The Musical Mutual Protective Union (MMPU) was a New York union of musicians, formed in 1863, with a focus on payment made to musicians in theaters and at balls. In 1885, the union was open to "all instrumental performers, who have been residents of the United States for the period of six months previous to application." Foreign musicians were not allowed to play in orchestras unless they were in a union. The union become Local 301 of the

American Federation of Musicians The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM/AFofM) is a 501(c)(5) trade union, labor union representing professional instrumental musicians in the United States and Canada. The AFM, which has its headquarters in N ...

in 1902. In 1904, it had 5,000 members, who were almost entirely German. In 1910, approximately 300 black musicians were members in the roughly 8,000-member union. It was located at 209 East 85th Street in

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

, New York City, between Second Avenue and

Third Avenue Third Avenue is a north-south thoroughfare on the East Side of the New York City borough of Manhattan, as well as in the center portion of the Bronx. Its southern end is at Astor Place and St. Mark's Place. It transitions into Cooper Square ...

, in a building constructed in 1919. The building was later a theater and hall, a casino, and a waiters' union. The basement of the building now houses the Amsterdam Billiard Club. The original facade on 85th Street is still extant. The union lost its charter in 1921. In 1929 the union planned a mass march against joblessness, claiming 35,000 unemployed, but was unable to secure a parade permit from the police.

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Constitution and By-laws of the Musical Mutual Protective Union: Local 310, A. F. of M. Founded April 23, 1863; Organized and Adopted June 26, 1864. Amended and Revised
', Musical Mutual Protective Union, Machauer & Schmetterling (1905) American Federation of Musicians Music organizations based in the United States Trade unions established in 1863