William Thaddeus Coleman, Jr.
| Bill Coleman | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Judge of the United States Court of Military Commission Review | |
|
In office September 21, 2004 – December 17, 2009 |
|
| Appointed by | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Scott Silliman |
| 4th United States Secretary of Transportation | |
|
In office March 7, 1975 – January 20, 1977 |
|
| President | Gerald Ford |
| Preceded by | Claude Brinegar |
| Succeeded by | Brock Adams |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
July 7, 1920 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | March 31, 2017 (aged 96) Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Lovida Hardin |
| Children | 3 (including William, Hardin) |
| Education |
University of Pennsylvania (BA) Harvard University (LLB) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United States
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Army
|
| Unit | United States Army Air Corps |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
William Thaddeus "Bill" Coleman Jr. (July 7, 1920 – March 31, 2017) was an American attorney and politician. Coleman was the fourth United States Secretary of Transportation, from March 7, 1975, to January 20, 1977, and the second African American to serve in the United States Cabinet. As an attorney, Coleman played a major role in significant civil rights cases. At the time of his death, Coleman was the oldest living former Cabinet member.
Coleman was born to William Thaddeus Coleman Sr. and Laura Beatrice (née Mason) Coleman in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Colman's mother came from six generations of Episcopal ministers, including an operator of the Underground Railroad.W.E.B. DuBois and Langston Hughes would visit the family’s home for dinner. One of seven black students at Germantown High School, Coleman was suspended for cursing at a teacher after she praised his honors presentation by saying, "Someday, William, you will make a wonderful chauffeur." When Coleman attempted to join the school's swim team he was again suspended, and the team disbanded after he returned so as to avoid admitting him, only to reform after he graduated. Coleman’s swim team coach wrote him a strong letter of recommendation and he was accepted into the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a double major in political science and economics.
He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in history in 1941. There, he was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Society. He was elected to the Pi Gamma Mu international honor society in 1941. Coleman was also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.
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