Black History Celebration Unites Past and Future

#blacklivesmatter -- and for the TWU, the economic power of the Black middle class has always mattered. Civil rights and economic empowerment were celebrated on February 26th at the Union Hall, with a keynote address by noted black lives activist Walter Newsome and a reminiscence by Adam Clayton Powell IV, who remembered his father's proud stand along with TWU founder Mike Quill during the 1941 Bus Strike and Harlem boycott.

TWU Local 100 Secretary-Treasurer Earl Phillips opened the program by describing the early days of the Union, where we took our first stand for racial integration, demanding that bus mechanics -- his own title -- be hired with racial balance. The Irish unionists of that time had their own experiences with discrimination -- and were determined that their union would not perpetuate it

The Union's Black History event was -- as usual -- also marked by great entertainment and great food. In keeping with our tradition of activism, we heard from the talented spoken word poets of Split this Rock and enjoyed a dance performance of the New Beginnings Performing Arts Studio. A special Union welcome was extended to Firefighter Regina Wilson, President of the FDNY's Vulcan Society, and the first woman to hold that post. She described the discrimination that Black Firefighters -- both male and female -- have had to endure within the overwhelmingly white emergency service. The audience also heard from Thomas Giovanni, the Executive Assistant to NYC Corporation Counsel Zachary Taylor, himself only the second Black man to hold the position of the city's chief legal officer.

MC and TWU Local 100 Recording Secretary LaTonya Crisp-Sauray called every Division and Departmental officer up to the front of the room to show the depth and breadth of Black representation in the TWU's officer ranks. It was a dramatic demonstration of the progress of Black integration into the workforce and now into the leadership of the TWU.