Eldridge Cook, African-American GM Manager, discusses his career at the Fisher Body plant in Lansing, MI
- Description:
- Cookie talks about college and teaching in Mississippi, coming to Lansing in 1963 and 1964 to work summers in the factory and returning south to teach in the fall. In 1965, Cookie permanently hired into Fisher. He describes a workplace with few minorities and one black supervisor. Cookie comments on the 1970 UAW strike, discrimination and race. He recalls applying and being tested for supervision but was told he failed the test. In 1971 he felt he was forced onto supervision to help GM comply with new laws. Cookie recalls that some workers would not accept their paychecks from a black. He talks about cooking a roast in the paint ovens, area dinners, the salaried dining room and retirement.
- Date Issued:
- 2006-01-10T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Michigan State University. Libraries
- Collection:
- G. Robert Vincent Voice Library Collection
- Place:
- Michigan, Lansing, Michigan, Lansing, Michigan, Lansing, Michigan, Lansing, Michigan, Lansing, Michigan, Lansing, Michigan, Lansing, and Mississippi
- Subject Topic:
- Career in automobile industry and trade, African American automobile industry workers, Middle managers, Retired, Diversity in the workplace, Racism in the workplace, Discrimination in employment, Strikes and lockouts, Automobile industry, and Automobile factories
- Subject Name:
- Cook, Eldridge and Cook, Eldridge
- Subject Genre:
- Interviews, Interviews, Interviews, and Miscellanea
- Language:
- English
- Rights:
- In Copyright
- URL:
- https://n2t.net/ark:/85335/m53t9d67k