IBEW Henry Miller Museum Electrical Workers Historical Society

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers celebrates its official 130th birthday on November 28, 2021, and as we have done each year since the Henry Miller Museum opened, we commemorate the occasion by sharing a bit of our early history and thanking those good brothers and sisters whose personal contributions not only helped save the home but continue to help maintain it. 


On this year’s episode we review Henry’s first AFL Convention as a delegate after our formation and recognize everyone’s favorite volunteer tour guide, Brother Dave Roth, Financial Secretary of Local 1 in St. Louis. Many of the images of our visiting brothers and sisters shared through the museum’s social media channels were taken by Dave. He also spends a great deal of time ensuring our museum stays in tip-top shape. Thanks Dave! 

If you would like to join one of Dave’s tours please call the main office at (314) 647-5900 between 7am and 4:30pm CST Monday thru Friday. There is nothing more gratifying for us than to see this incredible tribute to the American Trade Union Movement put to good use. The museum often hosts an array of IBEW events for local unions from retirement celebrations to executive board meetings, please know, this is YOUR museum and an incredibly inspiring space for members to pursue the objects of our Constitution. 

And a special thanks to University of Maryland Professor Kyle Pruitt for sharing his knowledge of labor history with us. 

Happy Birthday IBEW!

The following Dropbox folder contains many of the documents used to research this years episode: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/vmxbq6xdtwqkijg/AAAiLTPFjGdcswQhXzpB70bJa?dl=0

(Image showing leaders of the Central Trades and Labor Union preparing for their 50th anniversary "Golden Jubilee" celebration in 1937. Unfortunately, the elder Kassel did not live long enough to join his Business Manager, David Kreyling. The caption reads:  This committee of the Central Trades and Labor Union is laying plans for the organization’s golden anniversary this month. The St. Louis central labor body was chartered fifty years ago. Left to right, William M. Bryant, secretary of the Central Trades and Labor Union; Martin a Dillmon, Teamsters’ union: Della Cox, Bindery Women’s Union; David Kreyling, Cigarmakers’ Union and Joseph J. Hauser, Brewery Workers Union. Murphy and Hauser are former presidents of the Central Trades body.)




To commemorate the 129th Anniversary of the IBEW we profile Charles Kassel, Chairman of the Organizing Committee and sometime President of the St. Louis Central Trades and Labor Union, the man who facilitated the first AFL Federal Local Union charter of the IBEW.

Listeners can learn more about Kassel, his powerful Cigarmakers' Union, and the St. Louis Central Trades and Labor Union from Golden Jubilee Recollections, a historical summary penned in 1937 by CMIU Local 44 Business Manager and Central Trades President David Kreyling to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the coalition. Today that coalition is the St. Louis Labor Council, AFLCIO.

Supplemental information:
The Birmingham News, December 20, 1891, carries news of the Committee on Credentials unfavorable report on Delegate Henry Miller.

9th AFL Convention roster - Charles Kassel

Read more about Henry's first AFL Convention.

Charles Kassel's address on Workingman's Day in 1879.

Kassel's Obituary

A special thanks to Ben Blake from the George Meany Labor Archives at the University of Maryland.

This episode is dedicated to late IBEW organizer Duane Moore, and all the devoted men and women of the Trade Union Movement who work to, elevate the moral, intellectual and social conditions of workers, their families and dependents, in the interest of a higher standard of citizenship.




Happy 129th Anniversary IBEW!

Thank you!

On the 128th anniversary of the founding of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers we salute the linemen of IBEW Local 1439 and thank them for supporting the mission of the Electrical Workers Historical Society.

Founders Plaza construction images

National Sisterhood United for Journeymen Linemen

Historian and author NiNi Harris has a theory on labor unions that begins with the Civil War!

In the July, 1916, edition of The Electrical Workers' journal, our first Grand Secretary-Treasurer, J.T. Kelly, then Press Secretary for IBEW Local 1, gives us a glimpse into our founding convention with his Local Lines entry (page 245), "The meetings were held in a room on Franklin Avenue near Leffenwell. The sessions were long from 9 am to 11 pm, with two short intermissions for lunch." On November 21, 2018, we returned to that sanctuary with Historian and author NiNi Harris to learn more about our Museum and gain a glimpse into that historic event!



Chapter Markers:



00:01:46 - NiNi Harris Bio



00:03:33 - NiNi joins the effort



00:04:05 - Architectural Elements



00:06:55 - How Old?



00:08:17 - Blueprints and Construction



00:11:39 - Henry's Neighborhood



00:14:43 - November 21, 1891



00:17:38 - Convention Setting



00:19:15 - Boarding House Life



00:24:27 - A Donated Chamberpot!



00:25:07 - Museum Tours



00:26:45 - Henry's Income



00:27:59 - Laundress



00:29:43 - John Greb's Wife?



00:30:14 - Historic Dirt



00:31:00 - Our Iconic Photo



00:36:01 - Changing The World



00:37:49 - That Elusive Image



00:38:12 - Gallery Style Porch



00:40:08 - Uhrig's Cave



00:43:25 - Saloon Time



00:46:21 - This Used To Be St. Louis



00:48:05 - Compton & Dry



00:49:23 - Union Influence



00:50:26 - Thanks NiNi!

In this episode IBEW Museum Curator Curtis Bateman adds expert commentary as we listen to J.T. Kelly’s family narrate his first-person account of our early history, A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS. Special thanks go out to all the Kelly family members for their generous contribution to this year’s anniversary celebration. The image of JT was provided by the Kelly family, who remain an IBEW treasure. Thank you also to Brother Bateman for sharing his vast knowledge of our history. The title for this episode was taken from Curtis' written contribution to the Henry Miller Museum website – a History Worth Celebrating link: https://nbew-ibewmuseum.org/index.php/contributors/curtis-bateman
Linked below is a modest reflection on the significant contributions of one of our most prolific founders, printed after his death in 1930. We hope you enjoy this episode and appreciate your continued support of the Henry Miller Museum – Happy 126th Birthday IBEW!



'Death Withdraws His Card' - transcribed from page 332 of the June 1930 edition of The Electrical Worker: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1U5_JKN3AVRDRAVYc0HmIHLonkMmvTE9w/view?usp=sharing



Page 332 of the June 1930 edition of The Electrical Worker:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1quDJ-LrfKroawUsXrS3aXTrWoc5w_n4z/view?usp=sharing