UCA Archives receives historical papers of late AFL-CIO leader

J. Bill Becker0001The University of Central Arkansas Archives has received the papers of the late J. Bill Becker, president of the Arkansas AFL-CIO, from 1964 to 1996. The papers were donated to UCA by the Becker family.

Becker passed away in December 1997.

According to Jimmy Bryant, director of the UCA Archives, “Mr. Becker was a very powerful labor leader and had significant political clout. Politicians viewed his endorsement as being critically important to their campaigns.”

Bryant said Becker’s papers include books, newspaper editorials, personal notes, newspaper articles, professional correspondence, personal information and photographs. Bryant said he hoped that the Becker papers will be processed and ready for researchers in late 2016 or early 2017.