Eugene V. Debs - Norman Thomas - Michael Harrington Dinner May 3, 1996 Chicago, Illinois ®-,6 Eugene V. Debs announced that he had become a Dinner socialist in 1897, when he was 42. Debs had already Eugene 38th Annual Debs-Thomas-Harrington spent his lifetime as an active trade unionist and May 3, 1996 Congress Hotel, Chicago political activist in his home city of Terre Haute, V. Debs Indiana. He had served six months in jail as a result of his forceful leadership during the great Pullman Strike of 1894. Many Opening Remarks AFL unions can trace their beginnings to Eugene Debs' early career. After Roberta Lynch 1897, his devotion to American socialism and socialist idealism placed Debs-Thomas-Harrington Award Presentation him at the center of many of the political and labor struggles of the early part of the century, including the founding of the IWW. He ran for The Honorable Charles A. Hayes President as the Socialist Party candidate five times, the last time from his Response jail cell where he was serving a sentence for encouraging Americans to resist induction into the Army during World War One. Debs' socialism Maxie Hill was not based on theory or on academic stricture. His was an honest Debs-Thomas-Harrington Award Presentation idealism emanating from his indignation at the political, economic and Carl Shier social repression of working people. Response Graduate of Princeton, Presbyterian minister Deborah Meier Norman Thomas became a socialist and a pacifist Norman 38th Annual Debs-Thomas-Harrington Address at the age of 33, as a result of a long and gradual process. Already involved in social justice and Thomas Deborah Meier political work in New York, Norman Thomas Closing Song became America's First Socialist, continually advancing the causes of Solidarity Forever social justice. An inherently public man, his six presidential cam- paigns and five other attempts at public office were almost incidental to his lifetime of work in civil rights, labor, and peace groups, When the union's inspiration through the workers' blood shall run, including the ACLU, NAACP, CORE and SANE. In his later years, There can be no power greater anywhere beneath the sun. Norman Thomas was often called America's Conscience, due to his Yet what force on earth is weaker than the feeble strength of one? stirring love of his country and its people. In a famous speech on the For the union makes us strong! steps of the Capitol Building in 1968 Thomas proclaimed, "I come to cleanse the American Flag, not to burn it." (Chorus) During Michael Harrington's four decades as Solidarity forever, solidarity forever, solidarity forever; America's leading socialist thinker, writer and Michael For the union makes us strong! speaker, he contributed to every progressive movement. One of the first of his twenty Harrington In our hands is placed a power greater than their hoarded gold, books, The Other America, is credited with Greater than the might of armies magnified a thousand fold. the Great Society anti-poverty programs. From his organiz- spurring We can bring to birth a new world from the ashes of the old, ing with the student and civil rights movements in the 50's and 60's, to his leadership of the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee For the union makes us strong! (DSOC) and the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) in the 70's and 80's, he consistently urged socialists to reach beyond isolation and (Chorus) build coalitions with labor and progressive groups in day-to-day Solidarity forever, solidarity forever, solidarity forever; struggles. As DSOC and DSA's representative to the Socialist Inter- For the union makes us strong! national, he earned the respect, and the ear, of socialist leaders throughout the world. His death in 1989 did nothing to silence his thundering denunciation of injustice, for his voice lives on through us. Chicago Federation of Labor AFL-CIO Maxie D. Hill Labor Leader Standing up For Working Men And Women 1896 - 1996 Activist You rose from the bake shop at Dolly Madison, where you began working in 1948, to become President of Local 1 of the Bakery, Confec- tionery and Tobacco Workers International Union. In this position, you DON TURNER DENNIS J. GANNON have served with distinction since 1982. You also serve ably as a Vice- President Secretary - Treasurer President of the Illinois State AFL-CIO. Along the way, you have held many union positions. You were instrumental in organizing workers into your union and helped negotiate some of the finest settlements within the industry. As a union leader and through the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, you have labored tirelessly to bring more African - Americans into the leadership of union locals. With heart and enthusiasm, you have for decades supported the fight for justice for farm workers of this nation. You worked to preserve Chicago Labor Is Proud the Charles A. Hayes Labor and Community Center and you were part of the historic struggle to end apartheid in South Africa. You have long been active in your community and are most To Salute devoted to your family. You and your wife, Lillie Mae Hill, will celebrate your 44th wedding anniversary on June 7th, and we add our congratula- tions. Maxie Hill, Maxie Hill, for your great dedication to the labor movement and to workers everywhere, the Debs - Thomas - Harrington Dinner Committee hereby presents to you its annual award this 3rd day of May, 1996. A Dedicated Deborah Meier Educator Trade Unionist Activist Author In the midst of chaos, you have created a community. In the midst of poverty, you have enriched the lives of the impoverished. In the face of skepticism, you have shown that the poor can learn. In the face of cynicism, you have demonstrated that public 100 Years of Standing education can work. Up Your creation, Central Park East, stands as testimony to the power of your ideas and your ideals, the ideals of equality, democracy, and community which you share with Eugene V. Debs, Norman Thomas, and Michael Harrington in whose names this award is given. Your work and your life bring honor to their memory and renewal to their legacy. U For your dedication in the fight for a just society, the Debs- Thomas- Harrington Dinner Committee hereby presents to For Chicago Area Working Families you its annual award this 3rd day of May, 1996. Greetings -American Income Life Salutes Maxie Hill's Great Contributions to Labor. *Take back the Federal government; make it work for us. Coalitionfor Congra tulations New Priorities *Henrietta and Bernard Backer *Remembering Norman Thomas, Michael Harrington, Irving Howe- Jewel and & Bernie Bellush *Timuel Black *Paul and Heather Booth *Greetings to our many comrades- Andrea and Quin Brisben Best Wishes *Solidarity for Socialism- Socialist Party of Illinois *Ever the optimist: our day will come! Sam & Ruth Class, Oceanside, CA *Dorisand FredFine to *Greetings to Maxie Hill and Deborah Meier- Harry Gaynor *Surfing the Information Highway to Socialism! http:// www.dsausa.org - J. Hughes *To our life-long friends, Marian & Carl Shier, with love - Sherry and Maxie Hill Seymour Kahan *Congrats, Debbie Meier. You deserve every award! - Harry Fleischman and Ethel Kahn *Debbie, you make me proud to be an educator! - Nancy Kleniewski & *Kevin Koplin *Democratic Socialist Greetings from Northern Rose -Alaska DSA Newsletter Deborah Meier -David Kusnet *Greetings to Debbie from Saul & Jennie Mendelson *Congratulations to Carl and Marion and Debbie Meier- Joyce D. Miller *Congratulations- Brian and Cheryl Mitchell *Debbie & Maxie- Long Distance Runners- Carry On! Oscar & Dolores Paskal *Congratulations: Maxie Hill and Deborah Meier. Keep up the good work- Jim Robinson -State Representative Carol Ronen salutes Maxie Hill and Deborah Meier *To Debbie Meier: America's most creative urban educator- Don Rose *Bob Roman, great Dinner Coordinator, and good friends who make Dinners successful.- Carl and Marion Shier AFSCME Council 31 *Wishing you success for your 38th Annual Dinner- Art & Elaine Shy *In Solidarity -AFSCME Local 29 Shapiro Developmental Center, Henry Bayer Kankakee, Illinois *Best wishes- Mark and Pamela Weinberg Executive Director In Our Diversity Lies Our Strength Congratulates Maxie Hill Congratulations to: President * Bakery, Confectionery and Tobacco Workers Union, Local 1 and Maxie Hill Deborah Meier Educator * Former Co-Director of Central Park East and Deborah Meier President / Business Agent Secretary - Treasurer Jerry W. Williams, Sr. Brenda Rayford Vice - President Asst. Secretary - Treasurer for carrying on Hector M. Flores John E. Hill the struggle for social justice in the best traditions of GREETINGS! Eugene Debs, Norman Thomas, and Michael Harrington. from Service Employees Joint Council 1 SEIU, AFL-CIO

Tom Balanoff, President Trustees: Dino Pigoni, Vice President Jay Cannon John Dwyer, Secretary John Code David Evans, Treasurer Al Washington Eugene Moats, President Jarvis Williams Richard Shoemaker, Vice-President Emeritus Barbara Pierson Vince Pesha International Union, UAW Keith Kelleher

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On Behalf of Its 1.3 Million Members, THE BAKERY, CONFECTIONERY The American Federation of State, County and , Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO CONFECTIONERY AND TOBACCO WORKERS J ANDATOBACCO Congratulates INTERNATIONAL UNION, Maxie Hill and Deborah Meier AFL-CIO/CLC Honorees of the 1996 Debs-Thomas-Harrington Dinner Salutes AFSCMHE

Gerald W. McEntee, International President Maxie Hill William Lucy, International Secretary-Treasurer for bid outstanding contributions to the labor mvvment and as a recipient of the Best Wishes 1996 Eugene V. Debs Award from the Greater Chicago Area U.A.W. CAP/PAC Coalition politics is the way to win! Frank Hurt President

Gene McDonald UAW Secretary-Treasurer

David B. Durkee Executive Vice President Staff and Members Region 4 UAW Paul C. Korman, Director Dennis Williams, Assistant Director I

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Al Bilik, President John F. Leyden, Secretary-Treasurer cn &CM nST ATEuS -RT m Executive Vice Presidents

Gerald W. McEntee Moe Biller JAMES K. TRIBBLE RONALD M. WILLIS Albert Shanker Arthur A. Coia International Vice President Manager John J. Sweeney Vincent R. Sombrotto Manager Alfred K. Whitehead John N. Sturdivant

815 SIXTEENTH STREET, N.W., WASHINGTON, D.C. * (202) 393-2820-21 UAW Local 6 Retired Workers Chapter Congratulations Maxie Hill and Deborah Meier! In memory of Don Anderson, Fight Back Is the Way to Go! from of Indianapolis, Indiana, "Hold the fort for we are State Representative coming; Barbara Flynn Currie Union folks be strong.... " who had a special affection for (D - 25) Carl Shier Joe Valenti Chairman Vice-Chairman the Annual Chicago DSA dinners CdOi1En salutes and the broader community of hope Maxie Hill a fighter for justice that is Socialism. and Deborah Meier a long-time editor of Dissent 01-24 - 34 to 05-31-90 and an innovator in education

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.n De.fS.t 0 w k . Congratulations! UAW Local 59 Maxie Hill We honor Retired Workers Chapter a leading laborfighterfor social justice Maxie Hill, Congratulates and Solidarity! Maxie Hill Deborah Meier our dedicated member an innovative teacher dedicated Committee Maxie Hill and Jewish Labor to all our children. The Voice of Organized Labor and Deborah Meier A pleasure to honor you both, in the Jewish Community Carole Travis, We will not forget: Deborah Meier Region Director, SEIU RELIGIOUS SOCIALISM Speaker of the House Newt Now in its 20th year, a journal Gingrich in a recent speech to for people of faith insurance executives on plans Congratulations IBEW Local 1031 and socialism. for Medicare cuts: "Now we per year * 4 issues Caez, President rid of it in round one from $7.50 Jose don't get Published by because we don't think that's 1030 Higgins Road, East Coast Friends DSA Commission on politically smart. We don't Park Ridge, IL 60068 Religion & Socialism. think that's the right way to go (312) 693-3600 through a transition.But we Candace Howes P.O. Box 80 believe it's gonna wither on the Camp Hill, PA 17001-0080 vine. " Peter Laarman Best wishes from the Inmemory of Officers, Directors and Members of the Italian American Labor Council Joseph M. Jacobs Anthony J. Sauro President A beloved husband, father, grandfather, School Consultant: great-grandfather and Behavior Management an outstanding humanitarian. that works He will remain in our hearts forever. Bruce Bentley, MSW, LCSW 815-936-0840 1 ---I Th1nk Yu! Maxie JJill The 23,000 members of for your hard work and dedication pLCE EOgj. C,)

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Donald A. Johnson AFL Margaret Blackshere President CIO Secretary-Treasurer DEMAND ILLINOIS AFL-CIO EXECUTIVE BOARD LIVING-WAGE JOBS FOR ALL! Eugene Moats, SEIU Joseph Angleton, UMW Robert Barnes, IBT Robert Dahlke, IBEW Harold Fricker, GMP Paul Korman, UAW Ronald Powell, UFCW James Johnson, URW Tom Balanoff, President Elwood Flowers, ATU William Keegan, BSIOW Emeritus Al Washington, Secretary Treasurer Maxie Hill, BCTWU Paul Tucker, UAPP Stanley L. Johnson, UBCJ Pia Davis, Vice President David Bybee, NALC Henry Bayer, AFSCME President James Dyson, HERE David Foreman, IAFF Tom Brem, Recording Secretary Gerald Harms, IBPAT Joseph Lozich, BAC Harl Ray, IUOE Stanley Gross, UNITE Thomas Reece, IFT Secretary-Treasurer Joseph Ward, IUOE Terrence Healy, LIUNA INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF Murray A. Finley MACHINISTS AND AEROSPACE WORKERS Once the President of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America. Murray A. Finley died last July. Murray Finley was awarded the third annual Thomas - Debs Award in 1973 at thel5th Annual Dinner. The featured speaker that year was The Honorable Stephen George J. Kourpias Lewis. the Ontario Legislative Assembly Leader of the NDP. After receiving the Thomas - Debs Award. Murray Finley went on to merge his union with the Textile Workers Union International President and to lead the fight to unionize the southern textile giant. J. P. Stevens. This effort was one SaLat ... of the earlier examples of a corporate campaign. The film Norma Rae was based, in part. Donald E. Wharton on the J.P. Stevens campaign. From 1982 to 1987. Murray Finley served as the President of the Eugene V. Debs Foundation. After retiring in 1987. he taught at Harvard and the Secretary-Treasurer University of America's Virginia. General Vice Presidents: progressive George J. Poulin Larry Downing The Illinois community Carry on Edgar M. House Committees of diligently Debbie Meier R. Thomas Buffenbarger Correspondence Lee Pearson extends greetings to the and working for Democratic Socialists fairness and William L. Scheri of Amerlca Maxie Hill! Dave Ritchie on this occasion and look forward Herman and Dorothy *-@ to continued collaboration justice. in the struggle for Socialism. Rebhan We Stand in Solidarity With Maxie Hill and Deborah Meier

Fighters for freedom, justice, and equal rights.

Stephen P. Yokich Roy O. Wyse President Secretary- Treasurer

Carolyn Forrest, Jack Laskowski, Ernest Lofton, Richard Shoemaker Vice-Presidents International Union, UAW