Arthur McPhaul is the former Executive Secretary of the Civil Rights Congress of Michigan. In this interview McPhaul describes his experiences with the Ford Organizing Drive, the Civil Rights Federation, National Negro Congress, and Civil Rights…
Arthur Osman is the Former president of the District 65 Distributive Workers of America. In this interview Osman recalls the conditions in the dry goods industry in New York in the early 1930’s, the AFL-CIO split in later 30’s, and the organizing of…
Beulah Whitby was a social worker and former assistant director of the Detroit Commission on Community Relations. In this interview Whitby recalls her employment as the Assistant Executive Secretary with the then segregated YWCA and casework with the…
Bernie Smith was a retired Juvenile Court probation officer. In this interview Smith recalls black life in Detroit in early the 1900’s, the organization of Detroit Urban League, and black politics at the turn of the century. Mr. Smith discusses the…
C. LeBron Simmons was a practicing Detroit attorney at the time of this interview. Simmons recalls the events of the Sojourner Truth housing project and police brutality in the 1930’s. Simmons describes his presidency with the Detroit Chapter of the…
In this interview David Livingston recalls his activities as President of District 65, Distributive Workers of America. Livingston discusses his roles with the Distributive Workers, the Textile Workers Union and the organizing of black and Puerto…
Dorothy Jones, a faculty member at Rutgers State University, recalls her role as an educator and labor activist. This interview describes her involvement with the United Federation of Teachers, Dr. Kenneth Clark, and the Northern school…
Edward Doty was a plumber and black unionist in Chicago Illinois. In this interview Doty recalls the problem of discrimination in the Chicago area building trades, especially in electricians’ and plumbers’ unions. Doty also describes the organization…
In this interview Eleanor Macki discusses her membership with the American Youth Congress Civil Rights Federation and the Civil Rights Congress. Macki recalls the Detroit riots, the Sojourner Truth housing episode, and her involvement with the…
Mrs. Francis Albrier was the first black women welder and member of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders and Helpers of the AFL-CIO in Richmond, CA during WWII. In this interview Albrier recalls the problems she had…