A History of Civil Rights

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speaks at SEIU1199

SEIU members have provided a voice for the voiceless for ninety years. From our beginnings as one of the country's first racially integrated unions to our historic support for marriage equality in 2004 to our work to win justice for immigrants, SEIU has a long history of standing up and speaking out for equality.

SEIU's history as a force for civil rights began with its founding as one of the first integrated unions. African Americans held leadership roles such as Vice President from the very beginning and AFL founder Sam Gompers even called the janitors union "too diverse". SEIU's leadership on civil rights continued as SEIU President David Sullivan marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. from Selma to Montgomery in 1965 despite the refusal of the AFL-CIO to endorse King's march on Washington.

SEIU 1199 Healthcare Workers East has an especially a proud history of civil rights activism--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called it "his favorite union" and he considered himself "a fellow 1199-er." King suggested to 1199 " that if all of labor would emulate what you have been doing over the years, our nation would be closer to victory in the fight to eliminate poverty and injustice."

"A path into the middle class for millions of Americans -- black, white, Latino, Native American and Asian American -- is not a dream that we will allow to die."

From MLK, a dream for the middle class that cannot be allowed to die -Washington Post, April 3 2011

Women's rights are civil rights and SEIU members have marched, organized, and lobbied elected officials to create a better country for working women. A majority of SEIU's members are women and many work in so-called "pink collar" professions such as nursing, social work, and childcare. And in 2008, Worker's United--which descended from the International Ladies Garment Workers Union--affiliated with SEIU. Along the way, SEIU has consistently advocated for improved access to childcare, funding for women's health, and other policies that make a difference in the lives of women across the country.

SEIU members have also been on the forefront of winning equality for LGBT Americans. SEIU was the first international union to endorse marriage equality, SEIU members continue to win protections and equal benefits for LGBT workers and their families, and SEIU recently become one of the few employers in the country to ensure our employee healthcare plan protects against gender identity-based discrimination and covers gender reassignment surgery. And in 2010, SEIU elected our first openly gay international president.

The diversity of our union is a source of strength instead of a cause of division. As SEIU embarks on its next ninety years, we will continue to speak up and demand justice and equality for all.

Learn about our union's legacy at http://www.seiu.org/history.