Coleman, William Thaddeus, Jr. (1920-...), was United States secretary of transportation from 1975 to 1977. Coleman, appointed by President Gerald R. Ford, was the second African American Cabinet member in U.S. history. The first black Cabinet member was Robert Weaver, who was secretary of housing and urban development from 1966 through 1968. As transportation secretary, Coleman worked to help the bankrupt railroads in the Northeast solve their problems. He also worked to help cities improve their transit systems.