Samuel Gompers Research Paper

Words: 1553
Pages: 7

Samuel Gompers Samuel Gompers was a Jew and an immigrants son. He came from an extremely poor family and he began life as an alien in many senses, so the promise of America may have meant something beyond ordinary to him. "In London he had been neither a Dutchman nor an Englishman, and he did not feel himself to be very much of a Jew. The USA offered him an "outsider" the prospect of something to which he could deeply and happily belong
(Weisberger 9,13)." Gompers immediately rose to leadership in the local union. At the age of sixteen he regularly represented his fellow workers in altercations with their employers, and he discussed politics and economics with articulate working men" (key people 1). He was the first longest serving president of the American
…show more content…
Samuel Gompers was born January 27, 1850 in London, England. "At age fourteen Gompers joined cigar makers international union (CIU), a loosely organized brotherhood of men who made their living in that trade (Hillstrom 120)". Samuel Gompers worked hard and rose to leadership in the local union. At the age of sixteen he always represented his fellow workers in altercations with employers, and discussed politics and economics with working men (key people 1). He was the first national union leader to recognize and encourage the strike as laborers most effective weapon. (Samuel Gompers biography 1). Gompers was an early labor leader, first in his own union and later as president of the AFL. He served as its president nearly continuously between 1866 and 1924 because of him unionism became more mature less outbursts and more bargaining or attribution (Samuel Gompers 1). "Samuel Gompers was a hard working man who joined many organizations in the bustling immigrant world of New York City, but from the start of noting was so important to him as the