The Charles C. Killingsworth papers provide an invaluable source of material to the researcher interested in the development of American labor law, and its application to the collective bargaining process. With the exception of some material from World War I, the collection is composed of labor materials. Killingsworth served as a member of several federal agencies, as a consultant to state and private organizations and as an arbitrator and permanent umpire for many large corporations.

The papers span the years from 1918, when the National War Labor Board of World War I was created to resolve issues raised by a fledgling labor movement, to 1968, when labor unions had become powerful fixtures in virtually every major industrial sector of our economy. Arbitration decisions comprise the bulk of the collection, though these are generally accompanied by background information on the grievance, company and unions exhibits, and correspondence. In those instances where the dispute captured public attention, the material is also accompanied by newspaper articles and editorials. These supplementary materials are of special interest because they reveal the social and political climate in which the disputes took place.

The collection also contains material from various federal labor agencies, such as the Wage Stabilization Board and the National War Labor Boards of World War's I and II, as well as various state agencies. In addition, there is a large assortment of publications, ranging from trade journals to U.S. Government reports.