MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) —Tributes are rolling in to honor the life of former U.S. Labor Secretary and Mobile native Alexis Herman. The political trailblazer passed away on Friday, she was 77.
WKRG News 5’s Christina J. Harris spoke with Shelia White, a longtime friend of Herman’s. White said she was a joy to everyone who knew her.
The pair met when White was only five, and Herman was three.
“She and her family, they moved across from my grandmother, and so we got to play together. Alexis looked up at us, as you know, the big girls,” White said. “We used to play with Alexis, comb Alexis’ head as if she were a little doll.”
From the beginning, White said Herman was a shining star. She always believed her friend would make a name for herself.
“We always knew she was going to be somebody,” White said. “As she got older, she’d often say that ‘oh, I’m going to make it. I’m going to make it. I’m going to make it big.’”
Herman went on to serve as the head of the Women’s Bureau at the Labor Department under President Jimmy Carter, becoming the youngest woman to do so.
She later was the head of the Labor Department under President Bill Clinton, making her the first African American woman to hold the position.
White knew a path like this was always meant for her friend.
“She was always out there pushing to help the unfortunate, you know, so it’s always been there,” White recalled.
For White, Friday was supposed to be a day full of celebration, but quickly turned into a day of deep mourning with one phone call.
“My daughter called to wish me a happy birthday, but it didn’t sound right. She’s so solemn with this happy birthday. She said Alexis died, and I just lost it,” White said.
Bearing the pain of losing a companion of almost eight decades hasn’t been easy, but she told News 5 the ways she wants her friend to be remembered.
“Making every effort for fairness and people of color,” White said. “Not just people of color, [making sure] everybody is treated fairly, looked upon for whatever their efforts or contributions are to this world.”
“She was kind, kind-hearted. She loved to share, and she would do anything that she possibly could for you, and I’ll always remember her. I will always remember her for that,” White said.
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