Jenkins, Frank, d. 1973-

International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union (ILWU) official.

Jenkins was born at the Presidio Army Base in San Francisco, CA. His father, an African American born in Texas, was a non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Army; a professional soldier who fought in the Spanish American War. Jenkins' mother was a native of the Philippines. In 1909 he moved to Seattle when his father was transferred to Fort Lawton. Initially, the family lived there in base housing. Later they moved to Ballard. Jenkins attended the Fort Lawton grade school and Queen Anne High School, but did not finish. Except for a brief time spent in Alaska, he worked on the Seattle docks his entire adult life. He began as a riveter then became a longshoreman. He joined the longshoremen's union in 1934 and served as one of its officers from 1936 to 1940(?), and from 1943(?) until his retirement in 1967. He died in 1973.

From the guide to the Oral history interview with Frank Jenkins, 1972, (University of Washington Libraries Special Collections)