Born the fourth of seven children of an impoverished family in Montgomery, Alabama in January 1915, Ernie Dillard had to quit school in the sixth grade to help take care of the family when his father died. After working for a number of years in the capacity of "Driving Miss Daisy," Dillard met Jessie Mae Dawson. They were married Christmas night, 1934; they had two children;: Marilyn and Ernest, Jr.

Gifted with a sharp and inquisitive mind and indefatigable wit and willpower, Dillard moved to Detroit in 1937, got a job at the Gotham Hotel, and eleven months later was able to send for his wife and children. In 1942 he was hired as an ARC Welder at GM Fisher Body Fleetwood Plant. He became a UAW activist and completed studies at the Labor School at Wayne State University while supporting his wife and two children as well as numerous relatives.

He also was leader in the successful NAACP sit-in effort in the 40's to integrate downtown Detroit restaurants that refused to serve Blacks. At the time, Dillard was a member of the Board of Directors of the Detroit branch of the NAACP.

After holding numerous elected and appointed positions in UAW Local 15, including plant shop chairman and editor of the Local's newspaper, Dillard served as Educational Director of the trade Union Leadership Council (TULC) and editor of its official publication, The Vanguard. Additionally, Ernie served on the UAW's GM Department Umpire Staff, Citizenship Department Representative, Assistant Director of the Education Department, and was Assistant Director of the UAW National Community Action Program Department when he retired in 1980.

Since his retirement, Dillard has served as Instructor in leadership development training classes for the Detroit Association of Black Organizations (DABO) and the UAW Educational Department; President of the Michigan A. Philip Randolph Institute (a voter education program); Head of DemPEC (Democratic Political Education Committee) of the 13^th Congressional District; and as the Executive Vice Chairman of the 13^th Congressional District.

A voracious reader and prolific writer, many of Dillard's articles, commentary and letters have been published in the news and commercial media. Dillard's first publication was a small pamphlet entitled, "An Open Letter of Truth to the White People of Mississippi," 1956. Dillard's second book, "The Cry of White Racism: A Black Crutch; Or, Take Up Thy Bed and Walk (Subtitle: A Message to the Black People of Detroit)" was published in 1988. His next book was entitled, "Civil Rights in Leaders, Or, White America...Wake Up!!!), 1991.

Mr. Dillard's wife, Jessie Mae, passed away in October 1990 from breast cancer. Mr. Dillard, Sr.'s most recent publication is entitled, "The White Middle Class - Blind Victims of Political Skin Game," 1995. He is also presently the Chair of the speakers Bureau of the New Frontier Democratic club (N.F.D.C.) Of Los Angeles, California and Chairman of the Crusade to Communicate the Whole Truth on Race to the White People of the United States.