A.J. Starling will be recognized with the inaugural William ‘Bill’ Lucy Award at the 2025 Nashville MLK Day Labor & Human Rights Breakfast on Friday, January 17. The breakfast is organized by the Central Labor Council of Nashville and Middle Tennessee (CLC) and the Tennessee Human Rights Commission (THRC). The event is part of the Nashville MLK Day week of events hosted by the Interdenominational Ministers Fellowship (IMF).
“We are excited to host the 7th annual MLK Day Labor Human Rights Breakfast. It is a treasured collaboration between the Council and Human Rights Commission” said Vonda McDaniel, president of the CLC. “We had the pleasure of hosting William Lucy as a guest speaker [in 2021] and we are delighted to present this first annual award in his honor.”
Named after the late William ‘Bill’ Lucy, who passed away on September 25, 2024, the award will recognize an individual who has made significant contributions to economic and social justice in Tennessee. Born in Memphis, Tenn., Lucy rose to prominence during the Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike in 1968, where he marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and co-designed the iconic ‘I Am A Man’ slogan. Lucy worked with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) for over 40 years and became a renowned leader in labor rights, including serving as president of Public Services International, becoming a member of the executive council of the AFL-CIO, and co-founding the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists. Lucy was a fierce advocate for social justice on the international level, co-founding the Free South Africa Movement, a campaign that fought against apartheid and racial inequality.
When reflecting on the role labor, religion, and civil rights during 2021 Nashville MLK Day Labor and Human Rights Observance, Lucy stated: “Our society is made up of two kinds of people—the well off and the hope-to-be well off. Unless labor increases its power, we’re going to lose generations. Church, labor, and civil rights is where our future lies. If religion and labor perform its role [as a coalition] on behalf of their constituencies, we can improve the quality of life for everyone.”
The recipient of the inaugural William ‘Bill’ Lucy award, A.J. Starling, has been a longtime champion for labor rights in Tennessee. Starting as a bus operator with the Amalgamated Transit Union in 1971, Starling served them for 18 years, ensuring adequate safety measures for workers, arbitrating agreements between the Union and the Metro Transit Authority, and working his way up to the ‘union executive board.’ In 1988, he transitioned to the Tennessee AFL-CIO, where he supported dislocated workers in obtaining employment and educated elected officials on the impact of legislation on working families. Since 2003, Starling has served the AFL-CIO as director of Political Activities, taking a prominent role lobbying with the General Assembly and collaborating with the national AFL-CIO. Beyond his professional roles, Starling has held several leadership positions in his community including serving as the president of the Tennessee A. Phillip Randolph Institute; commissioner of the Davidson County Election Commission; commissioner of the Tennessee Human Rights Commission; board member of the Central Labor Council; and vice-president of the Coalition of Black Trade Unions.
“A.J. has dedicated his career to uplifting workers [and their families] across Tennessee. He is a fitting representation of Mr. Lucy’s legacy, and we look forward to celebrating his accomplishments” said Muriel Nolen, executive director of the THRC.
The 2025 Nashville MLK Day Labor & Human Rights Breakfast will take place on Friday, January 17, from 7:30–10 am, CST, at the Scarritt Bennett Center in Nashville. The morning will also feature a keynote address from Rev. Harold Love, Jr. Love is the senior pastor of Lee Chapel A.M.E. Church and state representative of Tennessee’s 58th district. He will speak upon the event theme: ‘40 Years of Legacy: Marching Forward, United in Justice and Peace’ and discuss the intersection of labor, faith, and civil rights. Registration for the breakfast is $15.
The Labor & Human Rights Breakfast is part of the 2025 Nashville MLK Day week of events, hosted by the IMF. The week of events will be capped off by the annual Convocation at the TSU Gentry Center on Monday, January 20. This year’s Convocation will feature Dr. Daniel Black, author and professor at Clark Atlanta University.
For more information on the 2025 Nashville MLK Day Labor and Human Rights Breakfast, contact <president@nashvilleclc.org> or <THRC.Communications@tn.gov>.
