In 1897 Rosina Harvey was visiting an aunt in Yonkers, New York, when she met the poet James D. Corrothers, who was a guest minister there.

On behalf of the union she visited some 300 porters at their homes in the Washington area, distributing literature, recruiting members, and collecting dues.

Tucker described the scene later:[1] I looked him right in the eye and banged on his desk and told him I was not employed by the Pullman company and that my husband had nothing to do with any activity I was engaged in ...

Tucker’s leadership and devotion allowed the Women’s Economic Councils to tie close connections with other unions – both feminine or masculine, black or white.

Her further participation resulted in supporting the WTUL that was fighting for civil rights and equality in such industries as laundry, domestic, hotel and restaurant sectors mainly occupied by African American women.

If there were obvious differences between the White and the Black cultural and social ideologies, however the common view of a woman’s role in the masculine society was her subordinate position to a man.

But the ultimate WEC’s contribution in the long run was an educational process that many activist women brought to new generations of the Black community empowering the youth with ideas of mass action for equality of civil rights.

Produced by Jack Santino and Paul Wagner, the film has won numerous awards, including four regional Emmys and a CINE Golden Eagle.

[1] On that day of her funeral (on the 3rd of March 1987) she was remembered as “Mother Tucker.” The ceremony took place at the 15th Street Presbyterian Church in Washington where she came in for 65 years until her death.

Thus, Norma McDaniel, one of Tucker’s closest friends, said: “She was a woman of firm conviction, yet, she was as gentle as she was strong.”[7] Expressing the utter sadness and admiration, one of the mourners said: “She had a caring intellect, a full heart and a ready smile.” Quoting Tucker’s own words from her unpublished autobiography, she would have said that day: “Thus, while I live, let not my life be in vain, and when I depart, may there be remembrances of me and my life as I have lived it.”[8] And there were a pride and a strong feeling of Tucker’s devotion that determined almost 70 years of political and social struggles of African American citizens for their rights to be finally accepted and equal.