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In 1993, Blackshere was elected secretary-treasurer of the
Illinois AFL-CIO. In 2000, she was elected president after the organization's first ever contested election. She was the first woman to hold the position in Illinois, and the second woman to lead a state federation in the country. She served
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Blackshere was a delegate to the
Democratic National Convention and a member of the Democratic National Committee. After retiring from the Illinois AFL-CIO, Blackshere campaigned for Barack Obama across the country during the
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Blackshere began her career as a kindergarten teacher in
Madison, Illinois. There, she organized her fellow teachers, leading to the school's teachers becoming affiliated with the Illinois Federation of Teachers, part of the
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164:"Trailblazing former Illinois AFL-CIO President Margaret Blackshere, first woman president of a state federation, dies"
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22:(died July 6, 2019) was an American labor organizer and leader. She was the first woman to serve as president of the
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135:"Margaret Blackshere, historic force in Illinois labor and politics, dies at 78"
244:"Margaret Blackshere, 78, trailblazing 'giant of the Illinois labor movement'"
269:"How J.B. Pritzker nailed down support from the Illinois Federation of Labor"
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294:"Democratic Party Super Delegates -- 2008 (washingtonpost.com)"
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Blackshere had two sons. She died in 2019 of complications of
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As president, Blackshere engineered an early endorsement of
343:"Illinois Labor Leader, Women's Advocate Backs Obama"
319:"Illinois union leaders try to boost Obama in Nevada"
72:ahead of the 2002 Illinois gubernatorial campaign.
44:She received her master's degree in education at
394:Southern Illinois University Edwardsville alumni
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65:as president until her retirement in 2007.
189:"TOUGH BATTLE FOR STATE'S TOP AFL-CIO POST"
217:"NO. 2 OFFICIAL NAMED STATE AFL-CIO CHIEF"
46:Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
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404:Deaths from Parkinson's disease
215:Tribune, Chicago (2000-01-09).
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59:American Federation of Teachers
37:Blackshere was raised in North
389:American women trade unionists
317:McCormick, John (2007-12-03).
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88:in 2008, where she supported
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106:Parkinson’s disease
20:Margaret Blackshere
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