Dennis L. Serrette facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dennis L. Serrette
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| Born |
Dennis Louis Serrette
September 8, 1940 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | March 7, 2024 (aged 83) |
| Occupation | Politician, trade unionist |
| Political party | New Alliance Party |
Dennis Louis Serrette (September 8, 1940 – March 7, 2024) was an American activist. He worked hard to protect the rights of people and workers. Serrette was also a candidate for President of the United States in the 1984 United States presidential election. He ran as a member of the New Alliance Party.
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About Dennis Serrette
Dennis Serrette was born in Harlem, New York, on September 8, 1940. He grew up in a big family with ten brothers and sisters. When he was a teenager, he became interested in helping workers. He also served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War.
Fighting for Workers' Rights
Serrette was a strong supporter of workers' rights starting in 1964. He helped create the Black Caucus within the Communications Workers of America (CWA) in 1971. This group worked to support Black workers. In 1972, he was one of the nineteen people who started the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists. This group fought for the rights of minority workers. The CWA honored Serrette in 2001 for his important work with this group.
Serrette also led important fights in his community. He worked to stop Sydenham Hospital in Harlem from closing. He also led a committee to save the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. This center is a famous library and archive about Black history.
His Work in Unions
Serrette was a Vice President for CWA Local 1101 in New York City. He led a very long strike against the New York Telephone company. This strike lasted for seven months, from July 1971 to February 1972. In 1972, he and other Black leaders worked to get the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists recognized by the AFL-CIO.
He also worked as an Education Specialist for the CWA. In 2002, he became the president of the United Association for Labor Education.
Running for President in 1984
Dennis Serrette decided to run for president in 1983. This was four months before Jesse Jackson also started his campaign. At the time, Serrette worked for the New York Telephone Company. He had been active in his union for over 20 years, especially helping Black workers organize. He was also a divorced father of seven children. Serrette took time off from his job to run his campaign from his small apartment in New York.
Why He Ran
Serrette was asked to run by leaders from smaller political parties. He believed that only a party separate from the two main parties (Democrats and Republicans) could truly help Black people. Serrette's main idea was "people before profits." He wanted a policy that would give jobs to everyone. He also wanted more support for housing, health care, and social programs.
His main goal was not to win the election. Instead, he wanted to encourage voters to look beyond the major parties. He also hoped to help build a strong Black-led party. He thought this party could nominate Jesse Jackson for president in 1988.
The Campaign and Results
Serrette's campaign was a "grassroots" effort. This means he met many voters directly in their homes. He gained support in places like Chicago and Mississippi. His running mate was Nancy Ross. She was a Jewish activist and former teacher from Queens.
Serrette's name appeared on the ballot in 33 states. He received 46,809 votes in the 1984 Presidential election. This was about 0.05 percent of all the votes. After the election, Serrette was not happy with how the New Alliance Party operated. He decided to leave the group.
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Dennis Serrette
