William Lacy Clay Sr. died Wednesday morning at his daughter’s home in Virginia. Clay, who lived in Silver Spring, Maryland, was 94.
Clay, Missouri’s first Black congressman, served more than three decades in the U.S. House and co-founded the Congressional Black Caucus. Clay sponsored the Family Medical Leave Act, which became law in 1993 and requires that companies with more than 50 workers offer up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to employees to care for a new baby or attend to a family emergency.
After serving for 32 years in Congress, Clay stepped down and was succeeded by his son, William Lacy Clay Jr., who served 10 terms.
In addition to his son, Clay is survived by two daughters, Vicki Clay and Michelle Clay; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.