{{Short description|American politician (1945–2021)}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Hazel Erby | image = Photo of Hazel Erby.jpg | image_size = | order = Member of the St. Louis County Council from the first district | lieutenant = | term_start = 2004 | term_end = 2019 | predecessor = Charlie Dooley
| | successor = Rita Heard Days | birth_date = {{birth date|1945|9|22}}<ref name="obit" /> | birth_place = | death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|07|02|1945|9|22}} | death_place = | occupation = | alma_mater = Lincoln University<br>Harris–Stowe State University | party = Democratic | spouse = Louis | children = 3 | website = }}
'''Hazel M. Erby''' (September 22, 1945 – July 2, 2021) was an American politician who was a Democratic member of the St. Louis County Council. In 2004, she became the first Black woman on the council and then represented the first district from 2004 to 2019.<ref name="Millitzer 2021">{{cite news |last1=Millitzer |first1=Joe |last2=Bernthal |first2=Jeff |title=Trailblazing St. Louis County Councilwoman Hazel Erby dies at 75 |url=https://fox2now.com/news/trailblazing-st-louis-county-councilwoman-hazel-erby-dies-at-75/ |access-date=24 April 2022 |work=Fox2 |date=July 2, 2021}}</ref> In 2009, she became the first Black woman to chair the council.<ref name="Byers 2021" /> In 2019, she became the first Director of Diversity and Inclusion in St. Louis County.<ref name="Millitzer 2021"/>
== Early life and education ==
Erby graduated from Vashon High School and attended Lincoln University and Harris–Stowe State University.<ref name="Rivas 2021">{{cite news |last1=Rivas |first1=Rebecca |title=Betty Thompson And Hazel Erby Became Matriarchs Of Black Politics In St. Louis |url=https://news.stlpublicradio.org/government-politics-issues/2021-07-18/betty-thompson-and-hazel-erby-became-matriarchs-of-black-politics-in-st-louis |access-date=24 April 2022 |work=St. Louis Public Radio |date=July 18, 2021}}</ref>
==Career== Before Erby was elected to the St. Louis County council in 2004, she was president of the Parent Teacher Organization of several schools in University City and a Democratic committeewoman of the University Township.<ref name="Rivas 2021"/><ref name="Rosenbaum 2021">{{cite news |last1=Rosenbaum |first1=Jason |title=Hazel Erby, A Towering Figure In St. Louis County Politics, Dies At 75 |url=https://news.stlpublicradio.org/2021-07-02/hazel-erby-a-towering-figure-in-st-louis-county-politics-dies |access-date=24 April 2022 |work=St. Louis Public Radio |date=July 2, 2021}}</ref> She also worked as the executive director for the Community Partnership for the Prevention of Drug and Substance Abuse, site director for the Caring Communities Program at Barbara C. Jordan School in University City, and founder of TAP City Program in University City, the program that paired teenagers with senior citizens to assist the seniors with errands and chores.<ref name="council">{{Cite web|url=http://www.stlouisco.com/YourGovernment/CountyCouncil/CouncilDistrict1/Biography|title = St. Louis County, Missouri}}</ref> She was a member of the National Council of Negro Women and a board member of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.<ref name="council"/>
She was a member of the St. Louis County Council from 2004 to 2019,<ref name="Schlinkmann 2021" /> after winning a special election and then winning reelection in 2006, 2010 and 2014.<ref name="Mannies 2017">{{cite news |last1=Mannies |first1=Jo |title='We're fearless': Black women wield unprecedented political clout in the St. Louis area |url=https://news.stlpublicradio.org/government-politics-issues/2017-07-25/were-fearless-black-women-wield-unprecedented-political-clout-in-the-st-louis-area |access-date=24 April 2022 |work=St. Louis Public Radio |date=July 25, 2017}}</ref> She represented the first district,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Wright Sr. |first1=John A. |last2=Wright Sr. |first2=Curtis A. |title=African American St. Louis |date=2016 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing Incorporated |isbn=9781439655610 |page=65 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VqhgCwAAQBAJ |access-date=24 April 2022}}</ref> which includes Ferguson, Missouri.<ref name="McGreal 2014">{{cite news |last1=McGreal |first1=Chris |title='Would Michael Brown still be here if we voted for the right people?' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/22/michael-brown-ferguson-residents-vote |access-date=24 April 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=22 August 2014}}</ref><ref name="Pickney 2015"/> In 2009, she became the first Black woman to chair the council.<ref name="Byers 2021" /> When the killing of Michael Brown occurred in August 2014, she was the only Black member of the council<ref name="Pickney 2015">{{cite news |last1=Pickney |first1=Darryl |title=In Ferguson |url=https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2015/01/08/in-ferguson/ |access-date=24 April 2022 |work=The New York Review |date=January 8, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Body-Gendrot |first1=Sophie |author1link=Sophie Body-Gendrot|title=Public Disorder and Globalization |date=2016 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=9781317407126 |page=38 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fzQlDwAAQBAJ |access-date=24 April 2022}}</ref> and later became a leader of the Fannie Lou Hamer Coalition, a political advocacy group composed of Black elected officials.<ref name="Rosenbaum 2021" /><ref name="NBC 2014">{{cite news |title='Turning Point': Ferguson a Factor in St. Louis County Elections |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/michael-brown-shooting/turning-point-ferguson-factor-st-louis-county-elections-n240491 |access-date=24 April 2022 |work=NBC News |date=November 4, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Mannies |first1=Jo |title=Coalition of Black Democratic Officials Endorses Republican Stream For County Executive |url=https://news.stlpublicradio.org/government-politics-issues/2014-10-01/coalition-of-black-democratic-officials-endorses-republican-stream-for-county-executive |access-date=24 April 2022 |work=St. Louis Public Radio |date=October 1, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Schlinkmann 2021"/>
During her tenure on the county council, she was instrumental in developing support for the 2018 legislation that created standards for minority participation in county contracts.<ref name="Schlinkmann 2021"/> In 2019, she negotiated funding for a recreation center in north St. Louis County.<ref name="Schlinkmann 2021"/>
In 2019, she was hired by County Executive Sam Page as the first director of diversity, equity and inclusion for St. Louis County, and then was fired in August 2020.<ref name="Byers 2021" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Kirn |first1=Jacob |title=Page fires his one-time rival from diversity job |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2020/08/19/page-fires-his-one-time-rival-from-diversity-job.html |access-date=24 April 2022 |work=St.Louis Business Journal |date=August 19, 2020}}</ref> In October 2020, she filed a whistleblower lawsuit and an employment discrimination claim against the county,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-10-16 |title=Erby Files Whistleblower Suit Against St. Louis County |url=https://news.stlpublicradio.org/government-politics-issues/2020-10-16/erby-files-whistleblower-suit-against-st-louis-county |access-date=2022-03-28 |website=STLPR |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Byers 2021" /> alleging retaliation for her complaints related to the exclusion of minorities from county contracts.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ousted diversity director sues St. Louis County |url=https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-statutes-lawsuits-michael-brown-489043f438fdb072764fe8ae811811f6 |access-date=24 April 2022 |work=Associated Press |date=October 16, 2020}}</ref><ref name="Benchaabane 2020">{{cite news |last1=Benchaabane |first1=Nassim |title=Ousted diversity director Hazel Erby sues St. Louis County, says Page violated state whistleblower law |url=https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/ousted-diversity-director-hazel-erby-sues-st-louis-county-says-page-violated-state-whistleblower-law/article_fd747703-06e8-52b2-979e-d54e9e7e86c2.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1 |access-date=24 April 2022 |work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |date=October 17, 2020}}</ref><ref name="Schlinkmann 2021"/>
==Personal life== Erby was married to her husband Louis for 56 years.<ref name="Byers 2021" /> They resided in University City for more than fifty years, and had three children.<ref name="Pickney 2015" />
== Death and legacy == Erby died on July 2, 2021, at the age of 75 from pancreatic cancer.<ref name="obit">{{cite web|title=Obituary for Hazel M. Erby|url=https://www.laynemortuary.com/obituary/Hazel-Erby|publisher=Austin A. Layne Funeral Home|date=2021|access-date=August 3, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Benchaabane |first=Nassim |date=July 11, 2021 |title=Public funeral services announced for former St. Louis County Councilwoman Hazel Erby |url=https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/public-funeral-services-announced-for-former-st-louis-county-councilwoman-hazel-erby/article_9d202711-fce2-52ed-a938-fa4a9de59609.html |access-date=July 30, 2021 |website=STLtoday.com |language=en}}</ref> After her death, she was described as one of the "Matriarchs of Black Politics" in St. Louis by St. Louis Public Radio.<ref name="Rivas 2021" /> Before she died, the Missouri Legislature declared her birthday, September 22, "Hazel Erby Day."<ref name="Byers 2021">{{cite news |last1=Byers |first1=Christine |title='A gentle front-line soldier' - Friends remember former St. Louis County Council member Hazel Erby |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2021/07/02/former-st-louis-county-councilwoman-hazel-erby.html |access-date=24 April 2022 |work=St.Louis Business Journal |date=July 7, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Schlinkmann 2021">{{cite news |last1=Schlinkmann |first1=Mark |title=Erby remembered as a 'trailblazer for Black women in elected office' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99705890/st-louis-post-dispatch/ |access-date=24 April 2022 |work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |date=July 3, 2021}}</ref>
== Electoral history == {{Election box begin | title=2004 St. Louis County Council 1st district special election }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Hazel Erby |votes = 7,717 |percentage = 66.34 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = John W. Scates |votes = 2,101 |percentage = 18.06 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Independent (politics) |candidate = Carlton Jones |votes = 1,814 |percentage = 15.56 |change = }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin | title=2006 St. Louis County Council 1st district general election }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Hazel Erby |votes = 36,596 |percentage = 99.51 |change = }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin | title=2010 St. Louis County Council 1st district general election }} {{Election box candidate with party link |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Hazel Erby |votes = 34,873 |percentage = 99.16 |change = }} {{Election box end}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [http://www.stlouisco.com/YourGovernment/CountyCouncil/CouncilDistrict1/Biography Official Bio] * [https://news.stlpublicradio.org/show/st-louis-on-the-air/2021-07-07/hazel-erbys-successor-mentee-reflect-on-her-life-and-legacy Remembering Hazel Erby, Who Built An ‘Electoral Behemoth’ In St. Louis County] (St. Louis Public Radio, July 7, 2021)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Erby, Hazel}} Category:1945 births Category:2021 deaths Category:Harris–Stowe State University alumni Category:Lincoln University (Missouri) alumni Category:Missouri Democrats Category:County officials in Missouri Category:Politicians from St. Louis Category:Women in Missouri politics Category:21st-century African-American politicians Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:21st-century Missouri politicians Category:Deaths from pancreatic cancer in Missouri