On May 1, 1997, Alexis M. Herman began her tenure as the 23rd U.S. Secretary of Labor, making history as the first Black American to hold that position. Her appointment placed her at the head of a federal department responsible for workers’ rights, job training, wages, workplace safety, and labor standards. But Herman did not arrive in Washington without a record. Born in Mobile, Alabama, she had already built a career around employment opportunity, civil rights, and workplace access. Before becoming Secretary of Labor, Herman served under President Jimmy Carter as director of the Women’s Bureau at the Department of Labor. She was only 29 at the time, making her the youngest person to hold that role. She later worked in Democratic politics and served in the Clinton White House as Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Public Liaison. As Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton, Herman became one of the most visible labor leaders in the country. One of her most remembered moments came during the 1997 UPS strike, one of the largest strikes in the United States in decades. Herman helped mediate talks between the company and union leaders, and the strike ended after 15 days. Her tenure also connected to issues such as job training, workplace equality, minimum wage policy, and child labor enforcement. She served until January 20, 2001. Alexis Herman’s story matters because she did not just break a barrier. She stepped into a Cabinet role tied directly to the lives of working people. Her place in history is a reminder that labor history is also Black history, women’s history, and American history. #AlexisHerman #BlackHistory #LaborHistory #WomensHistory #NewsBreak