Othertype Oral History

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Christine Lutz: Villano discusses his youth and family background, his grandfather’s union organizing in New York City, and his father’s decision to change his surname from Villano to Williams because of the discrimination against Jews and Italians. He talks about working as a plumber in the 1920s and his brief movie-acting career. Reminiscing about the labor movement, Villano mentions George Meany, the merger of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) and the Congress of...

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Phil LaPorte: Walker briefly discusses his background before talking about the beginning of his working life in some detail. Speaking about his time in the U.S. Maritime Service and in the U.S. Army Transportation Service, Walker recalls having seen Japan, Okinawa, and Europe; he was at Inchon, Korea during McArthur’s invasion in September 1950 as well. During his time in the Army, says Walker, he trained as an engineer, which helped him secure a position as senior operating...

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Lauren Kata. Walker discusses her background growing up in a large family at the end of the Depression, living on a farm and the responsibilities handed to the her as the eldest daughter, and her educational opportunities as a woman. On gender barriers that she had to break in order to become a key player within different unions, Walker explains how she proved a woman was capable of doing the job. She also talks about her work for AFGE during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s with...

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Christine Lutz: Watkins discusses some of his personal background and then jumps into the topic of employers creating retirement programs after World War II. He says his experience in the labor movement began in 1942 when he joined the Bookbinders Union. By 1951 the workers of Follett Paper switched allegiance and became members of the Pressman’s Union. He talks about working for the Pressman’s International in the 1970s. Watkins believes the technological changes in the...

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Norman Slawsky: In this interview, West only briefly mentions his early life, spending a great deal of the interview discussing the day-to-day work of an Ironworker. He talks about the travel and the dangers he faced as an iron worker, recounting in particular his experiences working on the John Hancock building in Chicago and the World Trade Towers in New York. He discusses his rise to business manager of Local 709 in 1988. West states that he is most proud of his success in...

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Andrew Reisinger: Clarence L. Williams discusses growing up in northwest Atlanta and recounts his experiences as an African American growing up in the city during the 1940s and 1950s. He also details his parents careers, including his mother's work as a domestic and employee at Bell Bomber during World War II and his step-father's work at Puget Sound Ship Yard and Merita Bakery; both of his parents were active union members. Williams goes on to recount the many jobs he worked...

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Norman Slawsky: Going into some detail about his early life, Yarbrough recalls the difficulties of working with his parents on a plantation in Washington County. He then discusses his move to Augusta to begin working at a cotton mill and his starting an apprenticeship program with the IBEW. He further discusses his training as an electrician, his time in the Army and his travels as a journeyman. He states that he became involved in the union because of its efforts in securing...

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Interviewed by Phil LaPorte. In this interview, Payne discusses his early years and early family life. He then discusses how he began his career after high school. He also discusses his many jobs/projects early in his career. He ends this interview by discussing his beginnings in labor leadership as part of the Examining Board and then as an elected official.

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Interviewed by Phil Laporte.

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Interviewed by Phil LaPorte

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Interiewed by Phil LaPorte.

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Dana Von Tilborg. Schapiro begins by recounting her childhood and youth in Richmond, Virginia. She believes that she inherited her activism from her parents who were very involved in various Jewish organizations. After the rape of a family member in 1973, Schapiro states that she became aware of the need for action to protect women's rights, and she joined the Georgia Women’s Political Caucus, and then the Feminist Action Alliance. Schapiro discusses the differences between...

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Interviewed by Andy Reisinger. In this interview, Kahn covers much of his early life as a young Jewish boy in postwar New York City. He describes the anti-Semitism he and his family faced, his parents' political differences, and his early experiences with socialism. He discusses his education at Harvard, his work in medicine, and his civil rights activism. He describes his travels, his own political journey, and his work with the CDC.

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Interviewed by Andy Reisinger. In this interview, Kahn covers much of his early life as a young Jewish boy in postwar New York City. He describes the anti-Semitism he and his family faced, his parents' political differences, and his early experiences with socialism. He discusses his education at Harvard, his work in medicine, and his civil rights activism. He describes his travels, his own political journey, and his work with the CDC.

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Christine Lutz: Acuff discusses his background, including his college education, work as an activist with ACORN after graduation, and studying in England during his sophomore year. He articulates the connection for him between religion and activism, as well as the influence of the civil rights movement and Viet Nam on his development as an activist. He recounts about organizing nursing home workers and receiving threats from the Klu Klux Klan. On being a white Southerner...

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Christine Lutz: Adkins discusses his early work experience in Kentucky coal mining and the dangerous conditions in which he worked. He also talks about struggles in organizing the United Mine Workers, Joe Yablonski, labor organizing in Georgia and the perils of union work during the 1960s and 1970s. On the dangers of unionizing Adkins asks, “Which is the best – get shot or see your children starve?” Adkins relates his experience with the Allied and Technical Workers and United...

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Phil LaPorte: Bexley talks briefly about his family background and years before attending law school and joining the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. He discusses in detail obtaining the land for the IBEW Local 613 building and the IBEW Auditorium (named after Bexley). Bexley also talks about developing a pension plan for the IBEW and for the National Electrical Contractors Association, implementing reciprocity for traveling electrical workers, and the...

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Christine Lutz: Bolden discusses her background—childhood in the African American community in Atlanta during the Great Depression, her faith, marriage, and children. She also talks about the effects of World War II on her family—loss of all male relatives. She discusses racial violence during the 1950s and 1960s. Regarding inter-racial episodes Bolden states, “They [whites] did some awful things to you, you know, to make you want to fight them.” An important aspect of...

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Christine Lutz: Bonnano tells of growing up in New York City, vivid descriptions of life in the Bowery, father a dress presser, mother a doll dresser. He attended classes at New York University, was involved with the American Labor Party, and worked as a sewing machine operator, attending “Dubinsky’s Institute”—classes on the history and theory of labor, for training labor leadership, established by David Dubinsky. Bonnano was sent to the South as an organizer for the...