By Aria Brent
AFRO Staff Writer
abrent@afro.com
Black women have played a crucial yet, often overlooked role in the labor union movement, fighting for both workers’ rights and racial justice. Despite facing discrimination from both employers and some unions, they organized domestic workers, factory employees, and service industry laborers to demand fair wages, better conditions, and job security. Their efforts helped bridge the labor and civil rights movements, ensuring that Black workers—especially Black women, had a voice in shaping economic and social policies. Their activism not only strengthened unions but also laid the foundation for broader struggles for racial and gender equality in the workplace. Here are five Black women whose activism deeply impacted the Labor Union Movement.
- Hattie Canty 1933-2012
Hattie Canty was a dedicated labor activist and one of the most influential figures in the Las Vegas labor movement. As president of the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 in the 1990s, she fought tirelessly for fair wages, job security, and improved working conditions for hospitality workers, many of whom were Black and immigrant women. Canty played a key role in organizing strikes and advocating for racial and economic justice, helping to transform Las Vegas into a stronghold for unionized labor. Her leadership and activism left a lasting impact on workers’ rights in the hospitality industry.
- Rosina Corrothers Tucker 1881-1981
Rosina Corrothers Tucker was a pioneering labor activist and civil rights advocate who played a vital role in organizing the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP), the first Black labor union to receive a charter from the American Federation of Labor. Born in the late 19th century, Tucker worked tirelessly alongside her husband and union leader A. Philip Randolph to advocate for better wages and working conditions for Black railway workers. She also championed voter education and civil rights, empowering Black people to fight for economic and political justice. Her lifelong activism helped shape the labor movement and advance racial equality in the United States.
CREDIT:Photo courtesy of the New Jersey AFL-CIO
- Velma Hopkins 1909-1996
Velma Hopkins was a trailblazing activist and labor organizer who played a crucial role in the civil rights and labor movements, particularly in Winston-Salem, N.C,. A key leader in the 1940s efforts to unionize Black and White workers in the tobacco industry, she helped mobilize thousands of workers for better wages and working conditions through the Local 22 chapter of the Food, Tobacco, Agricultural and Allied Workers of America (FTA). Hopkins was also deeply involved in voting rights activism, working to dismantle racial barriers in the South. Her dedication to justice and equality left a lasting impact on labor organizing and civil rights in the United States.
- Sylvia Woods 1909-1987
Sylvia Woods was a committed civil rights and labor activist who played a significant role in the fight for workers’ rights and racial equality. As a leader in the labor movement, she worked to improve conditions for Black workers, particularly in the service and hospitality industries. Wood was deeply involved in union organizing efforts, advocating for fair wages and better job security. Her dedication to justice and equality helped empower Black workers and contributed to broader labor and civil rights advancements in the United States.
(Photo Courtesy of Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library)
- Maida Springer Kemp 1910-2005
Maida Springer Kemp was a pioneering labor activist and international organizer who championed workers’ rights both in the United States and abroad. As one of the first Black women to hold a leadership role in the American labor movement, she worked with the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union (ILGWU) to fight for fair wages, better working conditions, and racial equality. Springer Kemp also extended her activism globally, supporting labor movements in Africa and the Caribbean. Her lifelong dedication to labor rights and international solidarity made her a trailblazer in the fight for economic and social justice.
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