Remembering Union Sister Suzanne Crowell (AFSCME 1707)

The Maine Labor movement is mourning the loss of AFSCME member Suzanne Crowell of Brunswick to esophageal cancer on June 15. Suzanne was a passionate member of Maine’s Labor Movement and heavily involved with the Western Maine Labor Council, Southern Maine Labor Council and the A. Phillip Randolph Institute. Suzanne was also an editor, civil rights activist, legislative expert.

“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Suzanne Crowell, who was a staunch advocate for workers’ rights and human rights for all working people, regardless of race, nationality or gender,” said Maine AFL-CIO President Cynthia Phinney. “At the Western Maine Labor Council and Council and APRI Suzanne was one of those people who was always there at the meetings. She would usually volunteer for committees that needed volunteers to help with an event. We deeply miss having her at the Western Maine Labor Council and APRI."

Her friends in the labor movement remember Suzanne as extremely knowledgeable about civil rights and dedicated to racial justice and equality. She had a rich background from her work in Washington D.C. on civil rights issues and her longtime union membership.

Suzanne was born and raised in New England but spent most of her professional life in Washington, D.C. She received her BA from Barnard College and her MA from the Kennedy School of Government in public policy.

Suzanne was active in the Southern Conference Education Fund, an organization that sought to promote social justice, civil rights and electoral reform for African Americans in the South between 1942 and 1981. She authored the Appalachian People's History Book, a book that told the story of Appalachia from a labor perspective in order to “correct this imbalance of history” that was too often told from the point of view of the mine owners and operators.

Suzanne also served as editor of Civil Rights Digest, a publication of the United States Commission on Civil Rights, and worked to design programs that advanced fair housing.Department of Housing and Urban Development. In Washington D.C., she served as public affairs officer at the Office of People’s Counsel which advocated for fair utility rates on behalf of residential utility users. After moving to Maine, she was a legislative writer for the National Council of Jewish Women writing editorials and op-ed pieces.

APRI President Garrett Stewart noted that Suzanne was one of the four people who were instrumental in the founding of Maine’s APRI chapter.

“Suzanne was one of the core four who sat in my living room planning what we wanted APRI to be in Maine,” said Stewart. "She was there from the very beginning organizing and helped create our bylaws. She knew so much about civil rights and common decency. She was such an asset to APRI.”

APRI-Maine has been growing and building power ever since, having just recently held a Juneteenth celebration in Windham with a record number of attendees. APRI member Ina Demers remembers Suzanne as someone who was never judgmental and taught her a lot about issues related to racial and economic justice.

“I feel her loss a lot more because I don’t think there is anybody quite like her,” said Demers. "Suzanne had her heart in the right place, in addition to the brains and the memory. The things she had in her head, I don’t think anyone could replace her. We owe her a lot.”

“Suzanne had an enormous impact and insight into the labor movement because she was so much part of it,” said APRI member Doris Poland. “We will really miss her.”