A new generation of Black labor leaders

“Freedom is never given; it is won.”

—A. Philip Randolph, labor and civil rights activist

The labor and the civil rights movements have a historic bond. Black workers have been at the heart of America’s labor movement, and their leadership continues today.

From the voting booth to the workplace, America’s families owe so much of our progress to Black labor leaders.

That’s why we’re celebrating the stories of activists who are on the front lines of fighting for economic, racial and social justice in 2024. They join the generations of great leaders in our movement, such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Arlene Holt Baker, Bayard Rustin and A. Philip Randolph.

“I ask you to rise up and use all your might to continue organizing. It takes all of us.”

—Chey Smith, Organizer, Laborers (LIUNA)