Alexis Herman, First Black U.S. Labor Secretary and Civil Rights Pioneer, Dies at 77

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Portrait of Alexis Herman, first Black U.S. secretary of labor and trailblazing civil rights advocate
Labor Secretary-designate Alexis Herman testifies on Capitol Hill Tuesday March 18, 1997 before the Senate Labor Committee hearing on her nomination. After weeks of delays, Herman finally had her day before the committee and she received a generally favorable welcome from Democrats and Republicans alike. (AP Photo/Joe Marquette)
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Alexis Herman, First Black U.S. Labor Secretary and Civil Rights Pioneer, Dies at 77

According to The , Alexis Herman, the first Black U.S. secretary of labor and a key figure, died Friday in Washington at 77.

Raised under in Alabama, Herman became a major organizer, helping President Bill Clinton win office and later serving in his cabinet. She famously helped settle the 1997 UPS strike, easing tensions between labor and the administration.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton talks with former Labor Secretary Alexis Herman prior to addressing the 51st Delta Sigma Theta National Convention in Washington, Tuesday, July 16, 2013. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

Earlier, she worked to expand opportunities for and served as director of the Labor Department’s Women’s Bureau under President Carter.

After her government service, she held leadership roles in several companies and disaster recovery efforts.

Herman, a pioneer for civil rights and workplace diversity, was celebrated for her dedication to young leaders and grassroots activism.


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