CEOLE SPEIGHT

1928-2022

An indispensable activist who covered every square inch of the labor landscape over four decades, Ceole Speight became synonymous with the Harris County labor movement to the point where her name now adorns the CLC’s building.

As a young woman, Speight joined the Retail Clerks Union of the United Food & Commercial Workers and quickly began volunteering for Sister Hall of Fame members Rose Walker and Liz Kimmel wherever unions were active. Don Horn hired her in 1968 as the Volunteers in Programs Director for the Harris County AFL-CIO. Under that title, Speight promoted union actions, COPE programs, community service activities, and anything else that came up. 

A trusted and respected source of information and advice, Speight mentored hundreds of young workers and was a mandatory stop for any up-and-coming politician in the Houston area. Gov. Mark White appointed her to the Women’s Commission of Texas, where she made a statewide mark. She participated at every level of Democratic politics in Texas, serving as a delegate in precinct, state, and national conventions and in countless volunteer capacities. Speight had an unparalleled ability to bring people together and promote goodwill throughout the labor movement and beyond. 

Born Ceole Branam in Toro, Louisiana, Speight was married to Joseph Walker Speight, another outstanding union activist, for 63 years until his death in 2008. They were beloved parents to four children, followed by nine grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren. 

Speight has remained active in the labor movement during retirement and is currently a member of the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU).