(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, January 13, 2012)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Teamsters across the country will honor the legacy of civil rights and labor leader Martin Luther King Jr. on Jan. 16, 2012.
King devoted his life to securing rights for minorities and eliminating segregation in society. He believed that the path to economic freedom and social justice were one and the same and strongly supported the labor movement.
“We cannot talk about or celebrate labor without celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General President. “The history of the labor movement is uniquely and intimately tied with the history of the civil rights movement. The two go hand-in-hand.”
Under the leadership of General President James R. Hoffa, the Teamsters donated more than $25,000 to King in 1961 and sent supplies to marchers and other civil rights workers camped out in Selma and Montgomery, Alabama, and other locations along the Freedom Ride routes.
King was supporting union sanitation workers in Memphis on the day he was assassinated.
Today, Teamsters across the country are committed to the union’s tradition of standing up for social justice. Through organizations like the Teamsters Human Rights Commission, Teamsters are able to carry on the legacy of King.
“Dr. Martin Luther King was a visionary, a leader and an activist and I am proud to follow in his footsteps today,” said Al Mixon, International Vice President, President of the Teamsters National Black Caucus and Grand Marshall at this year’s King Week Holiday March and Rally in Atlanta. “He left a beautiful example for us to follow. He gave the ultimate sacrifice for our cause and we would not be where we are today were it not for his vast contributions to society.”