> National Builder Awards
Norman Hill
National Recipient
Civil Rights Legend & Labor Leader

As a young man, he worked alongside America’s civil rights pioneers. Now as President of the A. Philip Randolph Institute, Norman Hill’s steadfast leadership has improved the lives of black workers everywhere.

In the 1960's, A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin were tireless Civil Rights crusaders. As they traveled throughout the country, one young activist often appeared alongside them. What Randolph and Rustin saw in this young man—charisma, intelligence, and unwavering commitment to social justice—soon became known to millions of Americans.

Norman Hill was born in 1933 in Summit, New Jersey. His education at prestigious Haverford College combined with service in uniform gave Hill a broad understanding of the chasms separating white and black America. In 1959, having fulfilled his military duty, Norman Hill joined the Civil Rights Movement.

Hill's first national event was the Second Youth March on Washington in 1959. As the story goes, young Norman was happy in his behind-the-scenes role. But when he was called upon to speak, he eloquently rose to the occasion. Now some forty years and a thousand speeches later, we thank whoever it was who told young Norman Hill to stand where he belonged—behind the podium and before the people.

Following this successful march, Hill began work for the Congress of Racial Equality. As National Program Director, he was instrumental in the Route 40 restaurant desegregation campaign, the 1963 March on Washington, and protests at the 1964 Republican National Convention.

Hill then moved to the AFL-CIO, working from 1964-1967 as a lobbyist on Capitol Hill. In addition to Hill’s efforts on issues such as the minimum wage, he helped coordinate Dr. King’s six-city “get out the vote” tour in 1964. He also served on the labor delegation of the historic Selma-Montgomery march.

In 1964, Rustin and Randolph asked Hill to join them at the A. Philip Randolph Institute, an organization fighting for equality and justice through organized labor. From 1967-1974, Hill served as Associate Director of the Institute. In 1975, he was named Executive Director. And in 1980, he became President—a position he still holds today.

As President, Norman Hill has expanded APRI’s reach while holding true to its original mission. Some 200 new chapters have opened during his tenure, and ARPI has led many nonpartisan voter education and registration drives. Minorities employed in the building trades owe a particular debt of gratitude to Mr. Hill, whose leadership was central to initiatives such as the Joint Apprenticeship Program.

In addition to his tireless work on behalf of APRI, Norman Hill serves on multiple boards and committees. He has traveled extensively overseas, particularly to Africa, where he observed the first free elections in South Africa. Today’s Civil Rights activists look to Norman Hill for inspiration and leadership in the fight for equality and justice. His legacy extends across America—from shop floors to polling booths to thriving working-class neighborhoods.