Bill Burrus

William Burrus was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, to parents William H. and Gertrude Burrus. He began his postal career as a clerk in February 1958, and in the years that followed became interested in union affairs. After gaining membership in the National Postal Union, he began his ascension through the leadership ranks, fighting to improve conditions for postal employees. In 1981, Burrus was elected as the executive vice president of the American Postal Workers Union, the second-ranking...See more

William Burrus was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, to parents William H. and Gertrude Burrus. He began his postal career as a clerk in February 1958, and in the years that followed became interested in union affairs. After gaining membership in the National Postal Union, he began his ascension through the leadership ranks, fighting to improve conditions for postal employees. In 1981, Burrus was elected as the executive vice president of the American Postal Workers Union, the second-ranking officer in the 280,000 member union. In 2000, he was elected president of the union and became the first African American elected by the membership to the presidency of a major union. He served as president for ten years before announcing his retirement after a fifty-three-year career as a postal employee and elected union official. Burrus has been married three times. He has two daughters with his first wife, Claudette Vincent, and two daughters with his second wife, Janice Reid. He married his current wife and soul mate, Ethelda Harkins, in 1985. They are most proud of their ability to communicate and the two homes they designed and built that reflect their mutual love. See less