Tacoma recognizes President Emeritus Willie Adams with street named in his honor
ILWU members and pensioners, city officials, and community supporters gathered in Tacoma on December 5 to observe the unveiling of a new street sign in honor of ILWU President Emeritus Willie Adams. Outgoing Mayor of Tacoma, Victoria Woodards, had the honor of presenting the sign as one of her final acts in office.
Mayor Woodards spoke about her relationship to Brother Adams and his significance to the entire labor movement, Port Commissioner John McCarthy said a few words, as did ILWU Local 23 President Jared Faker, and of course Brother Adams himself. Members of ILWU Locals 19, 22, 23, and 98 were in attendance, including a few who made registration with Brother Adams in 1980.
“Willie Adams Way” — the new honorary name for the street in front of ILWU Local 23’s hiring hall — was a long time coming. Local 23 President Jared Faker pitched the idea in early 2024 leading up to Brother Adams’ retirement in 2024. Local 23’s delegation wanted to give him something that would last and leave its mark in Tacoma.
Navigating all the red tape and different agencies took much longer than expected though. (The street itself is the dividing line between the two cities, with the credit union in Tacoma and the hall in Fife.) By December 2025, Tacoma City Council was ready to read the motion into the record and unveil the new street name.
Brother Adams retired in 2024 following the last convention in Vancouver, BC after two terms as ILWU International President. The first Black worker to serve in the position, he previously served five terms as International Secretary-Treasurer and one term on the ILWU International Executive Board, where he also served as a Trustee.
Prior to his time in office, he made a name for himself through the incredible Black Labor and Social History events he organized with fellow Tacoma longshoreman Mike Chambers, bringing major figures to Tacoma including Danny Glover, Paul Robeson, Jr., Yolanda King, Chuck D, and Betty Shabazz.
Local 23’s building still has the same mailing address at 1306 Alexander Ave E. But from now on, every day that Tacoma’s longshore workers go to the hiring hall to select their jobs, they’ll be taking Willie Adams Way to get there.