Max Morris (unionist)
{{Short description|American trade unionist and politician (1866–1909)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Max Morris
| image = Max Morris (1866–1909).png
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1866|06|09}}
| birth_place = Mobile, Alabama
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1909|06|06|1866|06|09}}
| death_place = Denver, Colorado
| resting_place =
| occupation = Trade unionist, politician
| awards =
| spouse =
| children =
| education =
| signature =
| party = {{Plainlist|
}}
| office1 = Member of the Colorado House of Representatives
| term_start1 = 1899
| term_end1 = 1904
| office2 = 3rd International President of the Retail Clerks International Union
| term_start2 = 1895
| term_end2 = 1909
| predecessor2 = Ed Mallory
| successor2 = H. J. Conway
}}
Max Morris (June 9, 1866 – June 6, 1909) was an American labor union leader and politician.
Biography
Max Morris was born in Mobile, Alabama on June 9, 1866, and moved to Breckenridge, Colorado in 1880.{{Cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kW4WAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA17-PA13 |title=Max Morris, One of Labor's Great Leaders, Has Passed Away |journal=Retail Clerks International Advocate |volume=16 |number=7 |page=13 |date=July 1909 |access-date=2023-05-10 |via=Google Books}} In 1884, he became a retail clerk, and he organized a union of clerks based in Cripple Creek. In about 1890, he moved to Denver, where he founded the Denver Retail Clerks' Union, and he soon affiliated this to the new Retail Clerks' National Protective Association of America.{{cite book |title=The Samuel Gompers Papers |date=1986 |publisher=University of Illinois Press |isbn=9780252033896}}{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/newencyclopedia00unkngoog/page/784/mode/1up |last1=Bliss |first1=William |title=The New Encyclopedia of Social Reform |date=1909 |publisher=Funk & Wagnalls |page=784 |access-date=2023-05-10 |via=Internet Archive}}
In 1896, Morris was elected as secretary-treasurer of the Retail Clerks, and from 1899, he also edited its journal, the Retail Clerks' National Advocate. That year, he was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives, representing the People's Party. He was elected again in 1901, this time representing the Democratic Party, serving until 1904.
Morris served as a vice-president of the American Federation of Labor from 1898. He died in Denver on June 6, 1909, still holding his trade union offices.{{Cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MiNFAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA6-PA7 |title=Death of Max Morris, Fourth Vice-President of the A. F. of L. |journal=Official Journal of the Travelers' Goods and Leather Novelty Workers' International Union of America |volume=VI |number=7 |place=Oshkosh, Wisconsin |page=7 |date=July 1909 |access-date=2023-05-10 |via=Google Books}}
References
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{{succession box|title=Secretary-Treasurer of the Retail Clerks' National Protective Association|years=1896–1909|before=Ed Mallory|after=H. J. Conway}}
{{succession box|title=Fifth Vice-President of the American Federation of Labor|years=1898–1900|before=New position|after=Thomas I. Kidd}}
{{succession box|title=Fourth Vice-President of the American Federation of Labor|years=1900–1909|before=John Mitchell|after=Denis A. Hayes}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Morris, Max}}
Category:American trade union leaders
Category:Members of the Colorado House of Representatives
Category:People from Mobile, Alabama
Category:People's Party (United States) politicians
Category:Trade unionists from Alabama
Category:Vice presidents of the American Federation of Labor
Category:Retail Clerks International Union leaders
Category:19th-century members of the Colorado General Assembly
Category:20th-century members of the Colorado General Assembly