Chicago Federation of Labor Records, 1890-1983 (formerly John Fitzpatrick Papers)

Description

The Chicago Federation of Labor (CFL) is an umbrella organization for unions in the Chicago area founded in 1896 as an affiliate of the American Federation of Labor (AFL). John Fitzpatrick served as CFL president in 1900-1901, 1906-1946, and William Lee served as president in 1946-1984. The AFL and the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) merged in 1955, and their Chicago area affiliates merged in 1962. Thereafter, William Lee served as president of the unified Chicago Federation of Labor and Industrial Union Council.