Cathedral to Host Funeral for Labor Secretary Alexis Herman

May 8, 2025

The funeral of former Labor Secretary Alexis Herman will be held at Washington National Cathedral on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at 10 a.m. ET. Secretary Herman was the first Black American to lead the U.S. Department of Labor (1997-2001) and was a longtime champion for minorities and women in the workforce. 

Secretary Herman died in Washington on April 25, 2025, after a brief illness. 

The Alabama native grew up in the segregated South and attended Heart of Mary High School and graduated from Xavier University in New Orleans. Mentored by Dr. Dorothy I. Height, she was an active member of NCNW, The Links, the National Urban League and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. 

After an early career fighting for civil rights across the South, she joined the administration of President Jimmy Carter, where she served as director of the Labor Department’s Women’s Bureau. She managed the convention team for Jesse Jackson’s 1984 and 1988 presidential bids, and later served as Chief of Staff for the Democratic National Committee and CEO of the 1992 Democratic National Convention. 

She joined the Clinton Administration as Assistant to the President and director of the White House Office of Public Liaison, and then served as Secretary of Labor during President Clinton’s second term. She went on to serve on the boards of Coca-Cola, Cummins, Entergy, Toyota, MGM Resorts International and other large companies. 

Tributes are expected to be offered by:

  • President Bill Clinton
  • The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson
  • James Quincey, CEO of Coca-Cola
  • Rose McKinney James, Board of Directors, MGM Resorts International
  • Janet Reid Washington, family friend

The preacher will be Bishop Leah D. Daughtry, the National Presiding Bishop of The House of the Lord Churches.

All media wishing to cover the funeral must request press credentials from the Cathedral in advance. All requests for credentials are due by Monday, May 12 at 5:00 p.m. ET. The Cathedral will have an HD live stream of the service available, which all media are free to use with credit to Washington National Cathedral. 

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MEDIA CONTACTS 

Lincoln Le, West End Strategy Team, [email protected]   

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About Washington National Cathedral
Grounded in the reconciling love of Jesus Christ, Washington National Cathedral is a house of prayer for all people, conceived by our founders to serve as a great church for national purposes. 

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