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MIAMI – Alexis Herman, the first Black U.S. Secretary of Labor and played key roles on the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama, John Kerry and Jimmy Carter, has died, according to reports.

She was 76.

A cause of death was not revealed.

In 1997, Clinton appointed Herman as Secretary of Labor, making her the first Black to hold the position.

Her tenure was marked by significant policy achievements, including the passage of the 1998 Workforce Investment Act, which reformed the nation’s job training system.

She oversaw the implementation of the Youth Opportunity Grants program, which aimed to improve employment prospects for youth in impoverished areas and played a crucial role in welfare reform.

Herman, who was born in Alabama in 1947, grew up during segregation when Blacks struggle for equal rights.

Her parents were civil rights activists who fought to secure voting rights for Blacks.

After graduating from Xavier University of Louisiana in 1969 with a degree in sociology, Herman began her career in community development, working with Catholic Charities to create employment and training programs for underprivileged youth in Mississippi.

Her work with marginalized communities, particularly in improving shipbuilding apprenticeships for unskilled African Americans, laid the foundation for her future advocacy.

Herman got her first taste of politics when she worked on President Jimmy Carter’s campaign in the 1970s and subsequently was appointed director of the Women’s Bureau at the Department of Labor.

In the 1980s, she launched her own consulting firm which focused on minority hiring practices and became a key figure for the Democratic Party.

She served as CEO of the 1992 Democratic National Convention, which nominated Cliton and Al Gore.

“Alexis Herman was a skillful and creative administrator who worked to empower women and strengthen families,” Clinton wrote in a social media post. “In every effort, she lifted people with her unfailing optimism and energy. We’ll miss her very much.”

The NAACP also extended its condolences.

“#RestInPower Secretary Alexis Herman, a pioneering leader and the first African American U.S. Secretary of Labor,” the organization said on Instagram. “Serving under the Clinton administration, her legacy of service and trailblazing leadership will continue to inspire generations.”