There's Always Work At The Post Office: African American Postal Workers And The Fight For Jobs, Justice, And Equality Project Muse Upcc Books

This book brings to life the important but neglected story of African American postal workers and the critical role they played in the U.S. labor and black freedom movements. Philip Rubio, a former postal worker, integrates civil rights, labor, and left movement histories that too often are written as if they happened separately. Centered on New York City and Washington, D.C., the book chronicles a struggle of national significance through its examination of the post office, a workplace with facilities and unions serving every city and town in the United States. Having fought their way into postal positions and unions, black postal workers-often college-educated military veterans-became a critical force for social change. They combined black labor protest and civic traditions to construct a civil rights unionism at the post office. They were a major factor in the 1970 nationwide wildcat strike, which resulted in full collective bargaining rights for the major postal unions under the newly established U.S. Postal Service in 1971. In making the fight for equality primary, African American postal workers were influential in shaping today's post office and postal unions. Rubio, A Former Postal Worker, Brings To Life The Important But Neglected Story Of African American Postal Workers And The Critical Role They Played In The U.s. Labor And Black Freedom Movements. Having Fought Their Way Into Postal Positions And Unions, Black Postal Workers--often College-educated Military Veterans--became A Critical Force For Social Change. Centered On New York City And Washington, D.c., The Book Chronicles A Struggle Of National Significance Through Its Examination Of The Post Office, A Workplace With Facilities And Unions Serving Every City And Town In The U.s. Introduction -- Who Worked At The Post Office (before 1940)? -- Fighting Jim Crow At Home During World War Ii (1940-1946) -- Black-led Movement In The Early Cold War (1946-1950) -- Fighting Jim Crow And Mccarthyism (1947-1954) -- Collapsing Jim Crow Postal Unionism In The 1950s (1954-1960) -- Interesting Convergences In The Early Sixties Post Office (1960-1963) -- Black Women In The 1960s Post Office And Postal Unions (1960-1969) -- Civil Rights Postal Unionism (1963-1966) -- Prelude To A Strike (1966-1970) -- The Great Postal Wildcat Strike Of 1970 -- Post-strike (1970-1971). Philip F. Rubio. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Contents......Page 8 Preface......Page 12 Acknowledgments......Page 16 Abbreviations......Page 18 Chronology......Page 20 Introduction......Page 28 ONE: Who Worked at the Post Office (before 1940)?......Page 43 TWO: Fighting Jim Crow at Home during World War II (1940–1946)......Page 78 THREE: Black-Led Movement in the Early Cold War (1946–1950)......Page 101 FOUR: Fighting Jim Crow and McCarthyism (1947–1954)......Page 126 FIVE: Collapsing Jim Crow Postal Unionism in the 1950s (1954–1960)......Page 148 SIX: Interesting Convergences in the Early Sixties Post Office (1960–1963)......Page 175 SEVEN: Black Women in the 1960s Post Office and Postal Unions (1960–1969)......Page 198 EIGHT: Civil Rights Postal Unionism (1963–1966)......Page 218 NINE: Prelude to a Strike (1966–1970)......Page 234 TEN: The Great Postal Wildcat Strike of 1970......Page 260 ELEVEN: Post-Strike (1970–1971)......Page 289 Epilogue......Page 302 Conclusion......Page 313 Notes......Page 314 Bibliography......Page 436 B......Page 460 C......Page 461 D......Page 462 F......Page 463 H......Page 464 K......Page 465 M......Page 466 N......Page 467 P......Page 469 S......Page 470 T......Page 471 W......Page 472 Z......Page 473 This book brings to life the important but neglected story of African American postal workers and the critical role they played in the U.S. labor and black freedom movements. Historian Philip Rubio, a former postal worker, integrates civil rights, labor, and left movement histories that too often are written as if they happened separately. Centered on New York City and Washington, D.C., the book chronicles a struggle of national significance through its examination of the post office, a workplace with facilities and unions serving every city and town in the United States. Black postal workers--often college-educated military veterans--fought their way into postal positions and unions and became a critical force for social change. They combined black labor protest and civic traditions to construct a civil rights unionism at the post office. They were a major factor in the 1970 nationwide postal wildcat strike, which resulted in full collective bargaining rights for the major postal unions under the newly established U.S. Postal Service in 1971. In making the fight for equality primary, African American postal workers were influential in shaping today's post office and postal unions. The University of North Carolina Press Contents 8 Preface 12 Acknowledgments 16 Abbreviations 18 Chronology 20 Introduction 28 ONE: Who Worked at the Post Office (before 1940)? 43 TWO: Fighting Jim Crow at Home during World War II (1940–1946) 78 THREE: Black-Led Movement in the Early Cold War (1946–1950) 101 FOUR: Fighting Jim Crow and McCarthyism (1947–1954) 126 FIVE: Collapsing Jim Crow Postal Unionism in the 1950s (1954–1960) 148 SIX: Interesting Convergences in the Early Sixties Post Office (1960–1963) 175 SEVEN: Black Women in the 1960s Post Office and Postal Unions (1960–1969) 198 EIGHT: Civil Rights Postal Unionism (1963–1966) 218 NINE: Prelude to a Strike (1966–1970) 234 TEN: The Great Postal Wildcat Strike of 1970 260 ELEVEN: Post-Strike (1970–1971) 289 Epilogue 302 Conclusion 313 Notes 314 Bibliography 436 Index 460 A 460 B 460 C 461 D 462 E 463 F 463 G 464 H 464 I 465 J 465 K 465 L 466 M 466 N 467 O 469 P 469 Q 470 R 470 S 470 T 471 U 472 V 472 W 472 Y 473 Z 473 0807833428,9780807833421,0807859869,9780807859865 Focuses on the important but neglected story of African American postal workers and the critical role they played in the US labor and black freedom movements. This book chronicles a struggle of national significance through its examination of the post office, a workplace with facilities and unions serving every city and town in the United States.