Sadie L. White Papers

Sadie L. White was born in Bolton, Vermont in 1901, and grew up in Stevensville. When she was 16 years old, she started working in the Winooski Woolen Mill, where she met William White, who was a union organizer. They were married in 1923. She continued to work at the mill until it closed in 1954, by which time she had become well known in the local Democratic Party through her activities as a labor organizer and election inspector.

Sadie White lived in Burlington’s Old North End from her early days at the mill until she died, and her political career was focused primarily on the needs of this neighborhood. She was elected State Representative for Burlington Ward 4 in 1966 and served until 1984, with the exception of 1981-1982, when she served as City Councilor (Alderman) after losing her General Assembly seat for a term. She fought the initial proposal for the placement of the Burlington Beltline highway in 1967-1968, and successfully changed the route to preserve more of the homes in the Old North End. White also advocated for policies and legislation that brought relief and assistance to the elderly and the poor in her community and Vermont.

Known to speak her mind bluntly and work tirelessly towards her goals, White was well respected by a wide-range of political figures around the state. She worked closely with Bernie Sanders during her term as City Councilor, and their friendship lasted throughout her life. Patrick Leahy also corresponded with her throughout the last several decades of her life. Peter Clavelle, as mayor of Burlington declared August 29, 1992 Sadie White Appreciation Day. Both Leahy and Sanders honored Sadie White with Congressional Record statements in the U.S. Congress during 1992. Sadie White died January 2, 1999.