New Haven People’s Center

New Haven People’s Center: A Legacy of Justice, Labor, and Community

Built in 1851, 37 Howe Street became the New Haven People’s Center in 1937, when a group of Jewish immigrant workers purchased the building with a vision of creating a center for social, cultural, and economic justice. These workers—tradesmen and artisans who spoke Polish, Yiddish, Russian, and Ukrainian—believed that their new homeland should embody peace, solidarity, and equality. Over the decades, the People’s Center has been a hub for civil rights, labor movements, and social activism, making a profound impact on New Haven’s history.

A Timeline of Activism and Advocacy

1930s: Building Community & Organizing for Workers’ Rights

• Home to The Unity Players, New Haven’s first Black/white integrated drama group.
• Hosted the New Haven Redwings, the city’s first Black/white basketball team.
• Provided organizing space for unemployed workers during the Great Depression.
• Hosted the Connecticut Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) and became the meeting place for many of today’s local unions.
• Held New Haven’s first celebration of International Women’s Day.

1940s: Fighting Segregation & Expanding Education

• Organized rallies against lynching and segregation.
• Initiated New Haven’s first evening college to provide higher education for workers, which later evolved into Southern Connecticut State University’s evening division.

1950s–1960s: Civil Rights & McCarthyism Resistance

• Actively participated in civil rights and peace movements.
• Opposed McCarthy-era suppression of labor and progressive activists.
• Organized a group to protect Paul Robeson at the famous Peekskill, NY concert.
• Became a meeting place for Jewish and Ukrainian progressives.

1970s–1980s: Labor Advocacy & Social Justice

• Provided organizing space for workers advocating for better wages, healthcare, and labor rights, including machinists at Winchester, healthcare providers at the Jewish Home, and teachers in New Haven.
• Served as a hub for peace and civil rights activists, hosting weekly potluck suppers for networking and community-building.
• Coordinated local efforts for national marches on Washington, D.C.
• Opened a Crisis Information/Action Center to assist with utility rate hikes and economic emergencies.

1990s: Supporting the Homeless & Labor Movements

• Established the nation’s first homeless-run daytime drop-in center.
• Supported union strikes and organizing drives.
• Participated in labor-community coalitions to protect healthcare, pensions, and prevent plant closures.
• Became a designated site on the Connecticut African American Freedom Trail by the Connecticut Historical Commission.

2000s: A Center for Immigrant and Labor Rights

• Hosted Unidad Latina en Acción (ULA), a leading immigrant rights organization.
• Served as a meeting space for the New Haven Peace Council and the Alliance for Retired Americans.
• Participated in Community Organized for Responsible Development and the Connecticut Center for a New Economy.
• Home to the New Growth Praise Center and Knowing God Ministries.
• Housed the Unite Here Joint Board during the New England Linen organizing drive.
• Hosted First Friday Café, a space for music, poetry, and film, including the Free 2 Spit poetry venue.

2010s: Youth Organizing & Continued Activism

• Provided office space for the New Haven Workers’ Center and ULA.
• Founded the New Elm City Dream youth group, which trained youth in organizing, activism, and community leadership.
• Hosted an office for SEIU 32BJ, one of the largest service workers’ unions.
• Celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2012, with elected officials, labor, and community leaders pledging support for the center’s restoration.
• In 2014, the Black and Hispanic Caucus of the New Haven Board of Alders awarded the New Haven People’s Center the Community Service Heritage Award, recognizing its decades-long commitment to labor rights, community organizing, and social justice.

A Lasting Legacy of Activism and Solidarity

For nearly a century, the New Haven People’s Center has been a welcoming space for labor activists, civil rights leaders, immigrant organizations, youth movements, and peace advocates. Listed on the Connecticut African American Freedom Trail, it remains a vital institution for social change, embodying the ideals of justice, equality, and community empowerment.

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