I: New York -- The early years : rising from humble beginnings and establishing values (1928-1952) -- Creating the united federation of teachers (1952-1962) -- Rising within the UFT : labor and civil rights together (1962-1965) -- Black power and the 1967 teachers' strike (1966-1968) -- The Ocean Hill--Brownsville strike and the liberal assault on labor (1968) -- Ocean Hill--Brownsville : the fallout (1969) -- Rebuilding : recruiting the paraprofessionals, launching the "where we stand" column, and seeking teacher unity (1969-1972) -- Becoming president of the American Federation of Teachers and battling the new politics movement (1972-1974) -- "A man by the name of Albert Shanker" : sleeper and the controversy of power (1973-1975) -- Losing power: the New York fiscal crisis and the decline of labor (1974-1976) -- II: Washington -- Jimmy Carter and the rise of the Reagan Democrats 91976-1980) -- Being a social Democrat under Ronald Reagan : domestic policy (1980-1988) -- Being a social democrat under Ronald Reagan : foreign policy (1980-1988) -- Education reform : a nation at risk, merit pay, and peer review (1983-1984) -- Beyond special interest : making teaching a profession (1985-1987) -- Charter schools and school restructuring (1988-1997) -- The early education-standards movement (1989-1994) -- The rise of the angry white males and the Gingrich Revolution (1992-1995) -- Reviving the education-standards movement and the final days (1995-1997) -- III: Legacy -- The legacy of Albert Shanker.