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Joins Young People’s Socialist League (YPSL) in Flint. Thought influenced by Socialist Carl Johnson.

1930

Elopes with Kermit Johnson to Bowling Green, Ohio.

1931

Son Dennis (Denny) is born.

1936

Participates in the Flint sit-down strikes against General Motors (GM).

1937

Joins with other United Auto Workers (UAW) workers in celebrating UAW victory over GM; is sent by UAW on a speaking tour. Travels to New York, Philadelphia, and several other eastern cities to lecture on unionism and Socialism.

1938

Participates in “Death Watch” in Flint. Is expelled from the Socialist Party, along with Kermit. Joins the Socialist Workers Party (SWP).

1941

Is blacklisted from all the Flint factories. Nevertheless works at Budd Wheel and becomes a shop steward at Briggs factory during the war; meets Sol Dollinger in New York while separated from Kermit Johnson.

1942

Divorces Kermit Johnson; marries Sol Dollinger.

1942–45

Exchange of letters between Genora and Sol, who is away from home most of the time in the Merchant Marines. Genora suffers from health problems, primarily tuberculosis.

1945

Genora and Sol beaten in their Detroit home on October 15, Genora almost fatally, presumably by corporate thugs.

1946

Odd jobs in the Detroit area. Genora still active in Local 212, Sol in Flint recruiting for SWP. Son Jarvis (“Jody”) is killed in a cycle accident in September.

1947–48

Odd jobs; still active in SWP and Local 212. Senatorial candidate, 1948, for SWP.

1949

Tours New York; attends numerous SWP rallies.

1950

Congressional candidate, SWP. Father, Ray Albro, dies. Son Dennis dies.

1951

Genora renews her union and political activities. Comes under the scrutiny of the FBI.

1952

Son Ronald is born.

1953

Dollingers expelled from the SWP. Join Bert Cochran’s Socialist Union of America (SUA).

1957

SUA dissolved. American Socialist Clubs formed.

1959–early 1960s

Dollingers grow increasingly aloof from Trotskyist organizations.

1960

Genora active with the National Association for the Advancement for Colored People (NAACP) in Flint. Becomes involved in the Monroe (NC) case.

1961

Dollingers begin traveling fairly often to Mexico. Become involved in Detroit with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

1963–64

Becomes totally opposed to U.S. buildup in Southeast Asia.

1966

Dollingers move to Los Angeles. Genora immediately becomes involved in educational reforms, anti-Vietnam rhetoric, and race reform. Joins People’s Lobby.

1967

Death of Genora’s first husband, Kermit Johnson.

1970

Lauds the election in Chile of President Salvadore Allende. Strongly supports the Los Angeles teachers’ strike. Opens her home on Queen Anne Place to the teachers. Appears before the Organization of American Historians (OAH) meeting in Los Angeles.

1970s

Strong supporter of the equal rights amendment (ERA) to the Constitution.

1971

Trip to Europe.

1973

Trip to Holland, meeting friends Genora had helped during the war.

1976

Film With Babies and Banners features Genora. Also, another film, The Great Sit-Down.

1977

Trips to Europe; meets many Socialists; health problems.

1978

Criticizes and condemns tuxedo unionism.

1979

Believes history is catching up with the events of the sit-downs. Sit-downs finally being written about “correctly,” largely by women historians. Works with Dr. Barry Commoner’s Citizen Party.

1983

European trip; contact with Socialists.

1984

Trip to China; falls ill. Trip to Europe. Thrilled at Geraldine Ferraro’s nomination for vice president.

1986

Celebrations for the fiftieth anniversary of the start of the GM sit-downs. Genora unhappy that the events are jointly sponsored by GM and UAW.

Attacks Henry Kraus for his book of 1947, The Many and the Few. Causes uproar at UAW annual meeting.

1987

Trip to Moscow; disillusionments. Soviets have not heard about Trotsky’s “repatriation.”

1989

Writes introduction to Dan La Botz book, A Troublemaker’s Handbook: How to Fight Back Where You Work—and Win.

1990–93

Speaks