The collection consists of the records of the United Textile Workers of America from 1936-1995. This collection contains documentation about the local unions in the UTWA, both in the United States and Canada. Information on mergers, strikes, finances and conventions is included in these papers. These records were from the UTWA, Southern Region.

United Textile Workers of America, Local 257 represented textile workers at various Erwin Cotton Mills plants in North Carolina and Mississippi. The local's records, 1900-1986 (bulk 1940-1960), consist primarily of grievances and arbitration cases. Other records include constitutions and bylaws, correspondence, union membership rosters, office files, photographic materials, financial ledgers, printed materials, and artifacts.