Floyd Franklin, Sr.
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Floyd Franklin, 95 year old life-long resident of Fayette County, Tennessee, passed peacefully Wednesday morning, July 13, 2022 with his immediate family by his side. Mr. Franklin, often referred to as a pillar of the community, was a champion of Civil Rights. He fought for equality in voting, education and employment for people of color. He began his early work in Civil Rights as one of the founding members of the Fayette County Civic and Welfare League that fought and achieved the rights for Blacks to register and vote in Fayette County, Tennessee. Two of his children were the first African-Americans to integrate Moscow Elementary School in 1965. The case of Franklin v Troxel Manufacturing is among the first employment discrimination cases filed under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in the Western District of Tennessee. In that case, Mr. Franklin and his wife led the charge for African-Americans to be hired at the first factory that located to Fayette County. Prior to that time, no African-American had worked at the company. In the case, Mr. Franklin and his wife were referred to by the Court as "long time Civil Rights Activists".
Mr. Franklin worked for 44 years with Hunt Wesson Foods in Memphis, TN. He served for many years as the Chief Union Steward of AFL-CIO, Local 515, being a strong advocate for fair working conditions, pay and benefits. Mr. Franklin was a devoted member of New Zion CME Church in Moscow, Tennessee where he served as Chairman of the Steward Board, Member of the Trustee Board, former Sunday School Superintendent and Member of the Male Chorus. He leaves to celebrate his life, his wife of 70 years Dorthy Franklin, two sons, Floyd Jr. (Patricia) and Wayne(Robyn); three daughters, Derba Smith, Delner Franklin-Thomas (William) and Marilyn King (Michael), and a host of loving grandchildren, great grandchildren, great-great grandchild, family and friends. He was preceded in death by his children Myron and Princess Hicks. Visitation is Friday, July 22, 4-7 p.m. at M. J. Edwards Funeral Home, 1165 Airways Blvd., Memphis, TN 38114 with funeral following on Saturday, July 23 , 2:00 p.m. at Gospel Center Temple COGIC, 16885 Hwy 57, Moscow, TN 38057. The burial will take place at New Zion Church Cemetery, 5060 Yager Drive, Moscow, TN 38057.