Spotlight on Humphrey Honoree: Richard Trumka

On May 12, the civil and human rights community will honor labor leader Richard Trumka with its highest honor, the Hubert H. Humphrey Civil and Human Rights Award, for a lifelong advocacy on behalf of all working people.

Trumka is the current president of the AFL-CIO, America’s largest coalition of public and private sector labor unions, representing more than 12 million workers across the country. He also served for 15 years as the AFL-CIO’s secretary-treasurer and was the president of the United Mine Workers of America from 1982 to 1995.

Over the course of his career as a labor activist, Trumka’s organizing acumen has helped energize the American labor movement and counter efforts to weaken collective bargaining and workers’ rights at the state and national levels. 

He led a successful nine-month strike against the Pittston Coal Company in 1989 and established an office that rallied support among mineworkers for the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. He has also served as the chairman of the Shell Oil boycott, which challenged the company for doing business in South Africa.

Trumka is a third-generation, native western Pennsylvanian coal miner. He received a bachelor of science degree from Pennsylvania State University and a law degree from Villanova University.

Visit our Hubert H. Humphrey Civil and Human Rights Award Dinner page for more information on tickets, sponsorship, and the honorees.