Volume 11 2007 than to have done it well.” The second of five children, Reuther was born on September 1, 1907, in Wheeling, West Virginia. His father and mother, Valentine and Anna, raised their family to hold dear traditional values such as hard work and disciplined living. Valentine also taught them the essentials of unionism and social justice. “At my father’s knee,” Walter later recalled, “we learned the philosophy of trade unionism. We got the struggles, the hopes and aspirations of working people every- day.” Walter Reuther left school at the age of 15 to take a tool and die apprenticeship at a local factory. In 1927 Reuther, like so many before him, journeyed to Detroit in the hope of find- ing more fruitful employment. He landed a job at the Ford Motor Company where he was quickly promoted to the task of supervising a group of die makers. Despite the demands of his job, Walter also called upon his enormous energy and drive to finish his high school diploma. These characteristics served him well his entire life. The years 1936 and 1937 were pivotal both for the United Automobile Workers and Walter Reuther. In March of 1936 alter Reuther is often remembered as one of the most Walter married May Wolf, an organizer for the American Waccomplished leader in the history of the American labor move- Federation of Teachers. Later that spring, Walter Reuther was ment. A man of character, resolve and boundless energy, he elected to the union’s Executive Board and he organized and sought to level the playing field for all working people. Reuther became president of UAW Local 174 in Detroit, also known as was ambitious, but took pride in being the nation’s lowest-paid continued on page 4 union president. As head of the United Automobile Workers (UAW) from 1946 to 1970, he held enormous economic power, but used it to better the lives of the union rank and file. As an advisor to four The Reuther Library American presi- dents Reuther had Celebrates the Life of political influence, but applied it on behalf of the disad- Walter Reuther On Monday, August 27, the Walter P. Reuther Library cele- vantaged. He brated the opening of the exhibit, No Greater Calling: The spoke and lived his Life of Walter Reuther, 1907-1970 and the launch of the guiding philosophy: website dedicated to him. The exhibit and website were “There is no greater created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Walter calling than to Reuther’s birth. The event was attended by UAW President serve your fellow Ron Gettelfinger, members the Reuther family, former man. There is no UAW President Douglas Fraser, Wayne State University greater contribution The UAW’s Robert Kanter, Walter P. Reuther, Richard Frankensteen, and J.J. Kennedy are apporached by Ford President Irvin Reid, Congressman Sander Levin, Detroit than to help the security men. The confrontation and violence that follows is City Councilwoman Joann Watson, and many others. weak. There is no now known as “The Battle of the Overpass.” 26 May 1937. see photos on page 5 greater satisfaction Collections Open for Research Reverend James Drake James G. Pyrros 1961-1977 [6 l.f.] 1943-1988 [6 l.f.] The papers of James Drake relate to migrant James G. Pyrros was Michigan Congressman Lucien Nedzi's labor legislation, and to his work with the administrative assistant. The collection relates to Michigan United Farm Workers organizing campaigns of Democratic Party politics with good coverage of Zolton the late 1960s and 1970s. In particular, the Ferency's 1966 campaign for governor of Michigan. papers reflect Drake’s work with the Delano Grape Boycott and lettuce boycotts. UFW president William H. Simons Cesar Chavez and Reverend James 1906-1995 [13 l.f.] Ann Filardo Drake. Mr. Simons was the Washington Teachers Union (WTU) presi- 1969-1993 [2 l.f.] dent and a member of the American Federation of Teachers’ Ann Filardo was an executive board member and chairperson of Executive Council. The collection documents his career with the Teachers Action Caucus. She was also a founder of the the WTU and the history of public education in the Washington United Action Caucus, a group within the American Federation D.C. area. of Teachers (AFT) that was formed to be the opposition group to the Progressive Caucus, the dominant party in the AFT. The Thomas W. Stephens collection has files relating to the Ocean Hill Brownsville Strike in New York City, community control issues, U.S. foreign poli- 1978-2003 [12 l.f.] cies in Vietnam and Central America, education reform propos- Mr. Stephens is a Detroit environmental justice lawyer who was als in the 1980s, and AFT internal politics regarding the secret involved in lawsuits against municipal incinerators in Detroit ballot. and Flint. The collection also contains material on globalization and trade policy. Martin and Jessie Glaberman [Part 2] Young Woman's Home Association 1939-2001 [12 l.f.] This is an addition to the current collection that reflects the 1877-2003 [3 l.f.] Glaberman’s many years of involvement in the labor, civil The Young Woman’s Home Association was a Detroit residence rights, and women’s movements. It includes two linear feet of club for working women that began in 1877 and closed its material relating to C. L. R. James and audiotapes of James and doors in 1969. The collection contains material primarily relat- Detroit black radicals. ing to its operation. Luella Hannan Memorial Foundation Metro Detroit Skilled Tradeswomen 1927-1988 [19 l.f.] Oral Histories The Luella Hannan Memorial Foundation provided financial Interviews with 19 women from a variety of trades conducted support for Detroit's indigent aged. The collection consists of between 2004 and 2006. The collection consists of video inter- client files. There are restrictions: no names can be cited. views and written transcripts. Not all of the oral histories are open for research. Presidential Collections Open American Federation of State, UAW President’s Office: Owen Bieber County, and Municipal Collection, Part I 1970-1995 [41.25 l.f.] Employees (AFSCME) Office Born December 28, 1929, Owen Bieber first of the President: Gerald W. McEntee joined the United Automobile Workers 1977-1995 [125 l.f.] (UAW) union in 1948. He later became the The papers of Gerald McEntee, president of the American 6th president of the UAW, serving from 1983- Federation of State, County and Muniicpal Employees since 1995. This collection documents policies, pro- 1982, are comprised of the Federation's Executive Department grams and the activities of the UAW during and International Affairs Department. This is the first install- his presidency and is comprised of personal ment of the McEntee Collection, which has records from 1982 subject files, correspondence, speeches, inter- to 1995. views, and official records. Page 2 National Association of Letter Carriers The Reuther Library is pleased to announce the opening of 11 collections from the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC). The Reuther was designated the offical archives for the NALC in 2000 and since that time, nearly 500 linear feet have been transferred to the Reuther, including this year’s accession of President Vince Sombrotto’s papers (approxi- mately 260 l.f.). The collections listed below are the first historical records of the NALC open for research. Office of the President: James H. F. John Miller, Executive Assistant to the Rademacher President 1950-1987 [11 l.f.] 1889-1999 [24 l.f.] Contains NALC President James H. Rademacher’s biographical Comprised of a combination of documents directed to and gen- information. The collection also documents the 1970 wildcat erated by both Miller and President Vince Sombrotto, including strike and postal service reorganization. reports on NALC's investment funds; material regarding the federal government's Employee Thrift Advisory Council that Office of the President: J. Joseph Vacca was chaired by Sombrotto; and detailed records documenting 1966-1979 [3 l.f.] preparations for NALC's 1989 centennial celebration. Includes rulings by the NALC Committee of Laws regarding branch compliance with the national constitution. Director of Research and Education 1968-1985 [4.3 l.f.] Office of the Executive Vice Includes NALC publications and training materials President produced by the Director of Research and Education, 1965-1997 [46 l.f.] as well as material developed and relating to the Contains the records of the second and third Joint NALC-USPS Employee Involvement program. officers to hold the position of executive vice president: Tony Huerta (1976-1986) and Director of Public Relations Francis J. Conners (1986-1998). A large por- 1985-1995 [5 l.f.] tion of the Huerta material relates to legislative Relates primarily to the promotion of the association issues, including NALC’s grass roots lobbying and its members through advertising, press releases, and training programs, while the Conners and numerous media contacts. Files document a material deals extensively with the Joint wide range of NALC activities, including the Postal NALC-USPS Employee Involvement program The Reuther Director, Mike Smith and Employees’ Relief Fund and extensive material of the 1980s and early 1990s. Nancy Dysert load Vince Sombrotto’s relating to the early years of the annual NALC food NALC boxes into a truck in Washington, drive. D.C. for shipment to Detroit. Office of the Vice President 1968-1986 [12 l.f.] Office of the Comptroller Generated by Francis J. Conners during his tenure as vice presi- 1892-1981[9 l.f.] dent of NALC (1976-1986), materials include extensive docu- Contains material relating to the supervision and maintenance mentation of the 1978 contract negotiations, as well as informa- of NALC’s financial records.