Labor movement mourns the passing of William “Bill” Lucy
Labor and civil rights activists have remembered union leader William “Bill” Lucy, after it was announced that he passed away at 90 years old on September 25, 2024.
Lucy helped organize the 1968 Memphis sanitation strike. He was the author of the famous “I Am a Man” phrase laborers carried on placards as they demanded recognition of their often-dangerous work.
In 1972, Lucy co-founded the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) and served as the social justice-oriented organization’s first president. Lucy also co-founded the Free South Africa Movement (FSAM) in 1984, served as secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) for 38 years, and he was the first African American president of Public Services International (PSI), an organization he helped push to form closer relations with Latin American and African countries.
“Bill Lucy has been the North Star of the labor movement for more than five decades,” CBTU noted as it marked Lucy’s passing. “So many, including CBTU leaders across the country, have stood on his shoulders to reach their dreams.”
Lucy’s public viewing will take place at the Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, 1518 M Street, NW, in Washington D.C., on Oct. 15 from noon to 8 p.m. Lucy’s homegoing service will be held on Oct. 16, beginning 11 a.m. and will also take place at Metropolitan A.M.E., Rev. William J. Barber is scheduled to deliver the eulogy. The homegoing service will be live-streamed on lucy90.com.
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