Aileen Hernandez
Encyclopedia
Aileen Clark Hernandez is an American union organizer and civil right activist. She was born May 23, 1926, in Brooklyn
, NY, of Jamacian-American parents, was educated in New York City, and attended Howard University
, where she received a magna cum laude degree in Political Science and Sociology; she also has a Master's Degree in Government from California State University at Los Angeles and an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Southern Vermont College
. She married Alfonso Hernandez in 1947; and was divorced in 1951.
She was initially active as an organizer for the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
, and became the Education and Public Relations Director for the Pacific Coast Region of the Union. She was later appointed Deputy Chief of the California Division of Fair Employment Practices from 1962 to 1965. As a result of this work, she became known nationally and was appointed by Lyndon Johnson in 1964 as the only woman to serve on the newly established Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
, and resigned in 1966 to form an independent urban consulting firm, Aileen C. Hernández Associates.
She was second national president of the National Organization for Women
in 1970, and in 1973 was a co-founder of Black Women Organized for Action in San Francisco. It was under her leadership that NOW organized the Women's Strike for Equality
in 1971.
She was one of the 2006 honorees of the National Women's History Project
; she also was the 1993 Tish Sommers Lecturer at the Institute for Health and Aging of the University of California, San Francisco
, as well as the 1993 Regents Scholar in Residence at the University of California, Santa Barbara
.
Her current position is coordinator of Black Women Stirring the Waters and chair of the California Women's Agenda, a state action alliance of over 600 organizations.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, NY, of Jamacian-American parents, was educated in New York City, and attended Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
, where she received a magna cum laude degree in Political Science and Sociology; she also has a Master's Degree in Government from California State University at Los Angeles and an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Southern Vermont College
Southern Vermont College
Southern Vermont College is a private, four-year liberal arts college located on the former Edward Everett Estate near Bennington, Vermont in the southwestern corner of the state bordering New York and Massachusetts.-Overview:...
. She married Alfonso Hernandez in 1947; and was divorced in 1951.
She was initially active as an organizer for the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
The International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union was once one of the largest labor unions in the United States, one of the first U.S. unions to have a primarily female membership, and a key player in the labor history of the 1920s and 1930s...
, and became the Education and Public Relations Director for the Pacific Coast Region of the Union. She was later appointed Deputy Chief of the California Division of Fair Employment Practices from 1962 to 1965. As a result of this work, she became known nationally and was appointed by Lyndon Johnson in 1964 as the only woman to serve on the newly established Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is an independent federal law enforcement agency that enforces laws against workplace discrimination. The EEOC investigates discrimination complaints based on an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, perceived intelligence,...
, and resigned in 1966 to form an independent urban consulting firm, Aileen C. Hernández Associates.
She was second national president of the National Organization for Women
National Organization for Women
The National Organization for Women is the largest feminist organization in the United States. It was founded in 1966 and has a membership of 500,000 contributing members. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S...
in 1970, and in 1973 was a co-founder of Black Women Organized for Action in San Francisco. It was under her leadership that NOW organized the Women's Strike for Equality
Women's Strike for Equality
The Women’s Strike for Equality was a strike which took place in the United States on August 26, 1970. It celebrated the 50th anniversary of the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment, which effectively gave American women the right to vote. The rally was sponsored by the National Organization for...
in 1971.
She was one of the 2006 honorees of the National Women's History Project
National Women's History Project
The National Women's History Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring and preserving women's history. Based out of Santa Rosa, California since 1980, it was started by women's history activists Molly Murphy MacGregor, Mary Ruthsdotter, Maria Cuevas, Paula Hammett and Bette...
; she also was the 1993 Tish Sommers Lecturer at the Institute for Health and Aging of the University of California, San Francisco
University of California, San Francisco
The University of California, San Francisco is one of the world's leading centers of health sciences research, patient care, and education. UCSF's medical, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing, and graduate schools are among the top health science professional schools in the world...
, as well as the 1993 Regents Scholar in Residence at the University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
.
Her current position is coordinator of Black Women Stirring the Waters and chair of the California Women's Agenda, a state action alliance of over 600 organizations.