Alexis Herman

Alexis Margaret Herman became the first African American Secretary of Labor in 1997, appointed by President Bill Clinton. She brought to the role a lifetime of work connecting marginalized communities to economic opportunity.

Growing up in Mobile, Alabama during the civil rights era, Herman was deeply shaped by watching her father — a local political leader — fight for Black voting rights. At just 29, she became the youngest director of the Women's Bureau at the U.S. Department of Labor under President Carter.

As Secretary of Labor, she oversaw one of the strongest economies in American history, championed workforce development programs, and fought for fair wages. She navigated a period of record-low unemployment while ensuring that prosperity reached communities historically left behind.