“Last week, labor, and the world, lost one of its most influential and important voices.
William “Bill” Lucy, former AFSCME Secretary Treasurer, and the founder of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists was more than friend, he was a mentor. I can truly say, I would not be here today at UDW if not for the guidance and opportunities Bill put in front of me.
Yet, beyond just being there for me, he was there for us all. A labor and civil rights leader, Bill was on the ground during the 1968 Memphis sanitation strike, coining the term, “I am a Man” which would become the rallying cry of these works, or as AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler remarked, “helped all Americans see the humanity of Black sanitation workers in their struggle for dignity and respect on the job.”
And we cannot forget his critical role in the abolition of apartheid in South Africa, including working tirelessly on the freeing of Nelson Mandela from prison.
For this work, and so much, we will remember Bill.
He was a giant in labor, he was a giant everywhere he went, because he understood the power of the people, and he knew how to get work done.
President Joe Biden remembers Bill as a “courageous labor leader who dedicated his life bending the arc of history toward justice.” And Vice President Kamala Harris added that Bill, “dedicated his life to improving conditions for working families and advancing the cause of civil rights, human rights, and labor rights.”
You can learn more about Bill Lucy and his legacy by reading this incredible article about his life at The New York Times, or The Washington Post.
I will forever miss my friend, but I know that together, we can carry on his legacy by continuing to fight for injustice everywhere we find it.”
– Doug Moore
