New Podcast/Video – James R. “Jimmy” Hoffa

New Podcast/Video
James R. “Jimmy” Hoffa
Today the author talks about a famous native of Brazil, Indiana, Jimmy Hoffa.
From the Book
West Central Indiana Day Trips

Transcript:

Greetings, today I will talk about a famous native of Brazil, Indiana, Jimmy Hoffa.

James R. “Jimmy” Hoffa (February 14, 1913 – disappeared July 30, 1975)
The son of John and Viola Riddle Hoffa, James was native to Brazil, Indiana. His father, a coal miner, died of lung disease when Jimmy was seven years old. His early education was sporadic, due the the necessity of his having to work to help support the family. His mother went to work upon the death of her husband and eventually moved the family to Detroit.
Early Labor Movement
Hoffa went to work for a major grocery chain on the loading docks. The workers were poorly paid and suffered bad working conditions. He used the arrival of a large shipment of strawberries that needed timely unloading to stage his first strike. The workers threatened to not unload the berries unless the received a favorable deal. He negotiated a favorable worker’s contract in 1932 when he was 19 years old.
International Brotherhood of Teamsters
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters noted his success and admitted him as a member in 1933. His efforts in the union led to a rapid rise, to business agent for Local 299 in Detroit and then to president in of the local in 1937. He organized the Michigan Conference of Teamsters in 1959. During this time he met Josephine Poszywak, during a labor strike in 1936. The couple married the next year and would have two children.
Teamsters President
Teamster members elected him president of the national organization in 1957. He continued his tireless efforts to organize workers into unions and grew the membership to become the largest union in the United States.
Mafia Connections
Hoffa gained several connections with organized crime, which led to scrutiny by the FBI. He first faced arrest in 1957 when he was charged with trying to bribe a member of the Senate’s McClellan Committee, which was investigating improper activities by labor unions. He was eventually acquitted of this charge, however the arrest led to more investigations and more charges, all of which led to nothing.
Conviction
The election of John F. Kennedy as President of the United States in 1960 led to the appointment of Kennedy’s brother Robert as Attorney General. Robert had been on the McClellan Committee. Numerous attempts were made to charge and convict Hoffa, but none succeeded until he was arrested on jury tampering charges in Tennessee. He was convicted on this charge on March 4, 1964 and sentenced to eight years in prison. Next he was charged with improper use of Teamster funds and convicted on July 26, 1964. He was sentenced to an additional five years for this.
Nixon Pardon
President Richard Nixon commuted Hoffa’s sentence on December 23, 1971, under the condition that Hoffa refrain from all union activities until 1980. In spite of this, he began efforts to regain control of the Teamsters.
Disappearance
His efforts ran afoul of the mafia, which opposed his leadership plans. A planned reconciliation meeting was to take place on July 30, 1975 led to his disappearance on that date. His car was found in the parking lot of the restaurant where the meeting was to take place. His wife reported him missing the next morning. Hoffa’s body has never been found. He was declared dead on July 30, 1982. No charges in his death have ever been filed.

This is an excerpt from my book, West Central Indiana Day Trips. You can find the book on my website, http://www.mossyfeetbooks.com. It is available in a number of formats including ebook, softbound and audio book on Amazon as well as many other online book retailers. You may also purchase the book direct from me, the author, on the website.
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