Draft:Clara Day
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Clara Day (born 1924, Tuscaloosa, Alabama - 2015) was an American labor leader and civil rights activist. She was best known for her works with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and played a pivotal role in creating intersectionality between labor, civil rights, and women's rights. She was a founding member of the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) and is fondly remembered as one of the early advocates for women of color in the workplace. [1]
Early Life and Education
[edit]Clara Day was born in 1924 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, into a family 11. Unlike many African American families in the South, her family was landowners and had a measure of economic independence. Her family placed a strong emphasis on her education and religious values.
Day was forced to attend segregated schools and, as a result, had to travel great distances for education. She attended the Stillman Institute, a high school for black students, where she began developing her writing and speaking skills.
Introduction to the Labor Movement
[edit]Montgomery Ward
[edit]1947 Day was hired for a clerical position at Montgomery Ward, one of Chicago's largest employers. There, she encountered racial discrimination, including segregated breaks and unfair division of work. Day started her career in the labor movement during a Teamsters organizing campaign at Montgomery Ward led by Local 743. Convinced by their comment to end segregation in the workplace, she started to volunteer for the organization, where she quickly became a respected figure. [2]
In 1954, Day played a critical role in the Teamsters organizing victory at Montgomery Ward, where, with Day's help, they gained an 87% affirmative vote.
Local 743
[edit]In 1955, Day was recruited by Don Peters, President of Teamsters Local 743, to join the union full-time.
Day quickly rose up the ranks and eventually earned the position of Director of Community Service, which became a critical part of the union. She helped people with legal problems, secured housing, and access to healthcare. She focused on extending the union's influence into all areas of a worker's life. Day was eventually promoted to business agent, making her the first black woman to hold such a role.
Civil Rights
[edit]Day thought the labor, civil rights, and women's rights movements were interconnected. She argued that labor movements were the most crucial part of civil rights as they ensured equal pay and benefits for all workers. She also partook in civic engagement and leadership in many other civil rights organizations such as the NAACP and the Illinois Commission on the Status of Women. It was during this time that she also found the Coalition of Labor Union Women
Legacy
[edit]Clara Day is remembered as one of the essential figures in the labor movement of the 20th century. She played an important role in promoting the idea of intersectionality between the different civil rights fights of the time. She is remembered as a strong, inclusive leader who built strong coalitions across class, race, and gender. She was a key player in allowing unions to represent women and minorities.
References
[edit]- ^ Peake, Delancy (2015). Clara Day: A Teamster's Life. International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
- ^ Black Women in the Labor Movement: Interviews with Clara Day & Johnnie Jackson. 1988, veteranfeministsofamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Black-Women-in-the-Labor-Movement_-Interviews-with-Clara-Day-Jo.pdf. Accessed 21 May 2025.