The 1978 Thomas - Debs Dinner was held on Sunday, May 7, at the Midland Hotel. The honoree was retiring Illinois State Representative Robert E. Mann. The speaker was William Winpisinger, Preseident of the International Association of Machinists. We have the promotional flyer for the dinner (below), a seating chart, and two contact sheets of photos by Syd Harris. A few of the photos related to the program are below. A great many of the other photos are "grip 'n grins" with Mann or Winpisinger and unidentified others.

There is no other information on file, unfortunately, so apart from Carl Shier and Liz McPike, we do not know who the other speakers were. Nor do we know if there was a "theme" to event. It was, however, a larger event by our standards, apparently 48 tables. You'll note the next year, the Chicago Local of the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee had an office and a staffer.

Carl Shier (at the podium) seems to have been on the program at more than one point, so possibly he was the Master of Ceremonies, but possibly not, also.

Or Liz McPike may have been the Master of Ceremonies, as she had done this at other Thomas - Debs Dinners.

We really should know who presented Robert Mann with the award, but this is another missing piece of information.

Robert Mann accepting the Thomas - Debs award.

Robert Mann addressing the Thomas - Debs Dinner.

Carl Shier at another point in the event.

Another unidentified speaker at the event. It's only a guess that he introduced Winpisinger.

William Winpisinger was, of course, the President of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. He was also a member of the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee, the sponsoring organization of these Dinners.