Clarence Thomas – Struggle

Clarence Thomas: Oakland labor’s anti-apartheid history points to Palestine

April 6, 2026 Clarence Thomas

The following are lightly edited remarks by Clarence Thomas, a retired executive board member of ILWU Local 10 and former Black Panther Party member. Speaking at a March 29 panel, “Oakland Says No to Apartheid: […]

ILWU rank-and-file leader tells students how Local 10 led the battle against apartheid

November 23, 2025 Clarence Thomas

Clarence Thomas Jr. is a retired third-generation longshore worker from ILWU Local 10, co-founder of the Million Worker March Movement, and co-founder of DeClare Publishing. In this presentation to students, Thomas told them that his […]

ILWU pensioners expressed their support and solidarity with Palestinians

September 29, 2025 Clarence Thomas

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Pacific Coast Pensioners Association (PCPA) recently held its 56th convention at the Westin Airport Hotel in San Francisco, from Sept. 14 to 17. Delegates from West Coast ports, […]

From Black Reconstruction to Elon Musk: A Black Labor History Perspective

February 27, 2025 Clarence Thomas

The following text is based on a talk given by Clarence Thomas, a third-generation retired member of ILWU Local 10, on a podcast for the Teamster National Black Caucus (TNBC) co-hosted by Richard Hooker, Secretary-Treasurer, […]

San Francisco State College 1968: On strike, shut it down!

November 17, 2024 Clarence Thomas

Following is an article by Clarence Thomas regarding the 56th Anniversary of the 1968 San Francisco State College Strike. On Nov. 6, 2024, the College of Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University hosted a […]

From apartheid to Palestine: Bill Proctor’s ILWU journey

June 26, 2024 Clarence Thomas

Trade union retiree in Seattle talks with Clarence Thomas William “Bill” Proctor was on the front lines of ILWU Local 10 rank-and-filers during the anti-apartheid struggle before transferring to Local 19 in the 1980s. As […]

‘Black and a Red’: Rank-and-file ILWU Local 10 leader Leo Robinson linked local and global fights for justice

January 26, 2024 Clarence Thomas

Following is a presentation by Clarence Thomas, a retired member of the International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 10 in San Francisco. The event was “Reckoning with the Black Radical Tradition: A Conference in […]

Million Worker March leader talks with Teamsters: Roots of unity in the labor movement

May 30, 2022 Clarence Thomas

Clarence Thomas — labor organizer, retired member of International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 10, leader of the Million Worker March Movement and author of the recently released “Mobilizing in our Own Name: Million […]