Meyers, Samuel (Sam), d. 2001

Born in Brooklyn, Samuel (Sam) Meyers initially worked for Local 259 of the United Automobile Workers (UAW) as an organizer before becoming president of the union in 1958, a position he held until 1995. Local 259 represents workers at dealerships and repair shops in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, but Meyers was also very active with UAW at the national level. In addition to his union involvement, Meyers was a staunch civil rights advocate and supported many African American political candidates. He died in 2001.