Alvin Heaps
American labor union leader
About Alvin Heaps
Lived 1919 – 1986 (aged 66–67).
Alvin Eugene Heaps (December 4, 1919 – September 5, 1986) was an American labor union leader.
Born in Royalton, Illinois, Heaps moved to Chicago in the 1930s, where he worked in a bakery. He founded a union among workers at the bakery, and after searching for a larger union to affiliate with, he settled on the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. He served in the United States Army infantry during World War II, then after the war returned to organizing workers, notably at the anti-union Montgomery Ward.
Heaps was elected as secretary-treasurer of the international union in 1948, in which role he was noted for his support of the civil rights movement, and also of the Israeli labor movement. In 1976, he was elected as president of the union, and shortly afterwards, as a vice-president of the AFL-CIO. In 1981, he was seriously injured by a bomb sent to his office, a crime which was never solved.
Heaps died in 1986, while still in office.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Alvin Heaps's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Alvin Heaps?
American labor union leader (1919–1986)
When was Alvin Heaps born?
Alvin Heaps was born in 1919.
When did Alvin Heaps die?
Alvin Heaps died in 1986.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Alvin Heaps. https://biography.guide/alvin-heaps/
MLA: "Alvin Heaps." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/alvin-heaps/.
Chicago: "Alvin Heaps." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/alvin-heaps/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:02 UTC