Child of the Sit-Downs: The Revolutionary Life of Genora Dollinger

Appendix: A Chronology of Genora Dollinger’s Life

Appendix฀ A฀Chronology฀of฀฀ Genora฀Dollinger’s฀Life 93 Born in Kalamazoo, Michigan. 94 Moves with mother and father to Flint, Michigan. 920s Attends elementary and junior high school in Flint. Attends Central High School. Active in the Methodist Church. 929 Joins Young People’s Socialist League (YPSL) in Flint. Thought influenced by Socialist Carl Johnson. 930 Elopes with Kermit Johnson to Bowling Green, Ohio. 93 Son Dennis (Denny) is born. 936 Participates in the Flint sit-down strikes against General Motors (GM). 937 Joins with other United Auto Workers (UAW) workers in celebrating UAW victory over GM; is sent by UAW on a speaking tour. Travels to New York, Philadelphia, and several other eastern cities to lecture on unionism and Socialism. 938 Participates in “Death Watch” in Flint. Is expelled from the Socialist Party, along with Kermit. Joins the Socialist Workers Party (SWP). 94 Is blacklisted from all the Flint factories. Nevertheless works at Budd Wheel and becomes a shop steward at Briggs factory during the war; meets Sol Dollinger in New York while separated from Kermit Johnson. 942 Divorces Kermit Johnson; marries Sol Dollinger. 942–45 Exchange of letters between Genora and Sol, who is away from home most of the time in the Merchant Marines. Genora suffers from health problems, primarily tuberculosis. 64 Jackson text.indb 164 4/7/08 11:00:04 AM 945 Genora and Sol beaten in their Detroit home on October 5, Genora almost fatally, presumably by corporate thugs. 946 Odd jobs in the Detroit area. Genora still active in Local 22, Sol in Flint recruiting for SWP. Son Jarvis (“Jody”) is killed in a cycle accident in September. 947–48 Odd jobs; still active in SWP and Local 22. Senatorial candidate, 948, for SWP. 949 Tours New York; attends numerous SWP rallies. 950 Congressional candidate, SWP. Father, Ray Albro, dies. Son Dennis dies. 95 Genora renews her union and political activities. Comes under the scrutiny of the FBI. 952 Son Ronald is born. 953 Dollingers expelled from the SWP. Join Bert Cochran’s Socialist Union of America (SUA). 957 SUA dissolved. American Socialist Clubs formed. 959–early 960s Dollingers grow increasingly aloof from Trotskyist organizations . 960 Genora active with the National Association for the Advancement for Colored People (NAACP) in Flint. Becomes involved in the Monroe (NC) case. 96 Dollingers begin traveling fairly often to Mexico. Become involved in Detroit with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). 963–64 Becomes totally opposed to U.S. buildup in Southeast Asia. 966 Dollingers move to Los Angeles. Genora immediately becomes involved in educational reforms, anti-Vietnam rhetoric, and race reform. Joins People’s Lobby. 967 Death of Genora’s first husband, Kermit Johnson. 970 Lauds the election in Chile of President Salvadore Allende . Strongly supports the Los Angeles teachers’ strike. Opens her home on Queen Anne Place to the teachers. Appears before the Organization of American Historians (OAH) meeting in Los Angeles. 970s Strong supporter of the equal rights amendment (ERA) to the Constitution. 97 Trip to Europe. 973 Trip to Holland, meeting friends Genora had helped during the war. 976 Film With Babies and Banners features Genora. Also, another film, The Great Sit-Down. 977 Trips to Europe; meets many Socialists; health problems. A฀Chronology฀of฀Genora฀Dollinger’s฀Life฀ 65 Jackson text.indb 165 4/7/08 11:00:04 AM 978 Criticizes and condemns tuxedo unionism. 979 Believes history is catching up with the events of the sitdowns . Sit-downs finally being written about “correctly,” largely by women historians. Works with Dr. Barry Commoner’s Citizen Party. 983 European trip; contact with Socialists. 984 Trip to China; falls ill. Trip to Europe. Thrilled at Geraldine Ferraro’s nomination for vice president. 986 Celebrations for the fiftieth anniversary of the start of the GM sit-downs. Genora unhappy that the events are jointly sponsored by GM and UAW. Attacks Henry Kraus for his book of 947, The Many and the Few. Causes uproar at UAW annual meeting. 987 Trip to Moscow; disillusionments. Soviets have not heard about Trotsky’s “repatriation.” 989 Writes introduction to Dan La Botz book, A Troublemaker ’s Handbook: How to Fight Back Where You Work— and Win. 990–93 Speaks endlessly about women’s and labor’s rights; writes articles, some of which are published. 994 Inducted into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame. Becomes involved in trying to...