In 1889, the Milwaukee Letter Carriers, knowing many of their fellow carriers would be attending the Grand Army of the Republic encampment in their city that summer, issued an official Call to meet during the reunion to form a national association and act on other matters of importance to letter carriers and their families.
Heeding the Call, 60 letter carriers from 18 states gathered in the meeting room above Schaefer’s Saloon. On August 29, 1889 they unanimously adopted a resolution to form a National Association of Letter Carriers. The next day, the convention elected officers and adopted a number of resolutions.
The fledgling organization espoused four objectives:
- fraternity
- fidelity
- benevolence
- unity
Great Postal Strike of March 1970