David J. Saposs' studies of twentieth century labor history and economy were so extensive that by the 1930s he was known internationally as a walking encyclopedia of labor-related information. He was known throughout the scholarly world as Mr. Labor History. In addition to his careers in teaching and federal government service, between 1913 and 1968 he published fourteen books and numerous articles, pamphlets, and reports concerning United States and international labor, socialism, and communism.
| 1886 February 22 |
David Joseph Saposs was born in Kyiv, Ukraine (under Russian rule at the time) to Isaac and Shima (née Erevsky) Sapostnik
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| 1895 |
Sapostnik family moved to the United States and settled in Milwaukee; shortening name Saposs
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| 1900 |
David Saposs quit school after completing the fifth grade
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| 1900-1907 |
Held a variety of jobs, among them stenographer and worker at the Blatz and Schlitz breweries; served as the shop steward for the Brewery Workers' Union
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| 1907-1911 |
Undergraduate student in economics at the University of Wisconsin
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| 1913-1915 |
Graduate student in economics at the University of Wisconsin; research assistant to John R. Commons
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| 1917-1918 |
Expert in charge of Accident Prevention and Industrial Service, New York Department of Labor
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| 1917 July 3 |
Married Bertha Tigay; they had two daughters, Corinne and Barbara
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| 1918-1919 |
Investigator of Immigrant Workers and Trade Unions, Americanization Study, Carnegie Corporation
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| 1920 |
Investigator, Inquiry into Steel Strike of 1919, Inter-Church World Movement Commission
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| 1920 |
Educational Director, Amalgamated Clothing Workers
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| 1920-1922 |
Economic Consultant, Labor Bureau Inc.
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| 1922-1933 |
Instructor, Brookwood Labor College, Katonah, New York
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| 1924-1926 |
Graduate student in economics and labor history, Columbia University
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| 1926-1928 |
Head of the Labor Division, Social and Economic Study of Post-War France, conducted by Columbia University; resided in France during study
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| 1934-1945 |
Senior Research Associate, Twentieth Century Fund Inc.
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| 1935 |
Director, Company Union Study, United States Department of Labor
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| 1935-1940 |
Chief Economist, National Labor Relations Board.
His work on the Board was an integral part of the New Deal's efforts to better the status of the American worker. Although Saposs was an active liberal and a critic of Communist intervention in the American labor union movement, the House Committee on Un-American Affairs accused him of being a “red.” Saposs was then forced to resign from his post on the NLRB.
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| 1940-1942 |
Labor Consultant to Nelson A. Rockefeller, the United States Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs
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| 1945-1946 |
Chief, Reports and Statistics Office, Manpower Division, United States Office of Military Government for Germany
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| 1946-1948, 1952-1954 |
Special Assistant to the Commissioner of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor
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| 1948-1952 |
Special Advisor to the Director of the European Labor Division, United States Economic Cooperation Administration
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| 1954 |
Retired from federal government service
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| 1954-1956 |
Senior Research Associate, Littauer Center, Harvard University
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| 1955-1963 |
Lecturer on American and International Labor, Foreign Service Training Institute, United States Department of State
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| 1957-1958 |
Visiting Professor, Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations, University of Illinois
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| 1959-1965 |
Professor of American and International Labor, American University
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| 1961-1964 |
Lecturer on International Labor, Defense Intelligence School, United States Defense Department
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| 1962, 1964 |
Senior Specialist, East-West Center, University of Hawaii
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| 1968 November 13 |
Died in Washington, D.C.
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For additional biographical information, see box 1, folder 1.
