As Black History Month 2026 begins, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) is recognizing the role of labor unions in supporting African American workers. The IAM highlights a history that includes early labor leaders such as Frederick Douglass, who was president of the Colored National Labor Union in 1872, and A. Philip Randolph, organizer of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters in the 1920s. The IAM also notes its decision to welcome African American members before the Civil Rights Act was passed in the 1960s.
“It’s mind-boggling to learn about the tremendous history that links labor activism with the upward economic mobility of the Black Americans,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “Our union has been at the forefront of civil rights and Black History Month is a great time to share our union’s story.”
In 1944, IAM District 727 encouraged local unions to increase diversity by admitting African American workers. This followed with Roman Mayfield, a World War II veteran who worked at Boeing in Seattle starting in 1946. Despite initially being excluded from membership due to racial policies, Mayfield continued attending meetings until he was accepted as a member in 1950 when IAM changed its stance on minority inclusion. His example contributed to Boeing hiring thousands of Black workers over subsequent decades.
Other events highlighted by IAM include former president Al Hayes meeting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in New York City in 1962; predominantly African-American lodges chartered during the 1960s; assistance from union representative Herb Ward during efforts to rebuild Watts, California after riots in 1965; major contract negotiations involving large numbers of Black workers at General Dynamics in Fort Worth during the 1970s; and leadership milestones with Robert Roach, Jr., appointed as first African-American General Vice President in 1999, followed by Diane Babineaux as first Black woman General Vice President in 2013.
The IAM remains active with organizations such as the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists and the A. Philip Randolph Institute, continuing efforts toward economic fairness and racial justice for Black workers.
