At 96, black labor leader Harold Thaxter Lumsden, died in his sleep at Hillhaven Convalescent Hospital in San Francisco ironically, that same night Hillhaven renewed its contract with members of the Hospital and Institutional Workers Local #250.

Born on November 24, 1899 in Jamaica, "Harry", as Mr. Lumsden was called by those who knew him, went to sea as a teenage steward. He survived the German U-boat sinking of two merchant vessels he sailed upon. Two years later, while in London, he survived the great Influenza Epidemic.

Harry sailed to San Francisco in 1921 and was beached by the maritime strike then under way. The strike ended when the employers broke the Union but Harry stayed on. Harry studied law by taking LaSalle correspondence courses while at sea. Having decided to enter San Francisco's Lincoln University School of Law in 1923, Harry earned his way by working as a construction laborer. Mr. Lumsden's 1930 graduation was attended by the Honorable John E. Richards, Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court. Although he was never admitted to the bar, Mr. Lumsden learned to intelligently aid union members with their taxes, wills and unemployment and workers compensation hearings and appeals.

From 1928 to 1935, Lumsden was a "secret" organizer for Local 261. His activities included organizing the laborers at Hamilton Field which is now the San Francisco International Airport.

When World War II broke out, Mr. Lumsden found his place by organizing shipyard workers at Bethlehem Shipyards in Alameda and Hunters Point Naval Shipyards in San Francisco. In 1938, the Shipyard and Marine Shop Laborer's Union Local 886 split off from Laborers Local 261 and quickly become one of the largest laborer local unions in the country with over 10,000 members by 1943.

Due to his eloquence in speaking for working people, Harry was elected to represent the Shipyard Laborer's Union Local 886 as a delegate to the San Francisco Labor Council, the California Labor Federation conventions, Laborer International Union conventions and the Northern California District Council of Laborers.

Lumsden's most notable achievement was his proposal to the California Labor Federation 1950 Convention, to promote legislation banning discrimination in housing on the grounds of race. The convention passed the resolution and Assemblyman William Byron Rumford, among others, agreed to carry the resolution to the California Legislature. The resolution became law in California and the Rumford Housing Act became the first civil rights act designed to protect people of color from discrimination and eventually to prevent discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations on grounds of race, color, gender, religion, sexual orientation, handicapped status or marital status.

On November 16, 1962, Harry was elected to become one of the first (if not the first) black persons to serve on the Executive Committee of the San Francisco Labor Council. Harry admirably served in this position until his retirement at age 84.

In addition to his union activities, Harry acted as a mentor to young people of all races particularly those trying to better themselves. Harold "Harry" Lumsden is buried at Olivet Memorial Park, in Colma, California.
This and other collections are available at AAMLO. Please call for an appointment at
510-637-0198 and discover some the Hidden Treasures of African American history.

APRIL/MAY 2003