Terre Haute in Vigo County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Jerry Wurf
Photographed By Courtesy:: Marilyn S. Wolf, August 12, 2012
1. Jerry Wurf Marker
President, the American Federation of State,
County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME),
1964 - 1981
As president of AFSCME, Jerry Wurf was responsible for the union’s growth from 240,000 to one million members. He also helped pioneer landmark public-sector collective bargaining laws in many states.
Served as Executive Director of AFSCME District Council 37 in New York City, 1959 to 1964.
Joined AFSCME in 1947 after working as an organizer for the Food Checkers and Cashiers Union
Civil Right leader: A founder of the Congress of Racial Equality, and co-architect with A. Philip Randolph of the Strategy for the Cities followed by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in his civil rights campaigns in the South.
Peace advocate: A strong voice for peace heard in the labor movement, as well as on the Council on Foreign Relations and Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy.
In Memoriam
Jerry Wurf was called “Labor’s last angry man.” Anger walked with him like an old companion- -anger against hypocrisy, unfairness and injustice.
His heroes were Eugene Debs and Norman Thomas. Debs’ vision of America gave Wurf his passionate belief that labor is the nation’s best hope for achieving
this page online
Wurf gave passion to the struggle to win basic rights for the nation’s 14 million public workers. He asked, “If there is dignity in all work, why isn’t there dignity for all workers?” He answered by telling public workers, “Collective bargaining, not collective begging!”
Wurf built AFSCME into one of the nation’s largest, most powerful and progressive unions. Along the way he changed forever the American public’s attitudes towards public workers.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Labor Unions. A significant historical year for this entry is 1919.
Location. 39° 28.312′ N, 87° 24.314′ W. Marker is in Terre Haute, Indiana, in Vigo County. Marker can be reached from North 8th Street south of Spruce Street. Located in back-yard of Eugene Debs home (museum). Can be reached by a back access drive from Sycamore Street - west of North 9th Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: (back yard of) 451 North 8th Street, Terre Haute IN 47801, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. William H. Sylvis (here, next to this marker); Joseph A. Beirne (here, next to this marker); Walter Philip Reuther (here, next to this marker); Patrick J. Quinlan (here, next to this marker); Samuel Gompers
Photographed By Al Wolf, July 6, 2008
2. Eugene Debs Home (Museum)
Also see . . . Jerry Wurf. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on December 25, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Photographed By Courtesy:: Marilyn S. Wolf, August 12, 2012
3. Jerry Wurf Marker - - (Fourth from Right)
Photographed By eBay, 1979
4. Jerry Wurf
Credits. This page was last revised on November 28, 2021. It was originally submitted on August 20, 2012, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. This page has been viewed 556 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 20, 2012, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. 4. submitted on December 25, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.
