Morgan Stanford oral history interview, December 7, 1994

Interviewed by Marcia Fishman: Stanford discusses his family background, the death of his father in 1923, and his widowed mother raising three children during the Great Depression. He talks about his military service—the West Indies, Antigua, the British West Indies, and being wounded outside of Luxembourg. He also discusses the cases he argued while in the employment of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), especially the Hapt Brothers’ strike and court case, and the Stilley Plywood Company case. Stanford said he went to work in labor law because, “…I thought it was good purpose. I had sympathy with the working people, and sympathy with the labor movement, which is the best way to help working people in our so-called…free enterprise economy.” He mentions the Great Depression, then talks about leaving the NLRB and his experiences as a lawyer, usually labor issues, in Atlanta in cases such as strikes and arbitration for the United Packinghouse Workers, the Atlanta Federation of Musicians, and Monroe Auto Equipment. He also speaks of the attempts at organizing by United Auto Workers, and the Communication Workers of America 1972 Southern Bell Strike. Stanford discusses the Southwire Company, including its owner Roy Richards, various attempts at organizing the company, and anti-union propaganda. He says the Unitarian Universalist Church of Atlanta was the first to be racially integrated in the city and that his involvement in integration ended his career as City Attorney. Stanford also talks about Georgia political figures, the Civil Rights Movement, and the general lack of involvement of clergy in unions.