Former U.S. Labor Secretary Alexis Herman, a Mobile, Alabama native, dies at 77
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Mobile native and former United States Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman has died. She was 77.
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Herman was the first African American to serve as the U.S. Labor Secretary. She served in the role from 1997-2001 under the Clinton administration.
Herman also served under the Clinton administration as an assistant to the president and the director of the Office of Public Liaison.
'Hillary and I are deeply saddened by the loss of Alexis Herman, our friend of nearly fifty years,' former President Bill Clinton said. 'Alexis was gifted in so many ways….'
'Throughout her career, Alexis worked to empower women and strengthen families in her roles at Coca-Cola, Toyota, the Urban League, and the National Council of Negro Women where she worked alongside her mentor Dorothy Height,' Clinton said in a statement. 'She also lent her considerable political skills to our presidential campaigns, and those of Jesse Jackson and John Kerry.
'In every effort, she lifted people with her unfailing optimism and energy. We'll miss her very much. Our hearts and prayers are with her family and all who loved and admired her.
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In 1977, President Jimmy Carter appointed Herman director of the Women's Bureau. She was 29 when she accepted the position, making her the youngest person ever to serve in it.
As director of that bureau until 1981, Herman was credited with urging Delta Airlines and Coca-Cola to hire more women in their corporate offices.
After leaving office in 2001, she worked as an executive with Coca-Cola and Toyota, while also being active with advocacy organizations such as the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund and the National Urban League.
'When I decided to join President Obama's campaign, I called Alexis Herman, because she had worked on several presidential campaigns,' Rep. Shomari Figures (AL-District 2) said. 'When seeking out opportunities in the White House, I called Alexis Herman, because she had worked in the White House multiple times. And when considering a run for Congress, I again called Alexis Herman. Not because I had known her my entire life but because she could advise on levels that few people could.
'She was a fighter for civil rights and women's rights, a giant in DC political circles, especially amongst Black women, and an all-around dynamic woman,' Figures said.
Alabama's first dog dies; Gov. Kay Ivey reflects on her 'great friend'
'Born and raised in Mobile, she came of age with a generation of Black people who all went on to break through color barriers and become the 'firsts' of many things throughout their careers.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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