Lea Roback Fonds
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn31359
- Collection
- Lea Roback Fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Material Type
- multiple media
- Physical Description
- 4.8m of textual records. -- 1013 photographs.
- Fonds No.
- 1243
- Date
- 1901-1998 ; predominant 1930-1998
- Scope and Content
- The Fonds contains material reflecting Lea Roback's activity in politics, union organization and activism in addition to personal records that document her relationship with family. Records from her political and activist work include radio addresses, correspondence, fliers, reports, and periodical…
- Collection
- Lea Roback Fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Material Type
- multiple media
- Physical Description
- 4.8m of textual records. -- 1013 photographs.
- Scope and Content
- The Fonds contains material reflecting Lea Roback's activity in politics, union organization and activism in addition to personal records that document her relationship with family. Records from her political and activist work include radio addresses, correspondence, fliers, reports, and periodicals. Personal records include correspondence wit her family members, the narrative of the Roback family written in prose, and various pieces of memorabilia belonging to Roback. The majority of the photographs in the collection are of Lea and her family from their time in Montreal, Beauport (QC) as well as Lea's travels in Europe. The series included within the Lea Roback Fonds are the following:
- Series 1 -- Professional activity
- Series 2 -- Biographical and personal material
- Series 3 -- Correspondence
- Series 4 -- Bibliographic reference publications
- Series 5 -- Videos
- Series 6 -- Photographs
- Series 7 -- Graphic material
- Date
- 1901-1998 ; predominant 1930-1998
- Fonds No.
- 1243
- Storage Location
- JPL
- History / Biographical
- Activist and organizer, Lea Roback was born on November 3rd, 1903 in Montreal. She was the second of nine children of Fanny (1885-1973) and Moses (1870-1935) Roback, both of whom immigrated from Poland. She spent her childhood in Beauport, Quebec where her parents ran a general store. The Robacks spoke Yiddish at home; outside it was French or English. Léa was able to switch freely between languages, a skill that became useful in work with labour organizations. When Léa was fourteen the family returned to Montreal where, two years later, she began working in the city's factories. It was at this point that she became accutely aware of the inequality between Montreal's affluent English-speaking families and the mostly French and Jewish working class. In the mid-1920s, Léa spent a two years at the University of Grenoble in France, supporting herself by privately teaching English to students. In 1928, Léa joined her older brother Harry in Berlin where he was studying medicine. She enrolled at the University of Berlin studying Sociology and German. Léa became involved with leftwing student groups and eventually joined the Communist Party. In 1932 Lea returned to Montreal, finding work as a youth group director at the Young Women’s Hebrew Association, where her mentor was Saidye Bronfman, wife of Sam Bronfman. In 1935 she managed the Modern Bookshop on Bleury Street, the first Marxist bookstore in Quebec, which became a gathering place for local radicals. That same year Lea coordinated Fred Rose's bid for election. Eight years following this campaign, Rose became the first communist elected to the House of Commons. In 1936 she was recruited by Thérèse Casgrain, legendary women’s suffrage leader, to assist in her work to obtain the vote for women in Quebec. Léa also became involved with the International Ladies Garment Workers’ Union (ILGWU) during their attempts to improve conditions in the garment industry. In 1937, Léa was a leader – along with organizers such as Rose Pesotta and Bernard Shane – in organizing over 5,000 women who walked off the job from the garment industry factories of Montreal. During the war years, Lea began working for the Radio Corporation of America (R.C.A.) and became an organizer for the United Electrical Workers, where she was a business agent for the 3,000 R.C.A. workers in Montreal. Lea was an active advocate for social justice and human rights for the majority of her life. She was affliated with numerous organizations in Montreal including the Québec Aid to the Partially Sighted, the Voice of Women, as well as anti-nuclear and anti-war groups. Lea was a continual presence within the ranks passing out leaflets, demonstrationing, providing support and lending her respected voice to so many causes.
- Language
- English
- French
- Yiddish
- Spanish
- Acquisition Source
- Lea Roback
- Custodial History
- This material was donated to the Jewish Public Library Archives by Lea Roback in 1998. The material of the Fonds was in the possession of Ms. Roback until the date of the transfer.
- Arrangement
- The arrangement of the Lea Roback fonds maintained the order in which it was donated to the archives with the exception of Series 3. In the correspondence series, letters were grouped by sender and when without date or an identifiable author, were grouped together. In 2015, as a result of entering unprocessed material into the database, the intellectual arrangement of this fonds was also updated. To consult the original finding aid please contact the JPL-A directly.
- Notes
- In addition to textual and photographic material, the Lea Roback Fonds contains sound recordings (10 audio cassettes) and graphic material (2 prints, 7 posters)
- Access Restrictions
- Some privacy restrictions apply to material within the Léa Roback Fonds. Please contact the JPL-A directly for further information.
- Reproduction Restrictions
- Some Copyright restrictions may apply
- Finding Aid
- Detailed finding aid available; file level control.
- Accession No.
- 09-002
- Name Access
- Roback, Lea, 1903-2000
- Subjects
- Roback, Lea, 1903-2000
- Labour movement
- Labour unions
- Women Workers
- Women in the labour movement - Canada
- Working Class
- Feminism
- Social justice
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Jewish Public Library Archives
Images
Correspondence
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn31487
- Collection
- Lea Roback Fonds
- Description Level
- Series
- Material Type
- textual record
- Physical Description
- 1.0m of textual records
- Fonds No.
- 1243; 3
- Date
- 1901-1996
- Scope and Content
- This series contains both incoming and outgoing correspondence between Léa Roback and various individuals including family, work colleagues and fellow activists. Included are letters to and from individuals such as Madeleine Parent and Fred Rose.
- Collection
- Lea Roback Fonds
- Description Level
- Series
- Material Type
- textual record
- Physical Description
- 1.0m of textual records
- Scope and Content
- This series contains both incoming and outgoing correspondence between Léa Roback and various individuals including family, work colleagues and fellow activists. Included are letters to and from individuals such as Madeleine Parent and Fred Rose.
- Date
- 1901-1996
- Fonds No.
- 1243
- Series No.
- 3
- Storage Location
- Bay 2
- Container 3
- Container 4
- Container 5
- Container 6
- Container 7
- Container 8
- Container 9
- Language
- English
- French
- Yiddish
- Acquisition Source
- Lea Roback
- Notes
- Title based on contents of the series.
- Access Restrictions
- Privacy restrictions may apply
- Reproduction Restrictions
- Copyright restrictions may apply
- Name Access
- Roback, Lea, 1903-2000
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Jewish Public Library Archives
Professional activity
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn31360
- Collection
- Lea Roback Fonds
- Description Level
- Series
- Material Type
- textual record
- Physical Description
- 1.0m of textual records
- Fonds No.
- 1243; 1
- Date
- 1925-1996
- Scope and Content
- This series includes working documents and material produced through and used for Lea Roback's professional activities. It includes records on various social justice causes, such of reproductive rights and labour activism, awards and certificates, as well as interviews with Lea Roback and her writi…
- Collection
- Lea Roback Fonds
- Description Level
- Series
- Material Type
- textual record
- Physical Description
- 1.0m of textual records
- Scope and Content
- This series includes working documents and material produced through and used for Lea Roback's professional activities. It includes records on various social justice causes, such of reproductive rights and labour activism, awards and certificates, as well as interviews with Lea Roback and her writing.
- Date
- 1925-1996
- Fonds No.
- 1243
- Series No.
- 1
- Storage Location
- JPL
- Language
- English
- French
- Acquisition Source
- Lea Roback
- Notes
- TItle supplied from series content.
- Access Restrictions
- Privacy restrictions may apply
- Reproduction Restrictions
- Copyright restrictions may apply
- Name Access
- Roback, Lea, 1903-2000
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Jewish Public Library Archives
"L'Art d'Aujourd'hui"
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn31756
- Collection
- Lea Roback Fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Physical Description
- 1 audiocassette
- Fonds No.
- 1243; 2; 00311
- Date
- 1978
- Scope and Content
- Interview with author Michael Dufresne, host Gilles Aineaux (?), art critic.
- Collection
- Lea Roback Fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Physical Description
- 1 audiocassette
- Scope and Content
- Interview with author Michael Dufresne, host Gilles Aineaux (?), art critic.
- Date
- 1978
- Fonds No.
- 1243
- Series No.
- 2
- File No.
- 00311
- Storage Location
- 2-4F
- Container 12
- Creator
- Radio-Canada
- Language
- French
- Acquisition Source
- Lea Roback
- Access Restrictions
- Privacy restrictions may apply
- Reproduction Restrictions
- Copyright restrictions may apply
- Finding Aid
- Audio content summary available
- Name Access
- Roback, Lea, 1903-2000
- Subjects
- Art
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Jewish Public Library Archives
Documents
YouTube
Interviews with Lea Roback
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn31752
- Collection
- Lea Roback Fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Physical Description
- 1 audiocassette
- Fonds No.
- 1243; 1; 00307
- Date
- 1982
- Collection
- Lea Roback Fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Physical Description
- 1 audiocassette
- Date
- 1982
- Fonds No.
- 1243
- Series No.
- 1
- File No.
- 00307
- Storage Location
- 2-4F
- Container 12
- Creator
- Radio-Canada
- Language
- English
- French
- Acquisition Source
- Les Roback
- Access Restrictions
- Privacy restrictions may apply
- Reproduction Restrictions
- Copyright restrictions may apply
- Finding Aid
- Audio content summary available
- Name Access
- Roback, Lea, 1903-2000
- Places
- Montreal (Quebec)
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Jewish Public Library Archives
Documents
YouTube
Interviews with Lea Roback
https://www.youtube.com/embed/geoc2xAPs5QLea Roback Recollections
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn31753
- Collection
- Lea Roback Fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Physical Description
- 1 audiocassette
- Fonds No.
- 1243; 1; 00308
- Date
- 1982
- Collection
- Lea Roback Fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Physical Description
- 1 audiocassette
- Date
- 1982
- Fonds No.
- 1243
- Series No.
- 1
- File No.
- 00308
- Storage Location
- 2-4F
- Container 12
- Language
- English
- French
- Acquisition Source
- Lea Roback
- Access Restrictions
- Privacy restrictions may apply
- Reproduction Restrictions
- Copyright restrictions may apply
- Finding Aid
- Audio content summary available
- Name Access
- Roback, Lea, 1903-2000
- Subjects
- Antisemitism
- Nazi
- Nazi Germany
- Places
- Poland
- Beauport (Quebec)
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Jewish Public Library Archives
Documents
YouTube
Lea Roback Recollections
https://www.youtube.com/embed/OffI19TCA1AFamily Gathering to Commemorate the Passing of Leo Roback
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn31759
- Collection
- Lea Roback Fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Physical Description
- 1 audiocassette
- Fonds No.
- 1243; 2; 00314
- Date
- 1985
- Collection
- Lea Roback Fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Physical Description
- 1 audiocassette
- Date
- 1985
- Fonds No.
- 1243
- Series No.
- 2
- File No.
- 00314
- Storage Location
- 2-4F
- Container 12
- Language
- English
- Acquisition Source
- Lea Roback
- Access Restrictions
- Privacy restrictions may apply
- Reproduction Restrictions
- Copyright restrictions may apply
- Finding Aid
- Audio content summary available
- Name Access
- Roback, Lea, 1903-2000
- Subjects
- Roback, Leo
- Roback, David
- Labour movement
- Labour unions
- Social justice
- World War, 1939-1945 - Personal narratives
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Jewish Public Library Archives
Documents
YouTube
Family Gathering to Commemorate the Passing of Leo Roback
https://www.youtube.com/embed/nsQkNxe8IlYAbortion
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn31371
- Collection
- Lea Roback Fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Material Type
- textual record
- Physical Description
- 1 file of textual records
- Fonds No.
- 1243; 1; 00009
- Date
- 1987-1993
- Collection
- Lea Roback Fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Material Type
- textual record
- Physical Description
- 1 file of textual records
- Date
- 1987-1993
- Fonds No.
- 1243
- Series No.
- 1
- File No.
- 00009
- Storage Location
- 2-3F
- Container 1
- Language
- English
- French
- Acquisition Source
- Lea Roback
- Access Restrictions
- Privacy restrictions may apply
- Reproduction Restrictions
- Copyright restrictions may apply
- Name Access
- Roback, Lea, 1903-2000
- Subjects
- Abortion
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Jewish Public Library Archives
Entretiens
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn31709
- Collection
- Lea Roback Fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Material Type
- textual record
- Physical Description
- 1 book
- Fonds No.
- 1243; 1; 00266
- Date
- 1988
- Collection
- Lea Roback Fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Material Type
- textual record
- Physical Description
- 1 book
- Responsibility
- Roback, Lea
- Date
- 1988
- Fonds No.
- 1243
- Series No.
- 1
- File No.
- 00266
- Storage Location
- 2-4F
- Container 12
- Creator
- Parent, Madeleine
- Language
- French
- Access Restrictions
- Privacy restrictions may apply
- Reproduction Restrictions
- Copyright restrictions may apply
- Name Access
- Parent, Madeleine
- Roback, Lea, 1903-2000
- Subjects
- Parent, Madeleine
- Roback, Lea, 1903-2000
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Jewish Public Library Archives
Entretiens
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn31710
- Collection
- Lea Roback Fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Material Type
- textual record
- Physical Description
- 1 book
- Fonds No.
- 1243; 1; 00267
- Date
- 1988
- Collection
- Lea Roback Fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Material Type
- textual record
- Physical Description
- 1 book
- Responsibility
- Roback, Lea
- Date
- 1988
- Fonds No.
- 1243
- Series No.
- 1
- File No.
- 00267
- Storage Location
- 2-4F
- Container 12
- Creator
- Parent, Madeleine
- Language
- French
- Access Restrictions
- Privacy restrictions may apply
- Reproduction Restrictions
- Copyright restrictions may apply
- Name Access
- Parent, Madeleine
- Roback, Lea, 1903-2000
- Subjects
- Parent, Madeleine
- Roback, Lea, 1903-2000
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Jewish Public Library Archives
Interview with Sophie Bissonnette
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn31754
- Collection
- Lea Roback Fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Fonds No.
- 1243; 1; 00309
- Date
- 1991
- Collection
- Lea Roback Fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Date
- 1991
- Fonds No.
- 1243
- Series No.
- 1
- File No.
- 00309
- Storage Location
- 2-4F
- Container 12
- Creator
- Radio Centreville
- Language
- French
- Acquisition Source
- Lea Roback
- Notes
- About film "Des lumieres dans la Grande Noirceur"
- Access Restrictions
- Privacy restrictions may apply
- Reproduction Restrictions
- Copyright restrictions may apply
- Finding Aid
- Audio content summary available
- Name Access
- Radio Centreville
- Roback, Lea, 1903-2000
- Subjects
- Montreal (Quebec) -- Jews
- Women
- Women's Studies
- Antisemitism
- Folk music
- Music.
- Communism
- Quebec (Province)
- Places
- Montreal (Quebec)
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Jewish Public Library Archives
Documents
YouTube
Interview with Sophie Bissonnette
https://www.youtube.com/embed/lpwDIXwp70IInterview with Lea Roback
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn31751
- Collection
- Lea Roback Fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Physical Description
- 1 audiocassette
- Fonds No.
- 1243; 1; 00306
- Date
- 1996
- Collection
- Lea Roback Fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Physical Description
- 1 audiocassette
- Date
- 1996
- Fonds No.
- 1243
- Series No.
- 1
- File No.
- 00306
- Storage Location
- 2-3B
- Container 12
- Creator
- Harris, E.
- Language
- English
- Acquisition Source
- Lea Roback
- Access Restrictions
- Privacy restrictions may apply
- Reproduction Restrictions
- Copyright restrictions may apply
- Finding Aid
- Audio content summary available
- Subjects
- Antisemitism
- Emigration and immigration.
- Nazi Germany
- International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
- Communist Party of Canada
- Communism
- Textile industry -- Canada.
- Labour unions
- Young Men's-Young Women's Hebrew Association
- Pesotta, Rose
- Shane, Bernard
- Rose, Fred
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Jewish Public Library Archives
Documents
YouTube
Interview with Lea Roback
https://www.youtube.com/embed/KMWRppX703YLea Roback Interview
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn75020
- Collection
- Jewish Public Library Oral History Collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Physical Description
- 1 electronic record : digital ; 468 MB + transcription
- Fonds No.
- 1287; OH_00004
- Date
- August/04/1996
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with feminist and retired militant syndicalist Lea Roback by Archivist Emeritus Eiran Harris, August 4, 1996. This interview was made as part of the Jewish Public Library Archives commitment to documenting the history of Jewish Montreal. Major themes discussed are: he…
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Physical Description
- 1 electronic record : digital ; 468 MB + transcription
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with feminist and retired militant syndicalist Lea Roback by Archivist Emeritus Eiran Harris, August 4, 1996. This interview was made as part of the Jewish Public Library Archives commitment to documenting the history of Jewish Montreal. Major themes discussed are: her student years at the university in Berlin, Germany in the 1930s. Her militantism and involvement at the start of the syndicalist movement in Montreal. She collaborated with Dr Bethune. Saidye Bronfman contibution in the community.
- Responsibility
- Eiran Harris
- Date
- August/04/1996
- Fonds No.
- 1287
- Item No.
- OH_00004
- Storage Location
- JPL-A
- Creator
- Jewish Public Library Archives
- History / Biographical
- See transcription
- Language
- English
- Notes
- Two approx., 5 min. video extracts of the interview is available on You Tube.
- Recording is available in .wav format.
- Interview participants: Shannon Hodge, Chantal Côté and Esther Edouard.
- Transcription by Sonia Boulanger and Chantal Côté.
- Transcription of the interview is available in English.
- Length of the interview: 60 minutes
- Reproduction Restrictions
- Copyright may apply
- Name Access
- Roback, Lea, 1903-2000
- Subjects
- Roback, Lea, 1903-2000
- Labour movement
- Labour unions
- Women employees
- Women in the labour movement - Canada
- Germany -- Jews.
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Jewish Public Library Archives
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