It comes with great sadness that I report that John Elliott, former Detroit Federation of Teachers president, has died. He led our local from 1981 to 2001 and holds the distinction of being the first African American to serve in the post.
Brother Elliott’s career as a Detroit Public Schools teacher began in 1961. He rose through the ranks as a DFT member, a union administrative assistant in 1966, and as an executive board member and executive vice president, beginning in 1968. In 1987, he was elected to serve as Michigan AFL-CIO secretary-treasurer, making him the first African American to hold one of the top posts in organization history. In every endeavor, Brother Elliott remained to committed to his brothers and sisters in labor as well as Detroit’s students.
We will pass along further details as they become available.
To Brother John Elliott, a job well done, Sir.
--Terrence Martin