"I Am Cole and Walker" Moment of Silence

Join AFSCME Council 4 as they hold a National Moment of Silence to mark the 50th anniversary of the deaths of Memphis sanitation workers Echol Cole and Robert Walker.

Cole and Walker were crushed to death by a malfunctioning compactor in their garbage trucks.

After this tragedy, 1,300 of their AFSCME Local 1733 brothers stood together, risked everything, and went on strike. They demanded dignity and respect. They marched in the streets carrying placards with four simple, but powerful words: “I AM A MAN.”

The Memphis Sanitation strike was a galvanizing moment for the labor and civil rights movements. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. traveled to Memphis to support the striking workers, and was tragically assassinated two months later.

Join us Feb. 1 in New Britain as we honor the courage and sacrifice of the Memphis sanitation workers and the legacy of Dr. King.

Click here to learn more about I AM 2018.