As Black History Month 2026 begins, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) is reflecting on its history of supporting African American workers. The union highlights labor’s role in advocating for the rights of Black working-class individuals, referencing figures such as Frederick Douglass, who became president of the Colored National Labor Union in 1872, and A. Philip Randolph, organizer of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters in the 1920s. The IAM notes that it welcomed African American members a decade before the Civil Rights Act was passed.
“It’s mind-boggling to learn about the tremendous history that links labor activism with the upward economic mobility of the Black Americans,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “Our union has been at the forefront of civil rights and Black History Month is a great time to share our union’s story.”
The organization recalls that by 1944, discussions about integrating African American workers were taking place within its ranks. That year, IAM District 727—which represented 35,000 Lockheed employees in southern California—encouraged diversity through an open letter to local chapters.
Roman Mayfield’s experience is cited as an example of persistence leading to change. Mayfield, a World War II veteran hired by Boeing in Seattle in 1946, was initially denied membership due to racial policies but continued attending meetings until he was accepted in 1950. His membership marked a turning point for minority inclusion at Boeing and within IAM.
Other historical moments include former IAM president Al Hayes meeting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in New York City in 1962; predominantly African-American lodges being chartered during the 1960s; support for rebuilding Watts, California after riots in 1965; contract negotiations benefiting many Black workers at General Dynamics’ Fort Worth site during the 1970s; and appointments such as Robert Roach Jr., who became IAM’s first African-American General Vice President in 1999, followed by Diane Babineaux as the first Black woman General Vice President in 2013.
Currently, IAM maintains partnerships with groups like the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) and the A. Philip Randolph Institute to promote economic fairness and racial justice for Black workers.
