Aileen Hernandez
A pragmatic strategist who bridged the labor, civil rights, and feminist movements, becoming the second president of NOW and a lifelong fighter for intersectional justice.
1926–2017 (age 91)·American union organizer and civil rights activist·Birthday: May 23·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Aileen Hernandez's activism was forged on the picket line. Before feminism had a mainstream name, she was a union organizer, fighting for fair wages and conditions for garment workers. This ground-level experience with economic injustice informed her entire career. Appointed by President Lyndon Johnson to the first Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, she quickly grew frustrated with its inaction on sex discrimination, a battle that propelled her into the heart of the women's movement. As president of NOW, she worked to steer the organization toward a broader, more inclusive vision that addressed the needs of women of color and working-class women. After her presidency, she co-founded the National Women's Political Caucus and remained a sharp critic of feminism that failed to confront racism and class bias, arguing that equality couldn't be won in pieces.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Aileen was born in 1926, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Aileen Was Born
The biggest hits of 1926
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
Aileen's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1926Born
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1931Started school
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1939Became a teenager
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1942Could drive
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1944Could vote
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1947Turned 21
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1956Turned 30
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1966Turned 40
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1976Turned 50
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 60
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 70
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 80
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2017Died at 91
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
Key Achievements
- Served as the second national president of the National Organization for Women (NOW).
- Was the first woman appointed to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
- Co-founded the National Women's Political Caucus to increase women's representation in government.
Did You Know?
She filed a landmark sex discrimination complaint against the *New York Times* for its segregated help-wanted ads ('Men Wanted' / 'Women Wanted').
She was a founding member of NOW, attending its first conference in 1966.
Before her activism, she worked for the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union.
“The women's movement has to be concerned with the total picture of what happens to women.”
