c) Samuel Gompers

Samuel Gompers, an influential labor leader, founded the American Federation of Labor (AFL) in 1886. As the AFL’s president, Gompers advocated for pragmatic and incremental improvements for workers, such as better wages, hours, and working conditions. Under his leadership, the AFL became the largest and one of the most powerful labor unions in the United States. Gompers’ approach to unionism and his emphasis on skilled labor were significant in shaping the American labor movement during the Gilded Age and beyond.