Ben Stahl
Encyclopedia
Ben Stahl dedicated much of his life to serving the working class
globally and the people of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
locally.
in 1932, he entered Temple University
, studied briefly at Gratz College
, and became a leader of the Young People's Socialist League
before receiving his B.A.
in History
from Temple in 1936. Immediately after graduation he took a job as a teacher with the Works Progress Administration
's Workers’ Education Program. He joined the American Federation of Teachers
and became the secretary of his local before the age of 22.
Department of Public Assistance as a social worker. He married Evelyn Miller in 1942 and in 1943 he took on the role of National Representative with the Congress of Industrial Organizations
' (CIO) Department of Organization. Working with the CIO to organize workers in the railroad, telephone, government, social work, brewing, jewelry, and education sectors would take him and his wife around the country from Boston
to Los Angeles. Ben continued to work as a field organizer through the merger of the American Federation of Labor
with the CIO in 1955 (mergers of local affiliates proceeded slowly over the next decade in Philadelphia). He and his family eventually returned to Philadelphia in 1959, where in 1962 he began the long three year fight to win the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and cafeteria workers collective bargaining rights. At victory, the new local became the largest in the state.
Ben Stahl worked until 1969 as a field organizer for the AFL-CIO
, when he became the Regional Director of the AFL-CIO's Human Resources Development Institute. He held this position until retirement in July 1982. In 1986 Mayor Wilson Goode appointed him Commissioner of the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations.
Throughout his working years and well into retirement he involved himself with numerous historical, labor, human rights, and civic organizations, which include:
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
globally and the people of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
locally.
Education
After graduating from Central High SchoolCentral High School (Philadelphia)
Central High School is a public secondary school in the Logan section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Central, the second-oldest continuously public high school in the United States , was founded in 1836 and is a four-year university preparatory magnet school...
in 1932, he entered Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
, studied briefly at Gratz College
Gratz College
Gratz College is a general college of Jewish studies founded in 1895 offering a broad array of credentials and programs in virtually every area of higher Judaic learning to aspiring Jewish educators, communal professionals, lay people and others seeking to become more knowledgeable of...
, and became a leader of the Young People's Socialist League
Young People's Socialist League
The Young People's Socialist League , founded in 1989, is the official youth arm of the Socialist Party USA. The group's membership consists of those democratic socialists under the age of 30, and its political activities tend to concentrate on increasing the voter turnout of young democratic...
before receiving his B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in History
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
from Temple in 1936. Immediately after graduation he took a job as a teacher with the Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
's Workers’ Education Program. He joined the American Federation of Teachers
American Federation of Teachers
The American Federation of Teachers is an American labor union founded in 1916 that represents teachers, paraprofessionals and school-related personnel; local, state and federal employees; higher education faculty and staff, and nurses and other healthcare professionals...
and became the secretary of his local before the age of 22.
Early career
From 1940 until 1942 he worked for the PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
Department of Public Assistance as a social worker. He married Evelyn Miller in 1942 and in 1943 he took on the role of National Representative with the Congress of Industrial Organizations
Congress of Industrial Organizations
The Congress of Industrial Organizations, or CIO, proposed by John L. Lewis in 1932, was a federation of unions that organized workers in industrial unions in the United States and Canada from 1935 to 1955. The Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 required union leaders to swear that they were not...
' (CIO) Department of Organization. Working with the CIO to organize workers in the railroad, telephone, government, social work, brewing, jewelry, and education sectors would take him and his wife around the country from Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
to Los Angeles. Ben continued to work as a field organizer through the merger of the American Federation of Labor
American Federation of Labor
The American Federation of Labor was one of the first federations of labor unions in the United States. It was founded in 1886 by an alliance of craft unions disaffected from the Knights of Labor, a national labor association. Samuel Gompers was elected president of the Federation at its...
with the CIO in 1955 (mergers of local affiliates proceeded slowly over the next decade in Philadelphia). He and his family eventually returned to Philadelphia in 1959, where in 1962 he began the long three year fight to win the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and cafeteria workers collective bargaining rights. At victory, the new local became the largest in the state.
Ben Stahl worked until 1969 as a field organizer for the AFL-CIO
AFL-CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL–CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 11 million workers...
, when he became the Regional Director of the AFL-CIO's Human Resources Development Institute. He held this position until retirement in July 1982. In 1986 Mayor Wilson Goode appointed him Commissioner of the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations.
Throughout his working years and well into retirement he involved himself with numerous historical, labor, human rights, and civic organizations, which include:
Labor Unions
- Communications Workers of AmericaCommunications Workers of AmericaCommunications Workers of America is the largest communications and media labor union in the United States representing about 550,000 members in both the private and public sectors. The union has 27 locals in Canada via CWA-SCA Canada representing about 8,000 members...
Local 189 - Garment Industry Board of Philadelphia
- Philadelphia Federation of Teachers
- United Farm WorkersUnited Farm WorkersThe United Farm Workers of America is a labor union created from the merging of two groups, the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee led by Filipino organizer Larry Itliong, and the National Farm Workers Association led by César Chávez...
- Labor Union Bicentennial
Philadelphia Regional Civic Associations
- La Communidad Hispana: Project Mushroom, El Centro Esperanza
- Greater Philadelphia First Corporation
- Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition
- Philadelphia Unemployment Project
- Regional Council of Neighborhood Organizations
Social Service Groups
- Offender Aid and RestorationOffender Aid and RestorationOffender Aid and Restoration is an organization that started in Richmond, Virginia devoted to helping those who have been incarcerated to gain and maintain employment.-References:*.*...
- People's Emergency Center
- Vocational EducationVocational educationVocational education or vocational education and training is an education that prepares trainees for jobs that are based on manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic, and totally related to a specific trade, occupation, or vocation...
(ACCE)