1979 Humphrey Award Recipients

Rev. Msgr. George Higgins

Ordained for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1940, former Director of the Social Action Department of the National Catholic Welfare Conference, and one of the nation’s foremost labor priests and advocates for social justice for workers, Higgins was the moving force in the Church’s support for Cesar Chavez and the farm labor movement.

Andrew Biemiller

United States Congressman for the 5th District of Wisconsin for two terms (1944 and 1948), director of political education for the Upholsters’ union, legislative representative for the American Federation of Labor (1953-1955), director of the AFL-CIO Department of Legislation (1956-1978), Biemiller is credited with drafting the civil rights plank introduced by Hubert Humphrey for the Democratic National Convention in 1948.