Crosswaith, Frank Rudolph, 1892-1965

Frank R. Crosswaith was a lifelong socialist, a labor union organizer, editor, and socialist candidate for several New York State offices. During the 1920's and 1930's, he was one of the most effective organizers of black workers in New York City.

Born in St. Croix, Crosswaith immigrated to this country at age thirteen. He attended the Rand School of Social Science, a labor and socialist school, and later became a lecturer there. In 1922 he was secretary of the People's Educational Forum in New York City where liberals of national importance addressed black audiences. He was known as the Socialist Party's foremost black orator.

In 1925 Crosswaith founded and served as executive secretary of the American Federation of Labor Trade Union Committee for Organizing Negro Workers. He worked with most of the unions that had blacks in their industries, including elevator operators, barbers, mechanics, laundry workers, and motion picture operators. This committee was succeeded in 1934 by an independent orgainization, the Harlem Labor Committee, of which he served as chairman for many years. This organization, which appealed to black and white workers, was active in seeking higher wages, better working conditions, and improved fringe benefits. Crosswaith was also chairman of the Negro Labor Committee in 1935, which sought to organize unorganized black workers and to lend its support to unions engaged in organizing and strike activities among black workers. The Committee maintained the Harlem Labor Center, established in 1935, which served as a headquarters for trade unions in Harlem.

Crosswaith was also well-known for his work as a special organizer for the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (1925-1928). Additionally, for over thirty years, he was on the staff of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. He was also one of the organizers of the original March on Washington Movement (1941) under A. Philip Randolph. As a socialist organizer and lecturer for the League for Industrial Democracy and later as a national organizer for the ILGWU in the 1930's, Crosswaith travelled across the United States addressing multiracial labor groups, college students, and other groups, discussing labor and socialist issues.

From the description of Frank R. Crosswaith papers, 1917-1965 (bulk 1923-1939). (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 122431563

Frank R. Crosswaith was a lifelong socialist, a labor union organizer, editor, and socialist candidate for several New York State offices. During the 1920's and 1930's he was one of the most effective organizers of black workers in New York City.

Born in St. Croix, Crosswaith immigrated to this country at age thirteen. Like many other Caribbean immigrants he had begun acquiring socialist ideas as an adolescent. He attended the Rand School of Social Science, a labor and socialist school, and later became a lecturer there. In 1922 he was Secretary of the People's Educational Forum in New York City where liberals of national importance addressed black audiences. And, in 1923 he served as chairman of a meeting held in Harlem to honor the labor and socialist leader, Eugene V. Debs.

Crosswaith was known as the Socialist Party's foremost black orator, and ran for various offices on the American Labor Party and Socialist tickets. In 1924 he was Norman Thomas' running mate, seeking the office of Secretary of State when Thomas ran for governor. Other offices he sought include Congressman (several times between 1922 and 1934), lieutenant governor (1932), City Council (1939), and president of the Board of Aldermen of New York City.

Crosswaith's first job in New York was as an elevator operator. As a laborer he understood and shared the difficulties and low wages of a significant portion of blacks in the teens and 1920's period who were employed in domestic and service positions. In 1925 he founded and served as executive secretary of the American Federation of Labor Trade Union Committee for Organizing Negro Workers, at a time when the AFL excluded most black workers, skilled and unskilled. As executive secretary, Crosswaith worked with most of the unions that had blacks in their industries, including elevator operators, barbers, mechanics, laundry workers, and motion picture operators.

The Labor Trade Union Committee for Organizing Negro Workers was succeeded in 1934 by the Harlem Labor Committee of which he served as chairman for many years. This organization, which appealed to black and white workers, was active in seeking higher wages, better working conditions and improved fringe benefits. Crosswaith was also instrumental in organizing the First Negro Labor Conference, held in July 1935, which was held under the auspices of the Harlem Labor Committee. The purpose of the Conference was to consider the economic plight of the black worker and to develop a program of action to secure non-menial jobs for black workers. The Committee also encouraged solidarity of black and white workers.

The Conference established the Negro Labor Committee in 1935, with Crosswaith as chairman. The Committee sought to organize unorganized black workers and to lend its support to unions engaged in organizing and strike activities among black workers. It also established the Negro Labor News Service which disseminated information to newspapers on events about or relating to black labor throughout the country. Crosswaith was its editor for twelve years. The Committee maintained the Harlem Labor Center, established in 1935, which served as a headquarters for trade unions in Harlem, bringing together many black workers, who, because of economic conditions, had a newly aroused interest in trade unions.

Crosswaith was also well-known for his work as a special organizer for the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters which struggled for ten years to win the right to represent the Pullman porters and maids. He worked with the Brotherhood for three years until his resignation in 1928. His reasons for resigning included his perception of numerous irregularities in the internal finances of the Brotherhood which were detrimental to the members. Crosswaith felt undermined by Roy Lancaster, the Secretary-Treasurer, but he was unable to bring about changes in office procedures which he felt were sacrificing the goals of the membership. In addition, for over thirty years Crosswaith was on the staff of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU). As general organizer, he established as its principal goal working through those AFL trade unions that were seeking to organize black workers. He was also one of the organizers of the original March on Washington Movement (1941), under A. Philip Randolph.

In 1942 Crosswaith was appointed the first labor member of the five member Board of the New York City Housing Authority by Mayor LaGuardia, and was successively reappointed by Mayors O'Dwyer and Impellitteri, serving as the Commissioner until 1957. The Housing Authority was responsible for building and operating public housing and was involved in redevelopment and slum clearance.

As a socialist organizer and lecturer for the League for Industrial Democracy and later as a national organizer for the ILGWU in the 1930's, Crosswaith travelled across the United States addressing multiracial labor groups, college students and other groups discussing labor and socialist issues. He was outspoken as an anti-communist, espousing his viewpoint that communists felt he was “a stumbling block in their campaign to organize the negro population of the United States.” He believed strongly that black workers should follow socialist practices to achieve freedom and economic viability, and his professional life was devoted to furthering the cause of labor and the rights of blacks.

From the guide to the Frank R. Crosswaith papers, 1917-1965, 1923-1939, (The New York Public Library. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division.)