TNBC: History
in Brief
We
have come a long way since the TNBC’s first unofficial
gathering in Miami, Florida on July 7, 1971. At the Playboy
Plaza Hotel, the Teamsters National Black Caucus held
it’s first meeting. The meeting’s goal was
to bring about a major change in the way the Teamsters
International did business. New passages were entered
on the pages of the history of the International Brotherhood
of Teamsters when Robert Simpson, Teamsters Local 743,Chicago,
IL was chosen as the spokesman for the African-Americans
delegates at the meeting. Simpson said that Blacks had
been omitted from high paying leadership positions at
the Teamsters International level. Simpson also noted
that “Blacks serve as special Organizers in times
of Black crises without the salary or title”Teamsters
General President Frank E. Fitzsimmons and several Teamster
Union Vice Presidents agreed to forma committee to address
the problem. General President Fitzsimmons promised
that blacks would be considered for vacancies occurring
on the general executive board before the 1976Teamsters
Convention.
In
September 1975, John H. Cleveland President of Teamsters
Local 730, in Washington,D.C. became the first appointed
chairperson of TNBC. Cleveland later became the first
African American Vice President of the IBT. In 1984
Edward “Doc” James was appointed Chairman
and ran unopposed October 1993. In January 1994, Claude
Brown was appointed to serve the remaining term of Doc
James. In September 1998, Chris Silvera became the first
Chairman elected by the Membership of TNBC. He was reelected
to the position in August2003.Since its formation, the
TNBC has strived to:
 Organize
the unorganized in our communities throughout the U.S.
Promote
affirmative action in the workplace and in our community.
Encourage
political action and legislation
Increase
the level of African Americans’ participation
within Teamster locals and the International
Union.
The
TNBC has played a key role in the continuing struggle
to recruit African Americans into the IBT. It goes without
saying that union membership is one of the best investments
for African American workers. African American workers
represented by unions total almost three million of
the entire union labor membership, equaling more than
one fourth of all African Americans in the workforce.
Nearly one-third of the Teamsters’ membership
is African American. Studies have shown that, African
American workers join unions in proportionately higher
numbers than all other segments of the general working
population.
Today, too many African American workers and their families
still find themselves searching for their share of the
American dream. While much progress has been made in
the area of civil rights, those gains are endangered
by persistent economic inequalities, political attacks,and
judicial decisions that are endangering affirmative
action and anti discrimination laws.
To meet current and future challenges, the TNBC is working
in the following areas:
Political
Action
Educational
Programs
Legal
Support
Workplace
Representation |
