Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.

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Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Nat Goldman Correspondence, 1946-1949, Ms2022-054, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

This collection was purchased by Special Collections and University Archives in May 2017.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the Nat Goldman Correspondence was completed in September 2022.

Biographical Note

Nathan "Nat" Goldman was born in May 1919 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His family immigrated to New York City, New York, United States of America, and Goldman was naturalized as a U.S. citizen in October 1937. During the years of his correspondences, he worked as an auditor for the Textile Workers Union of America CIO. He dated Rebecca 'Reba' Baron at the time of his correspondances to her, and they married on November 16, 1949. Baron was born in New York City around 1920, and she worked as a bookkeper at a fur factory during the correspondances with Goldman.

Sources:

"Rebecca Baron" entry. Year: 1940; Census Place: New York, New York, New York; Roll: m-t0627-02639; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 31-662. On Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/discoveryui-content/view/6936179:2442 . Accessed September 23, 2022.

"Nathan Goldman" entry. New York City Municipal Archives; New York, New York; Borough: Manhattan; Volume Number: 44. On Ancestry.com. New York, New York, U.S., Marriage License Indexes, 1907-2018 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2017. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/discoveryui-content/view/1764256:61406 . Accessed September 23, 2022.

"Nathan Goldman" entry. The National Archives and Records Administration; Washington, D.C.; Petitions For Naturalization From the U.s. District Court For the Southern District of New York, 1897-1944; Series: M1972; Roll: 1383. On Ancestry.com. New York, U.S., Naturalization Records, 1882-1944 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. This collection was indexed by Ancestry World Archives Project contributors. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/discoveryui-content/view/4041186:2499 . Accessed September 23, 2022.

Scope and Content

This collection includes the correspondence of Nat Goldman, an auditor for the Textile Workers Union of America CIO. Most of the letters were sent by Nat Goldman. He writes to his girlfriend Rebecca "Reba" Baron in New York City, New York, and tells her of his travels and work for the union. Most of his letters are from Virginia, but there are a few from his travels to Tennessee, Connecticut, and Wisconsin.

Goldman's letters consist of flirtatious writing to Baron and also describes his work for the union as well as locals' adminstrative work, finances, and accounting books. In a letter to Baron dated November 09, 1948, Goldman writes, "The enclosed letters speak for themselves. I have no comment nor any excuses. I have not changed nor can I change my beliefs." The first enclosed letter from William Pollock, the General Secretary-Treasurer of the Textile Workers Union, includes accusations against Goldman, such as "He has condemned vociferously the Union's support of Truman and liberal candidates ... His support of Russian policies is without question, positive proof to me that he is a Communist ... he refused to condemn the witch hunts on true trade unionists in the Soviet, and the slaughter of millions of Christians in the Soviet ... I must say he is without a doubt, the strangest liberal I have ever met or seen ... his hatred for Brother Sol Stetin knows no bounds."

The collection includes a single letter from Baron to Goldman. In the letter dated February 12, 1948, she writes, "Today may be Lincoln's birthday and a holiday in some places, but not at 469 Broadway. I had to work, and all day too." She later jokes about his hotel room, "Your room sounds quite enchanting. All that and roaches too. Perhaps you can strike up an aquaintance with one. Perhaps you can even train it."

Goldman wrote each letter using the stationery from the hotels he stayed at during his travels. The hotels he stayed at include Hotel Marbrook, Buena Vista, Virginia; Hotel Caroll, Lynchburg, Virginia; Hotel Beverly, Staunton, Virginia; New Lakeview Tourist Court & Motel, Jackson, Tennessee; Hotel Chisca, Memphis, Tennessee; Hotel Badger, Burlington, Wisconsin; The Wauregan Hotel, Norwich, Connecticut.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged chronologically.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Correspondence
• Labor unions
• Textile workers
• Virginia

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Nat Goldman Correspondence by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).