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This collection contains the papers of Edward J. Bloch (1924-2014), a native of New York who served in the military between 1943 and 1946 with assignments in Okinawa during World War II and post-war North China, taught science in Istanbul, Turkey (1947-1950), and dedicated the majority of his career to labor concerns as a representative for the labor union United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (1950-1984). Edward Bloch also served as President of the Labor Action Coalition of New York (1975 to the late 1990s), Director of the Interfaith Impact for the New York State Council of Churches (1987-1995), and ran unsuccessfully for two different congressional district seats (1984, 1986, 1995-1996). Among the many honors Bloch received during his lifetime is the Purple Heart, which he was awarded for his actions during World War II.

Correspondence with publishers and environmental groups including the Constitutional Council for Forest Preserves, 1970–71; Defenders of Wildlife, 1970–76; Albany Environmental Council, 1965–76; draft manuscripts and typescripts, 1956–79, of texts, scholarly and popular articles and books relating to local, state, national, and international government and to environmental issues such as the anti-nuclear movement, forest preservation, wildlife preservation, the Adirondack Mountains, lecture notes taken as a student and given to his classes, 1930–70, scripts for his television series "Man Against His Environment", 1970–71, drafts of speeches on environmental concerns, tape cassettes on environmental issues created as staff lecturer for the Center for Cassette Studies, clippings files on government and environmental issues, photographs of Rienow and his wife. Robert Rienow was educated at Carthage College (B.A., 1930), and Columbia University (M.A., 1934; Ph.D., 1937), served as Instructor, 1936–41, Assistant Professor, 1941–47, and Professor, 1947–80, of Social Science at the State University of New York at Albany, now the University at Albany. Through out his career Rienow maintained an active interest in environmental issues and a belief in the need to popularize issues of public concern. (See also papers of his wife Leona Train Rienow).