In Memoriam: William "Bill" Lucy

(47134) William "Bill" Lucy

The staff of the Reuther Library is saddened by the passing of long-time AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer and Coalition of Black Trade Unionists co-founder, William “Bill” Lucy. He passed away September 24, 2024 at the age of 90.

Lucy grew up in Memphis, Tennessee and Richmond, California. He worked for Contra Costa County, CA, where he joined with his coworkers to form an AFSCME local in 1956. He later became the local’s president. AFSCME International president Jerry Wurf recognized Lucy as a rising star and invited him to work at AFSCME headquarters in 1966. In 1972, Lucy became AFSCME’s Secretary-Treasurer, the International’s second in command spot. He held that office for 38 years before retiring.  read more »

[Podcast] Building Power, Breaking Power: The United Teachers of New Orleans, 1965-2008

Tales from the Reuther Library Podcast Artwork

Dr. Jesse Chanin describes how the United Teachers of New Orleans (UTNO) gained power and influence in a region hostile to unions from the mid-1960s to the mid-2000s by building trust in the community with transparent and democratic decision-making and a focus on racial and economic justice to improve the lives of the New Orleans community. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, however, politicians and charter school advocates fired 7,500 educators in New Orleans, dismantling the city’s public education system and decimating the union.  read more »

Horace Sheffield Jr. Papers Now Open

(46967) Portrait of Horace Sheffield Jr.

The Walter P. Reuther Library is pleased to announce an addition to the Horace Sheffield Jr. Papers is now open for research. These materials were previously under the stewardship of the Charles H. Wright Museum and join a small existing collection of Sheffield’s at the Reuther. Sheffield was a prominent voice in Detroit’s labor and civil rights movements, and his collection is an exciting example of the overlapping movements in Detroit.  read more »

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