Marie Clarke facts for kids

Marie Clarke (born June 27, 1915 – died January 2, 2020) was an amazing African American leader from Ohio. She worked hard to help workers get fair treatment. In 1986, she was honored by being added to the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame. She lived a very long life, turning 100 years old in 2015 and passing away at 104 in Columbus, Ohio.

Marie Clarke's Work and Organizing

Starting as a Mechanic

In 1946, Marie Clarke started working as a mechanic. She worked at the Curtiss-Wright Corporation in Columbus, Ohio. This was a huge company that built airplanes.

Fighting for Fair Treatment

Marie soon became a labor organizer. This means she helped workers join a union. A union is a group of workers who join together. They work to improve their jobs and get fair pay. Marie helped people join the United Auto Workers union.

Her first big project was about restrooms at the factory. The men's restroom had more sinks than the women's. This meant women had to wait in long lines to wash up. Marie saw this was unfair. She used these long waits to talk to women. She helped them understand why joining the union was important.

Leading in the Union

Marie's work helped many people join the union. Even when the company changed names to North American Rockwell, her efforts continued. She worked in the aircraft industry for 22 years.

Marie Clarke made history. She was the first African American woman. She was elected to the main board of the UAW Local 927. This was a big step for her and for other workers.

Helping City Workers

In 1969, Marie left the aircraft factory. She started a new job at Columbus City Hall. She worked as a clerical worker.

While there, she supported a strike by sanitation workers. These workers were part of the AFSCME Local 1632 union. A strike is when workers stop working. They do this to ask for better conditions or pay.

After the strike, Marie helped other city workers. She helped the clerical workers join the AFSCME Local 1632 union. She finished this important task by the end of 1969.

A Legacy of Solidarity

From 1980 to 1992, Marie Clarke served as the secretary-treasurer. This was for the AFSCME Local 1632 union. Even after she retired, she stayed involved.

John Lyall, a union president, spoke about Marie. He said she knew the "power of solidarity." Solidarity means sticking together. He said her actions should inspire everyone. Marie herself said she was proud to be an AFSCME member. She felt serving the public was special work.