American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)

American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (A.F.S.C.M.E. Logo image)



The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) traces its roots to Madison, Wisconsin where, in 1932, a small group of professional state employees organized to protect and promote the civil service. By 1936, the group gained recognition from the American Federation of Labor (AFL) and became AFSCME. By 1955 when the AFL merged with the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), AFSCME’s composition was expanding to include blue-collar public employees, and its focus had shifted to collective bargaining. Since that time, AFSCME has grown to one of the largest unions in the AFL-CIO, boasting 1.4 million members today. AFSCME represents workers in a variety of roles including corrections, emergency services, education, health care, law enforcement, public administration, public works, housing, and transportation.

The Walter P. Reuther Library at Wayne State University became the official repository for AFSCME in 1974. Since that time, it has collected the records of the union's international headquarters and some locals, as well as the personal papers of prominent union members.

The AFSCME collection abstracts, audio files, and images on our website are just a part of our total AFSCME Collection. Please contact Stefanie Caloia, the AFSCME Archivist, if you have any concerns, questions, or comments.

For more information about AFSCME please visit the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Web site.

AFSCME Radio Spots, Probation OfficersAudio
AFSCME Radio Spots, Sanitation WorkersAudio
AFSCME Radio Spots, School CooksAudio
AFSCME Radio Spots, School Maintenance WorkersAudio
AFSCME Radio Spots, Snow Removal CrewsAudio
AFSCME Radio Spots, Special Needs ChildrenAudio
Driver Technicians Unit - AFSCME Connecticut Local 1303Audio
Justification for a Union - AFSCME Audio
Laboratory Technicians Unit - AFSCME Connecticut Local 1303Audio
Los Angeles - ACEA - AFSCME Council 60Audio
Nelson Jones Interview - AFSCME Memphis Local 1733 Sanitation StrikeAudio
Nurses Unit - AFSCME Connecticut Local 1303Audio
1968 Memphis Sanitation Workers and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Blog entry
2010: The Reuther Year in ReviewBlog entry
2012: The Reuther Year in ReviewBlog entry
AFSCME and September 11, 2001Blog entry
AFSCME Local 1, Washington, D.C.'s fight against racismBlog entry
AFSCME's History-Making 1964 ConventionBlog entry
Farewell and Good Luck to AFSCME Archivist Johanna RussBlog entry
June 7 at 6:30 pm: Photographer Richard Copley and the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Workers' StrikeBlog entry
Lillian Roberts's willing sacrifice for public employeesBlog entry
Meet Meghan Courtney, New AFSCME ArchivistBlog entry
Meet Stefanie Caloia, AFSCME ArchivistBlog entry
Moment of Silence for Memphis Sanitation WorkersBlog entry
Nelson Mandela, AFSCME, and Detroit in 1990Blog entry
Now on view: All Labor Has Dignity: The 1968 Memphis Sanitation Workers’ Strike, Photographs by Richard L. CopleyBlog entry
Pay Equity and the Public EmployeeBlog entry
Remembering AFSCME President Gerald McEntee (1935-2022)Blog entry
Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr.Blog entry
Remembering Paul Booth, 1943-2018Blog entry
Subject Focus: Women in Labor UnionsBlog entry
The Coalition of Black Trade UnionistsBlog entry
The Creation of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. DayBlog entry
Web Exhibit Announcement: I AM a ManBlog entry
Action Agendas for Local Union CommitteesDocuments
AFL-CIO letter to Tennessee Council on Human Relations, 1968Documents
AFSCME Archives InstructionsDocuments
AFSCME Ciampa letter to C. Blackburn, Memphis, 1968Documents
AFSCME Coloring PagesDocuments
AFSCME Convention Announcements and Program, 1936Documents
AFSCME Leadership LetterDocuments
AFSCME Local 1733 contract, 1968Documents
AFSCME Memo, Ciampa to Wurf, Memphis, 1968Documents
AFSCME memo, Fitzpatrick to Ames, Michigan donations, 1968Documents
AFSCME memo, Tom Fitzpatrick to Michigan locals regarding Memphis strike, 1968Documents
AFSCME News Release, Leaders found in contemptDocuments
AFSCME Oral History Transcript; Joan Goddard (President of Local 101), interviewed by Johanna RussDocuments
AFSCME Sanitation Workers' Strike, Blueprint for ActionDocuments
Apology from Memphis sanitation workers to citizens of Memphis, 1968Documents
Equal Rights Amendment brochureDocuments
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