Jimmy Hoffa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jimmy Hoffa
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Hoffa (left) with son James P. Hoffa in 1965
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| Born |
James Riddle Hoffa
February 14, 1913 |
| Disappeared | Bloomfield Township, Oakland County, Michigan |
| Status | Declared dead in absentia July 30, 1982 (aged 69) |
| Occupation | Trade unionist |
| Spouse(s) |
Josephine Hoffa (née Poszywak)
(m. 1936) |
| Children |
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James Riddle Hoffa (born February 14, 1913 – disappeared July 30, 1975) was an American labor union leader. He was the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) union from 1958 to 1971. He disappeared in July 1975 when he was 62 years old.
From a young age, Hoffa was very active in helping workers. He became an important leader in the Teamsters union by his mid-20s. By 1952, he was the national vice-president of the IBT. He then served as the union's general president from 1958 to 1971. He helped create the first national agreement for truck drivers' pay and conditions in 1964. This was called the National Master Freight Agreement. He played a big part in making the Teamsters union very large. At its peak, it had over 2.3 million members.
Hoffa faced serious legal problems during his career. He was found guilty of trying to unfairly influence trials and other illegal actions in 1964. He went to prison in 1967 and was sentenced to thirteen years. In 1971, he left his role as union president as part of a deal with President Richard Nixon. He was released later that year. However, he was not allowed to be involved in union activities until 1980. Hoffa tried to get this rule changed so he could return to leading the Teamsters, but he was not successful.
Contents
Jimmy Hoffa: A Union Leader's Story
Early Life and Family
Jimmy Hoffa was born in Brazil, Indiana, on February 14, 1913. His parents were John and Viola Hoffa. His father passed away in 1920 when Jimmy was only seven years old. In 1924, his family moved to Detroit, where Hoffa grew up and lived for the rest of his life. He left school at age 14. He started working full-time in manual labor jobs to help support his family.
Personal Life
Hoffa married Josephine Poszywak on September 24, 1936. She was 18 years old and worked in a laundry in Detroit. They met during a workers' strike six months before they got married. The couple had two children: a daughter named Barbara Ann Crancer and a son named James P. Hoffa. In 1939, the Hoffas bought a modest home in northwest Detroit. They also owned a simple summer cottage by a lake in Orion Township, Michigan.
Building the Teamsters Union
From the late 1930s to the late 1940s, Hoffa worked hard to protect the Teamsters unions. He helped them grow their influence in the Midwestern states. Even though he never worked as a truck driver himself, he became president of Local 299 in December 1946. Soon after, he became the leader of all the Detroit-area Teamsters groups. Later, he led all the Teamsters groups in Michigan. During World War II, Hoffa was allowed to stay out of military service. He argued that his skills in leading the union were more important. He helped keep freight moving smoothly to support the war effort.
The Mystery of His Disappearance
Jimmy Hoffa disappeared on July 30, 1975. This happened sometime after 2:45 p.m. in the parking lot of the Red Fox restaurant. The restaurant was in Bloomfield Township, a suburb of Detroit. Hoffa had told others he was going there to meet with people who had connections to criminal groups. One of these people was Anthony Provenzano, who was also a Teamster leader.
Hoffa's wife reported him missing that evening. Police found his car at the restaurant. It was unlocked, but there was no sign of what happened to him. Many years of investigations by law enforcement, including the FBI, did not lead to a clear answer. The people Hoffa was supposed to meet said they were not near the restaurant that afternoon. Hoffa was officially declared missing and presumed to have died on July 30, 1982. The case of his disappearance is still a topic of discussion and theories today.
Hoffa in Movies and TV
Jimmy Hoffa has been shown in many movies and TV shows. Here are some of the actors who have played him:
- Robert Blake in the TV-film Blood Feud (1983)
- Trey Wilson in the TV miniseries Robert Kennedy and His Times (1985)
- Jack Nicholson in the movie Hoffa (1992)
- Paul Dewdney in the UK TV series Conspiracy (2015)
- Al Pacino in the crime film The Irishman (2019)
See also
In Spanish: Jimmy Hoffa para niños
