Willa Mae Sudduth facts for kids

Willa Mae Sudduth (1925-2015) was a very important American woman who worked for fairness and equal rights. She helped start the Coalition of Labor Union Women, a group that supports women in unions. Willa Mae spent most of her life fighting for social justice, which means making sure everyone is treated fairly. She was an African-American woman and a mother of six children.

In 2011, she was named "Woman of the Year" for El Cerrito, California. This award was given by California Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner, who honored women in her area for their achievements.

Willa Mae Sudduth lived in El Cerrito for over 30 years. Before that, she lived in Berkeley and Richmond, California.

Early Life and Education

Willa Mae Smith was born in Koran, Louisiana. Her parents were Willie Clint Smith, Sr. and Earnestine Mims. She grew up in Haughton, in northern Louisiana. Like many girls in the South at that time, she learned home economics. She went to a Rosenwald School, which were special schools built for African-American children. Before moving to California, she lived in Florida and Colorado.

Willa Mae studied at Laney College in Oakland, California. After college, she got a job in the sewing industry. She also took classes at U.C. Berkeley about labor and city life. These studies helped her get a job with a machinists' union, where she helped employees. She worked there until she retired.

Her experiences as an African-American woman moving to California were written about in a 1996 book. The book, Abiding Courage: African American Migration Women and the East Bay Community, tells the stories of several African-American women who moved to the East Bay Area of San Francisco during World War II. This was part of the Great Migration, when many African Americans moved from the South to find jobs and a better life. The book shows how these women used their skills and culture to build strong families and new communities.

People from the South were the ones who changed California. We had a history of pulling together as a community and southern black women were always in the forefront of change.' Willa Sudduth

Building Community in Parchester Village

Willa Mae and her family moved to Parchester Village after living in temporary housing from World War II. Parchester Village was a new community in Richmond. It was the first neighborhood there to sell homes to African Americans.

After World War II, many African Americans moved to Richmond, California, to work in the Kaiser Shipyards. These shipyards built many Victory ships for the war. This big move was part of the Second Great Migration (African American). People hoped for a better life away from the unfair Jim Crow laws of the South. However, they soon found that unfair treatment also existed in California.

Local African-American pastors, community leaders, and a developer named Fred Parr worked together to build homes for African Americans. Even though Parchester Village was meant for "all Americans," it became a community mostly for Black families because of the racial attitudes at the time.

In 1941, A. Philip Randolph, a leader for Black Americans, planned a big march in Washington, D.C. He wanted President Franklin D. Roosevelt to stop racial unfairness in the military and in jobs. Because of this threat, President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 8802. This order created the Fair Employment Practice Committee to stop racial discrimination in defense jobs.

The families in Parchester Village worked hard to build a strong community. They were proud of their efforts. They fought for their children to go to Richmond Public Schools. They also formed groups like the Parchester Village Improvement Association to get services like street lighting, sewage, and transportation. Willa Mae Sudduth, known as Willa Mae Daniels when she was first married, was very active in building this community.

Career and Activism

In 1974, Willa Mae Sudduth helped create the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW). She worked with other important leaders like Addie L. Wyatt. CLUW is the only national group that represents women in unions across the U.S.

In 1977, Willa Mae was a union representative at the National Women's Conference in Houston, Texas. Over 20,000 people attended this big event. The main goal was to create a plan for gender equality to give to the U.S. President and Congress. President Jimmy Carter chose Bella Abzug and Carmen Delgado Votaw to help organize it. The conference aimed to make a national plan of action for women's rights.

This important conference is shown in the film Sisters of '77. The film highlights how this event changed women's history in America. Many famous women attended, including former first ladies Lady Bird Johnson, Betty Ford, and Rosalynn Carter. Other influential leaders there were Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem, Coretta Scott King, and Barbara Jordan. Willa Mae Sudduth spoke for equal rights for women in the workplace.

Willa Mae also served on several local committees. She was on El Cerrito's Committee on Aging and the West County Senior Coalition. She was also a board member for the West Contra Costa County League of Women Voters. She was a member of the National Council of Negro Women.

She also served on the State Civil Rights Task Force, appointed by former Governor Jerry Brown. She worked with the Contra Costa County AIDS/HIV Task Force, organizing workshops to raise awareness.

In May 2011, the City of El Cerrito honored Willa Mae Sudduth as "Woman of the Year" for her many years of community service. She also worked within the Methodist Church to support women becoming pastors. On January 20, 2014, she received the Martin Luther King Dream Award during El Cerrito's 25th Anniversary Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr..