection by entering the asterisk symbol (*). Filter your search by type of materials.

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707 results for: Labor and Labor Unions

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Image of Men standing at the rail of a ship, Seattle, circa 1953
Photograph

Men standing at the rail of a ship, Seattle, circa 1953

Three unidentified crew members stand at the rail on the deck of an Alaska Steamship Company vessel. The men appear to be galley workers or stewards. One holds copy of a newspaper called The Dispatcher, with the headline "Stewards Signup Passes 75%," indicating the event is probably related to a union dispute.
ID Number:2014.49.014.026.0059
Date:Circa 1953
Image of Men shaking hands on a dock in front of a ship, Seattle, circa 1953
Photograph

Men shaking hands on a dock in front of a ship, Seattle, circa 1953

A group of unidentified stand on the dock near the gangplank of an Alaska Steamship Company vessel. One man is holding a copy of the newspaper The Dispatcher. Another man is flashing a "V" sign, and two others are shaking hands. The event is probably related to a union dispute.
ID Number:2014.49.014.026.0060
Date:Circa 1953
Image of Men standing at the rail of a ship, Seattle, circa 1953
Photograph

Men standing at the rail of a ship, Seattle, circa 1953

Lester Catlet and four other unidentified crew members stand at the rail on the deck of an Alaska Steamship Company vessel. The men appear to be galley workers or stewards.
ID Number:2014.49.014.026.0061
Date:Circa 1953
Image of Crew members working in the galley of a ship, Seattle, circa 1953
Photograph

Crew members working in the galley of a ship, Seattle, circa 1953

An unidentified cook cracks eggs beside the rest of the kitchen crew in the galley of an Alaska Steamship Company vessel.
ID Number:2014.49.014.052.0130
Date:Circa 1953
Image of Postal workers at post office, Seattle, circa 1944
Photograph

Postal workers at post office, Seattle, circa 1944

A smiling man holding wrapped gifts is surrounded by unidentified fellow employees in the mail sorting area of the U.S. Post Office on Broadway near E. Pine Street. These may be work colleagues of the photographer, Al Smith.
ID Number:2014.49.014.061.0145
Date:Circa 1944
Image of Sorting room in the Broadway Station, U.S. Post Office, Seattle, circa 1950
Photograph

Sorting room in the Broadway Station, U.S. Post Office, Seattle, circa 1950

In the mid-1950s, Al Smith began working as a mail carrier at the Post Office and stayed for 25 years. He was proud of his work there and appreciated the post office job for its security, fair wages, and relative lack of discrimination. The job afforded him both a middle-class lifestyle and an opportunity to pursue his avocation of photography.…
ID Number:2014.49.018.024.0053
Date:Circa 1950
Image of Pacific Coast Biscuit Co. employees outside factory, Seattle, 1918
Photograph

Pacific Coast Biscuit Co. employees outside factory, Seattle, 1918

Initially founded in 1899 to compete against the National Biscuit Company (later Nabisco), the Pacific Coast Biscuit Company was a conglomerate of baking companies headquartered in Portland, Oregon. The company, also known as Pacific Coast, was made up of seven companies that together controlled most of the commercial biscuit and cracker business west of the Rocky Mountains. One of those…
ID Number:2014.50.1
Date:1918
Image of King and Winge Boat Shop, Seattle, circa 1906
Photograph

King and Winge Boat Shop, Seattle, circa 1906

The King and Winge Boat Shop opened in 1899 in West Seattle. The owners were Albert Winge, a native of Norway, and Thomas J. King, from Boston. The shipyard built fishing vessels as well as smaller craft like lifeboats.
ID Number:2014.59.40
Date:Circa 1906
Image of KIRO studio engineer James Upthegrove and engineer John Dubuque with radio equipment, Seattle, circa 1955
Photograph

KIRO studio engineer James Upthegrove and engineer John Dubuque with radio equipment, Seattle, circa 1955

KIRO was founded by Moritz Thomsen of the Pacific Biscuit Company and began broadcasting on April 27, 1927 as the 100-watt station KPCB 650. Over the years, the Seattle KIRO broadcast station moved several times. The first location was at Fourth and University. As of 2025, the KIRO station studios are located in the Belltown neighborhood, with a transmitting tower…
ID Number:2014.67.11
Date:Circa 1955
Image of Seattle City Light employee group outside building, January 9, 1957
Photograph

Seattle City Light employee group outside building, January 9, 1957

The image pictured here of the employees of Seattle City Light's shops and warehouse was taken outside the building at Fourth Avenue South and Spokane Street, a location now referred to as the South Service Center. The 139 individuals pictured here are identified on a separate piece of paper included with the print. Handwritten on image: Seattle, Wn. - City…
ID Number:2015.97.114
Date:1957
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MOHAI stands on the historic and contemporary lands and shores of the Duwamish, Suquamish, Muckleshoot, and other Coast Salish Nations. We acknowledge the forced displacement of Native Communities from this land while honoring the endurance of the Duwamish people who still live here.
Address: 860 Terry Ave N, Seattle WA, 98109
Phone: 206 324 1126
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