Twentieth Century Trade Union Woman: Vehicle for Social Change Oral Histories
Collection
Identifier: LOH002227
Scope and Content
Collection consists of transcripts of 61 oral history interviews with women workers, labor leaders, and activists representing varied geographic, work, racial, and ethnic backgrounds and union affiliations. Topics covered include family background; work history; involvement in union, community, and political activities; motivations for activism; reflections on women's roles in unions; and general views on life. Each transcript includes a biographical sketch and an index.
Includes interviews with the following 61 participants: Mary Baker, Sara Barron, Mary Callahan, Beulah Compton, Catherine Conroy, Clara Day, Jessie De La Cruz, Evelyn Dubrow, Mary Lawrence Elkuss, Marie Fese, Sara Fredgrant, Caroline Decker Gladstein, Charlotte Graham, Dorothy Haener, Lillian Herstein, Mildred Jeffrey, Brownie Lee Jones, Maida Springer Kemp, Ola Kennedy, Elizabeth Kimmel, Dorothy and Henry Kraus, Mollie Levitas, Carmen Lucia, Minnie Lunsford, Florence Luscomb, Florence Lynch, Julia Maietta, Joyce Maupin, Ah Quon McElrath, Eula McGill, Barbara Merrill, Julia Luna Mount, Arline Neal, Fannie Neal, Pauline Newman, Elizabeth Nord, Rose Norwood, Karen Nussbaum, Rose Palmquist, Esther Peterson, Florence Peterson, Alice Peurala, Celia Pincus, Antoinette Podojil, Geraldine Roberts, Lillian Roberts, Dollie L. Robinson, Margaret Scattergood, Frieda Schwenkmeyer, Bonnie Segal, Anna Sullivan, Gertrude Sweet, Pauline Taylor, Lucille Thornburgh, Doris Turner, Regina Urdaneta, Angela Gizzi Ward, Barbara Wertheimer, Ruth Wiencek, and Nelle Wooding.
Dates
- 1971 - 1979
- Majority of material found within 1975 - 1979
Creator
- Program on Women and Work (Organization)
Language of Materials
Material entirely in English.
Access
Collection is open for research.
Use
Refer to the Walter P. Reuther Library
RESTRICTIONS: Due to the personal nature of oral history, the Library prohibits use of the material in any way that infringes on individual right to privacy, or results in libelous statements or slander, in accordance with U.S. law.
Permission to publish or quote from the following interviews must be obtained from the interviewee or her heirs or assigns: Clara Day, Marie Fese, Caroline Decker-Gladstein, Ola Kennedy, Minnie Lunsford, Eula McGill, Julia Luna Mount, Rose Norwood, Karen Nussbaum, and Celia Pincus.
Rules for Use of Archival Materials.
RESTRICTIONS: Due to the personal nature of oral history, the Library prohibits use of the material in any way that infringes on individual right to privacy, or results in libelous statements or slander, in accordance with U.S. law.
Permission to publish or quote from the following interviews must be obtained from the interviewee or her heirs or assigns: Clara Day, Marie Fese, Caroline Decker-Gladstein, Ola Kennedy, Minnie Lunsford, Eula McGill, Julia Luna Mount, Rose Norwood, Karen Nussbaum, and Celia Pincus.
History
In the 1970s, the Program on Women and Work, a unit of the Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations (ILIR), a jointly administered body of the University of Michigan and Wayne State University, coordinated an oral history project to document the lives and work of women active in the labor movement from 1900 through 1970. Joyce L. Kornbluh of ILIR served as project director. Many interviewers conducted interviews with participants across the United State. This project, "The Twentieth Century Trade Union Woman: Vehicle for Social Change," eventually formed the basis for the 1996 book,
Extent
3 Linear Feet (6 MB) : Consists of 61 printed transcripts.
2.17 Gigabytes (51 files) : Consists of PDFs.
Abstract
In the 1970s, the Program on Women and Work, a unit of the Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations (ILIR), a jointly administered body of the University of Michigan and Wayne State University, coordinated an oral history project to document the lives and work of women active in the labor movement from 1900 through 1970. Joyce L. Kornbluh of ILIR served as project director. Many interviewers conducted interviews with participants across the United State. This project, "The Twentieth Century Trade Union Woman: Vehicle for Social Change," eventually formed the basis for the 1996 book,
Arrangement
Materials are arranged by interview number, which corresponds to alphabetical arrangement by interviewee last name.
Other Access Aids
Finding aid also available as a pdf file.
https://www.reuther.wayne.edu/files/LOH002227.pdf
Custodial History
Other names that have been used to refer to the project and the collection include "20th Century Tradeswomen" and "Trade Union Women Oral History Project."
Acquisition
Deposited in various installments beginning in 1980 by the Program on Women and Work, Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations, University of Michigan-Wayne State University.
Existence and Location of Originals
The original project materials, including administrative files, draft and final transcript versions, audio recordings, and microform copies, are housed at the Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan.
Other Copies
Transcripts were digitized and are available as PDF files.
Processing History
Processed by Walter P. Reuther Library. Finding aid written by Rebecca Bizonet on April 1, 2016. Folders numbers and arranged in alphabetical order by Ciera Casteel March 20, 2019.
- Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America
- International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
- International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America. Local 163 (Detroit, Mich.)
- American Federation of Labor
- American Federation of Teachers
- Communication Workers of America
- Congress of Industrial Organizations (U.S.)
- Hotel & Restaurant Employees and Bartenders International Union
- Industrial Workers of the World
- International Brotherhood of Teamsters
- International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
- International Union of Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers
- Oral histories
- Progressive Party (U.S. : 1948)
- Service Employees International Union
- Textile Workers Union of America
- Transcripts
- United Farm Workers
- United Steelworkers of America
- Women labor union members -- United States
Creator
- Program on Women and Work (Organization)
- Kornbluh, Joyce L. (Project director, Person)
- Title
- Guide to the Twentieth Century Trade Union Woman: Vehicle for Social Change Oral Histories
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Processed by Walter P. Reuther Library. Finding aid written by Rebecca Bizonet.
- Date
- 2016-04-01
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
- Sponsor
- Description made possible by funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
Repository Details
Part of the Walter P. Reuther Library Repository
Contact:
5401 Cass Avenue
Detroit MI 48202 USA
5401 Cass Avenue
Detroit MI 48202 USA