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4w ago

Trailblazing Former Labor Secretary Alexis Herman Dies at 77

Herman, the first Black U.S. Secretary of Labor, is remembered for her pivotal role in labor negotiations, workforce reforms, and civil rights advocacy.

FILE - 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, July 16, 2013. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, file)
FILE - Vice President Gore applauds Alexis Herman while Herman blows a kiss to the audience after a reenactment of her swearing in as Secretary of Labor, May 9, 1997, in Washington. (AP Photo/Reggie Pearman, file)
FILE - Alexis Herman, U.S. Secretary of Labor, addresses the 87th Annual International Labor Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, June 15, 1999. (AP Photo/Donald Stampfli, file)
FILE-- Alexis Herman, testifies on Capitol Hill in this March 18, 1997 file photo. (AP Photo/Joe Marquette, file)

Overview

  • Alexis Herman, who served as U.S. Secretary of Labor from 1997 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton, has died at the age of 77, as announced by the Labor Department.
  • Herman was instrumental in mediating the 1997 UPS strike involving 185,000 workers, achieving a resolution that included wage increases and more full-time positions.
  • During her tenure, she championed initiatives like raising the federal minimum wage twice and overseeing the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, which expanded training programs for low-income Americans.
  • Her early life in segregated Alabama, marked by her father's civil rights activism and encounters with racial violence, shaped her lifelong commitment to equality and labor rights.
  • Tributes from labor leaders, politicians, and activists highlight her enduring legacy as a trailblazer who broke racial and gender barriers in public service.