Othertype Oral History

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Christine Lutz: Butler argues eloquently that, “working people need a voice.” He discusses life with the United Auto Workers (UAW), and his current volunteer work with union retirees. He gives candid opinions of political figures and whether or not they have been good from the point of view of organized labor. He says, “I have got a great deal of satisfaction from [being in a union] and my family has been able to live…decently…because of the union activities…and the benefits...

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Christine Lutz: Carter and Ward are, respectively, owner and employee of Superior Printing Company.They have a cooperative and mutually respectful relationship that is remarked upon admiringly by other interviewees in this series. Frank Carter went to work in the printing industry at a young age. He worked for Williams Printing Company in 1923, and later bought a small business owned by Williams, called Superior Leather Service. This business later became Superior Printing...

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Interviewed by Christine Lutz: Counihan discusses being on staff with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers for forty years after working his way up the ranks at Alston Engineering Company and living in Savannah during the Great Depression. He also talks about the trials and tribulations of working for the union and his role in settling disputes. Counihan had a long stint as mayor of Savannah Beach, Georgia.

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Phil LaPorte: Mr. Flynn discusses his entry into the union and how he learned about the inner workings of local lodges to prepare him into his eventual entry as president of the Atlanta Lodge 1690. He also discusses the view of mechanics compared to other classifications such as store clerks, baggage handlers and shop laborers. He also talks about how his experience in many classifications helped him to be more relatable. He speaks about Frank Lorenzo’s takeover of Eastern...

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Christine Lutz: Giles begins by talking about growing up with a legally blind father and a mother with tuberculosis during the Great Depression, and his early work experience as a ‘soda jerk.’ He served in the Navy during World War II and was stationed for a time in China. Giles discusses his family life and post-war employment at Georgia Power Company during which he became a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). He says that while at Georgia...

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Phil LaPorte: Initially focusing on his early life, Green recalls working as a drug store “curb boy,” at a dairy, in a shoe factory and in a meat packing plant to help support his family after his father was relocated to a Ford assembly plant in Cincinnati upon the closure of the Ford plant in Atlanta in the early 1930s. Green speaks about being drafted into the Army late in 1942, his experiences training in Atlantic City, and his service in Okinawa and in Japan. Green goes...

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Christine Lutz: Fred Halstead talks about growing up in a small New York town, his family, and working in silk and wool mills. Halstead moved south to work as a union organizer in the 1950s. In his words, doing so was “the toughest work I ever saw.” He discusses southern resistance to unionization - including wildcat strikes at Avondale mills in Alabama. He provides a detailed explanation of the organizing process: education, leaflets, and other aspects of organizing drives,...

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Norman Slawsky: Hamilton briefly discusses his early life through high school graduation. He describes both the discrimination and achievements of his time in the Navy, particularly his engineering and refrigeration training. He speaks of his time in Brooklyn, where he worked for the New York City Transit Authority for nine years (1960-1969) and briefly discusses his involvement with Democratic Party Politics in New York. Hamilton talks about his move to Atlanta in 1974 and...

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Phil LaPorte. In this interview, Harnage discusses his youth, which centered around sports. He then discusses attempting college, but leaving early to join the Air Force. Harnage discusses his 18 months in the Philippines and the development of his investigatory skills during his time as an Air Force police officer. He then discusses his return to the United States and subsequent jobs. In 1964, he joined his union, which changed the course of the rest of his life. He spends...

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Interviewed by Phil LaPorte: Howard describes his childhood living on a farm in Alabama, and his father’s vocal support of labor unions. He goes on to describe his early jobs following graduation from high school, which included work at Lockheed Aircraft, Atlanta Transit Company, Boaz Spinning Company, and Hayes Aircraft. Howard describes his 30+ year career with IBEW Local 84 while working at Georgia Power Company and his successes and failures as Business Manager.

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Phil LaPorte: Harlon Joye discusses his activist work in Atlanta and around the south from the 1960s through the 2000s. He was hired in 1983 by AFSCME to recruit new members and has worked for AFSCME as a newspaper editor, organizer, union administrator, city govermnet monitor, and advocate. He talks about the labor movement in the South, city workers in Atlanta, and strikes, including the Sanitation Workers Strike of 1977. Much of the discussion focuses on public sector union...

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Matthew Quest: In this session, Kadalie explains the impact his parents and the community in which he grew up had on him. He summarizes his time at Morehouse College, where his lifelong interest in activism began with his first sit-ins and several conflicts with the Morehouse College administration. He elaborates on his personal philosophies and involvement with various activist groups, including the League of Revolutionary Black Workers, the African Liberation Support...

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Marcia Fishman: Al Kehrer discusses his family background, including the Americanization of German Americans after World War I as well as growing up in Detroit, Michigan. He also speaks of his interest in the labor movement and the influence of teachers such as Florence Sweeney, first president of the Detroit Federation of Teachers (DFT), and Max Jaslow, who taught night classes to the United Auto Workers (UAW). Kehrer found many opportunities for childhood employment during...

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Christine Lutz: Mr. Key talks about his family’s background in labor unions, their health problems resulting from foundry work, and his early work experiences after quitting high school. He discusses what Atlanta was like when he moved to town in the 1960s. Union politics and labor organizing were central to Key’s membership. He mentions the rivalry and differences between union vs. non-union labor. Concerning race relations, Key discusses the Atlanta Plan for Integrating...

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Phil LaPorte: Faye Knight with Louise Warren and Betty Bendimire discuss their work at the Manhattan Shirt Company and their participation in the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union, Local 226, in Americus, Georgia. The women detail their early years, education, and pre-union work history. They also talk about being union members: benefits, supporting their union, the difficulties of working in an anti-union town, the pressures of being union officers, and labor...

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Traci Drummond: In this interview, Kovacs initially discusses his family background and eventual enlistment into the United States Navy and service during Vietnam. He discusses his transition from military life to becoming an air traffic controller and a member of PATCO. Kovacs explains much of the early years of PATCO and his own membership in the organization leading into a leadership role. He elaborated on the conditions that led to the outbreak of the 1981 PATCO strike,...

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Matthew Quest: In this interview, Lawrence briefly discusses his origins with the civil rights and labor movements, including his membership in the Young People's Socialist League, the Socialist Party, and the Facing Reality organization. He describes his participation in activism as a young man and interest in various political philosophies. He enumerates the writings and people who influenced him politically and inspired his support and devotion to the labor and civil rights...

Content Description From the Collection:

The Voices of Labor Oral History Project consists of 49 oral history interviews. The interviews are with labor union members and cover their lives, upbringings, and work in the labor movement.

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Christine Lutz: Mabry discusses life in Sandy Springs, Georgia during the 1930s and 1940s. His first union membership began with the Carpenters’ Union and the Labors’ League for Political Education (LLPE). He talks about local and national politics and influential men, including Ellis Arnall, Ralph McGill, Lester Maddox, Zell Miller, and former presidents Bill Clinton, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Harry Truman, and Gerald Ford. Mabry also discusses membership in the AFL-CIO as...

Scope and Contents Interviewed by Cliff Kuhn and Duane Stewart. Among topics discussed: Family background; WW II; mortuary business; construction business; getting involved with NAACP activities; racial etiquette; Primus King case; courthouse registration; political parties; the Republican party; black leadership in Macon; Macon Voters League; registration drives; groups involved in registration; union involvement; Talmadge‑Carmichael election of 1946; Ku Klux Klan; Eugene Talmadge; the Crusaders; candidate...