ILGWU Chorus Photographs

Founded in 1900 by local union delegates representing about 2,000 members in cities in the northeastern United States, the ILGWU grew in geographical scope, membership size, political influence to become one of the most powerful forces in American organized labor by mid-century. Representing workers in the women's garment industry, the ILGWU worked to improve working and living conditions of its members through collective bargaining agreements, training programs, health care facilities, cooperative housing, educational opportunities, and other efforts. In 1995, the ILGWU merged with the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union (ACTWU) to form the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE).

The ILGWU Chorus was an organization within the ILGWU that brought together union members to perform songs for television and radio, and at conventions and other public events. Under the direction of Malcolm Dodds, the ILGWU Chorus was probably most-widely known for its performances of “Look for the Union Label” on television commercials in the mid-1970s. The song, written by Paula Green and composed by Malcolm Dodds, was part of the ILGWU’s general campaign to educate the public about the union label, the work of the ILGWU, and the importance of both to consumers and workers alike. The ILGWU Chorus appeared at ILGWU conventions, AFL-CIO conventions, community and political events, and the group sang songs in Chinese, English, French, and Spanish.

Local unions, district councils, and regional departments also organized choruses, and in many instances, these groups pre-dated the ILGWU Chorus that gained national recognition in the 1970s. These smaller groups performed at local and regional meetings, community events, and sometimes at the ILGWU’s international conventions. The musical revue, “My Name Is Mary Brown,” for example, was performed by the Northeast Department at the ILGWU’s Golden Jubilee Convention in 1950. Along with orchestras, theater groups, sports teams, and others, these choruses were one part of the union’s active educational departments.