1849: Born in Chesterfield County, South Carolina
1889: The first issue of the Machinists Monthly Journal published
1861: Born in Richmond, Virginia
1878: Becomes an apprentice at age 17 for the Richmond Locomotive Machine Works
- Serves as secretary for the Richmond Order of the Knights of Labor
- Delegate at the first convention in Atlanta and chosen as Grand Foreman
- Credited with drafting the IAM Constitution
- Leads Machinists into their first contract with a major railroad company, the Santa Fe
- Approves organization of the first District Lodge on the Union Pacific
1892: Serves as International President until 1893
1858: Born in Minersville, Pennsylvania
1874: Becomes an apprentice Machinist at age 16 in Oil City, Pennsylvania
1886: Delegate to the Knights of Labor Convention in Richmond, Virginia
1890: Leaves the Knights of Labor and forms a local Machinists Union affiliated with the IAM
1893: Elected Grand Master Machinist
1895: Affiliates the IAM with American Federation of Labor
1874: Born in Nova Scotia
1905: Elected District President for the area covering most of New England
1911: Elected International President
- Establishes idea of Unions as a positive force for efficient, high-level production
1873: Born in Kansas
1887: Becomes an apprentice at age 14 for the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad
1903: Becomes General Chairman of IAM District on the Missouri Pacific Railroad
1926: Serves as International President until 1939
- Becomes an apprentice for Bethlehem Steel
1910: Elected Business Representative by a lodge in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
1911: Delegate and Chairman of the Officer's Report Committee, Grand Lodge Convention
1915: International President Johnston appoints Brown to Grand Lodge staff
1916-1921: Holds other various labor positions
1921: Elected General Vice President
1934: Wharton brings him to headquarters as Resident General Vice President
1945: International President Brown appoints him as General Vice President
1949: Serves as International President until 1965
1904: Born near the Platte River in Nebraska
- Organizes several locals, including Local 1093 in Harrison, Arkansas
1965: Serves as International President until 1969
1912: Born in Kansas
1929: Starts work as a Machinist's helper at 25 cents per hour, his only work as a Machinist
- Loses job when the Depression hit
- Begins working as a bricklayer during the New Deal and becomes President of the Bricklayers' Local in Las Vegas
- Introduced to the Business Representative for IAM Local 845 and later meets several other Nevada IAM affiliates
- Invited to serve as a Business Representative for the California IAM
1952: Appointed to Grand Lodge Staff
- Serves for 11 years as General Vice President for the Great Lakes Territory
1969: Elected International President, serving until 1977
- Helps raise the monthly per capita to $1 to help the suffering Strike Fund
1924: Born in Cleveland, Ohio
1941: Leaves high school to serve in the U. S. Navy during WWI and learns diesel engine repair
- IAM pledges support to win the war, including a no-strike pledge
1944: 76,000 IAM members serve in armed forces
- Widespread layoffs follow end of World War II
1948: IAM membership becomes opened to all regardless of race
- The IAM Convention endorses Harry Truman for U. S. President
1951: Appointed at age 26 to IAM international field staff as one of its youngest members
- IAM pledges full support of UN action in Korea
- IAM membership now tops 903,000
1965: Appointed IAM National Automotive Coordinator
1967: Becomes IAM General Vice President
- Railroad Machinists lead shop crafts against the nation's railroads
- U.S. Congress enforces a return to work and arbitration
1977: Elected the IAM's 11th International President
- Writes Trade Union View of U. S. Manpower Policy
1983: Co-authors with Jane Slaughter, Concessions & How to Beat Them
1997: Dies of cancer on December 11th, only one day after his 73rd birthday
1932: Born in Sioux City, Iowa on June 10
1956: Elected District 162 President
1964: Appointed Grand Lodge Representative
1983: Elected General Vice President of IAM Headquarters
1989: Elected International President
1950: Born in Ohio
- Graduates from Ohio State University
1970: Elected Shop Steward of IAM Local 912 in Evandale, Ohio
1977: Elected Business Representative of District 34 in Cincinnati
1980: Becomes IAM Special Representative
1983: Appointed Administrative Assistant of the Great Lakes Territory
1986: Called to Washington, D.C. to join the Organizing Department
1988: Appointed Executive Assistant to International President Winpisinger
1997: Elected International President
- One of the original nineteen founders of the IAM
- First Grand Secretary
1868: Born in England and raised in Nottingham
1886: Immigrates to America and joins the Knights of Labor
1890: Transfers to the IAM
1895: Elected General Secretary Treasurer of the IAM
1916: Suspended as GST and voted out in a special election
1878: Born in Virginia
- Elected Business Representative of Local Lodge 10 in Richmond, Virginia
1913: Appointed General Organizer by International President Johnston
1917: Elected General Secretary Treasurer, serving until 1944
1894: Born in Sweden
1904: Family immigrates to Rawlins, Wyoming
1911: Joins in the strike against the Harriman Lines as an apprentice
1913: Becomes a member of the IAM in Deer Lodge, Montana
1928: Serves on the Resolutions Committee at the Grand Lodge Convention
1937: Appointed General Vice President of the Northeast territory
1944: Serves as General Secretary Treasurer until 1959
1934: Elected as one of District 9's Business Representatives
1942: Appointed to Grand Lodge staff
1945: Elected General Vice President, assigned to the Great Lakes Territory
- Begins using electronic record-keeping to keep track of the IAM’s financial records
1959: Elected General Secretary Treasurer, serving until 1965
1903: Born in Cleveland, Ohio
1935: Joins Local 439
1936: Becomes President of Local 439
1938: Becomes Directing Business Representative of District 54
1961: Elected to the Executive Council as head of the Northeast Territory
- Member of the Law Committee at five consecutive Grand Lodge Conventions
- Elected President of the Ohio State Council of Machinists
1965: Elected General Secretary Treasurer, serving until 1969
1922: Born in Jonesboro, Arkansas
1941: Apprentices with Universal Match Company and joins Tool and Die Lodge 688
1942: Serves in the U.S. Air Force during WWII
Post-WWII: Returns to Universal
1949: Receives Journeyman papers
- Joins McDonnell Douglas and IAM Local 837 after being laid off from Universal
1956: Becomes Business Representative for the McDonnell District
1965: General Vice President of the Midwest Territory for four years
1969: Elected General Secretary Treasurer, serving until 1987
- Born in Fall City, Nebraska into a trade union household
- Serves in the U.S. Coast Guard during the Korean Conflict
1950: Joins the IAM as a truck mechanic in Denver, Colorado, assuming various local leadership positions
1956: Elected as a full-time IAM Representative
1961: Joins IAM staff in Chicago, Illinois, presenting cases to the National Labor Relations Board
1987: Elected General Secretary Treasurer, serving until 1993
1955: Joins the IAM, Local 1405 (later Local 1151)
1962: Elected Grand Lodge Representative of District Lodge 59
1966: Elected President of the Ohio State Council of Machinists
1968: Appointed to the IAM's international field staff
1972: Appointed Administrative Assistant to the Great Lakes Territory General Vice President
1983: Named Executive Assistant to International President Winpisinger
1988: Appointed General Vice President
1993: Elected General Secretary Treasurer, serving until 2002
1966: Joins Local 1900 in Evansville, Indiana, serving as Shop Steward and President
1987: Appointed Special Representative of the IAMAW
1989: Appointed Grand Lodge Representative
1997: Appointed General Vice President in Eastern Territory
2003: Elected General Secretary Treasurer
Special Collections and Archives
Southern Labor Archives
Archives of the IAM
Phone: (404) 413-2880
Fax: (404) 413-2881
E-Mail: archives@gsu.edu
Mailing Address:
Special Collections & Archives
Georgia State University Library
100 Decatur Street, SE
Atlanta, Georgia 30303-3202
In Person:
Library South, 8th floor