Memphis sanitation strike

Memphis sanitation strike
Adam Jones, Ph.D. · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	Memphis sanitation strike
Date	February 12 – April 16, 1968
Place	Memphis, Tennessee
Causes	Low wages, dangerous working conditions, racial discrimination
Goals	Union recognition, wage increases, safety improvements
Methods	Strike action, marches, Civil disobedience
Result	City recognition of union, wage increases
Side1	American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1733, Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
Side2	City of Memphis government, Mayor Henry Loeb
Leadfigures1	T. O. Jones, James Lawson, Martin Luther King Jr.
Leadfigures2	Henry Loeb, Frank Holloman

Memphis sanitation strike. The Memphis sanitation strike was a pivotal labor and civil rights action that began in February 1968. Sparked by the deaths of two workers and fueled by long-standing racial and economic injustice, the strike drew national attention and became the final campaign of Martin Luther King Jr.. Its violent climax and ultimate resolution marked a significant moment in the intersection of the labor movement and the broader Civil rights movement.

Background and causes

The strike's roots lay in the oppressive conditions faced by the city's predominantly African American sanitation workforce. Employed by the City of Memphis under Mayor Henry Loeb, workers endured poverty wages, no benefits, and no formal union representation through the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). The work was notoriously dangerous, with men using leaky, malfunctioning equipment. A precipitating event occurred on February 1, 1968, when two workers, Echol Cole and Robert Walker, were crushed to death in a malfunctioning garbage truck. The city's refusal to compensate their families and its immediate disregard of a subsequent work stoppage by other sanitation workers ignited the organized strike.

The strike begins

On February 12, 1968, over 1,300 sanitation workers, led by organizer T. O. Jones and supported by AFSCME, officially went on strike. Their demands included union recognition, a pay raise, and safer working conditions. The city, under the staunchly anti-union Mayor Loeb, refused to negotiate. The strike quickly adopted the symbolism and tactics of the civil rights movement. Workers marched daily carrying now-iconic signs reading "I AM A MAN," a powerful statement against the dehumanizing treatment they endured. Local clergy, led by Rev. James Lawson of Centenary Methodist Church, formed a community support group, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) provided crucial backing.

Involvement of Martin Luther King Jr.

As the strike stretched into weeks with a violent police crackdown on marches, local leaders appealed for national support. Martin Luther King Jr., then leading the Poor People's Campaign, was invited to Memphis. He saw the struggle as emblematic of the economic justice issues central to his new focus. King first addressed a rally on March 18, 1968, delivering a powerful speech and calling for a citywide work stoppage to support the sanitation workers. He returned to lead a march on March 28, which turned violent when a segment of the crowd broke windows. Looting ensued, and police responded with tear gas and clubs; a 16-year-old, Larry Payne, was shot and killed by police. The city imposed a curfew and called in the Tennessee National Guard.

"I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech

Despite the setback, King remained committed, planning another peaceful demonstration. He returned to Memphis on April 3 and delivered his famed "I've Been to the Mountaintop" address at the Mason Temple, headquarters of the Church of God in Christ. In what would be his final sermon, King eloquently linked the sanitation workers' plight to the broader struggle for human rights, expressed solidarity with the strike, and famously alluded to his own mortality, stating he had "seen the Promised Land."

Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

The following day, April 4, 1968, while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated by James Earl Ray. The murder plunged the nation into mourning and sparked riots in over 100 cities. In Memphis, it created immense pressure on city officials to resolve the strike that had brought King to the city. Coretta Scott King led a peaceful memorial march in Memphis days later, honoring her husband's commitment to nonviolence.

Resolution and aftermath

With federal mediation from Undersecretary of Labor James J. Reynolds, negotiations resumed. On April 16, 1968, the Memphis City Council, under intense national scrutiny, finally voted to recognize AFSCME Local 1733 and granted the strikers most of their demands, including a pay raise and a grievance procedure. The settlement was a hard-won victory for the workers and a testament to their perseverance. It also spurred the unionization of other public sector workers across the Southern United States.

Legacy and impact

The Memphis sanitation strike is a landmark event in American history, cementing the connection between economic justice and civil rights. It directly influenced the passage of the Fair Housing Act just days after King's death. The strike is memorialized at the National Civil Rights Museum, located at the former Lorraine Motel. It demonstrated the power of collective action by low-wage workers and continues to inspire modern labor movements and the ongoing movements for a labor movement and the broader struggle for the unionization of the 1733.