Union Local 471, American Federation of Musicians
Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Organized in 1908, this local was one of the first African American musicians unions in Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh was at the forefront of the jazz world in the mid-20th century, and jazz greats Mary Lou Williams, Art Blakey, Ray Brown, and George Benson, among others, were members. A controversial merger with the white union local in the 1960s ended one of the oldest black union organizations in the US. Headquarters was nearby, 1940-1954.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
Organized in 1908, Local 471 of the American Federation of Musicians was one of Pennsylvania's first African American musicians' unions, giving Black performers a foothold in an industry that often shut them out. As Pittsburgh became a powerhouse of the mid-century jazz world, the local counted greats like Mary Lou Williams, Art Blakey, Ray Brown, and George Benson among its members. A contentious merger with the white local in the 1960s ended one of the oldest Black union organizations in the country.
Why it matters
The local reflects both the vitality of Pittsburgh's Black jazz scene and the long, complicated struggle over segregation and integration within America's labor movement.
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Related people
- · Mary Lou Williams
- · Art Blakey
- · Ray Brown
- · George Benson
Themes & tags
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