A Self-Made Secretary

Ray Marshall (b. Aug. 22, 1928) grows up in Louisiana in extreme poverty, opting to go to an orphanage with his siblings rather than to be separated through adoption. His early experiences direct his interests toward fair labor practices and he earns a doctorate in economics from the University of California, Berkeley. He joins the faculty of the University of Texas, Austin, in 1962. He serves as secretary of labor for the Carter administration, oversees the creation of the Mine Safety and Health Administration and the Office of Civil Rights. Marshall authors 30 books, co-founds the Economic Policy Institute and serves as an advisor to numerous boards, commissions and institutes.