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1. Willie Campbell, an African American, discusses his career as a UAW production worker and skilled trades millwright at the Fisher Body plant in Lansing, MI

Description:
Willie recounts his youth in Mississippi, his service in the U.S. Army in Korea, and being hired at Fisher in December 1954. He describes the jobs blacks were placed on, discrimination, and being denied an apprenticeship. He comments on millwright work, family, neighborhood, and retirement.
Date Issued:
2006-01-30T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Michigan State University. Libraries
Collection:
G. Robert Vincent Voice Library Collection

2. Walter Bennefield, an African American, discusses his career as a UAW production worker and GM production manager at the Fisher Body plant in Lansing, MI

Description:
Walt describes being overwhelmed when he was hired in September 1968, joining management in 1978 and finding it difficult to supervise people he worked with on the line. Walt describes a typical day for supervisors, the dress code for supervisors, meeting his wife in the plant and their struggles with an interracial marriage.
Date Issued:
2006-05-01T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Michigan State University. Libraries
Collection:
G. Robert Vincent Voice Library Collection

3. Lyle McFadden, an African American, discusses his 40-year career as a UAW production worker and plant security officer at the Fisher Body plant in Lansing, MI

Description:
Lyle describes growing up in the neighborhood near Fisher, being hired in November 1956 and his first day on the wet deck. He reflects on segregation in the plant, the swing shift, and changeover. Lyle talks about transferring to Security in 1966, describes the duties, interactions with workers, strikes, and the 1982 deaths in the Paint Department. He also discusses GM's decision to outsource plant security to Pinkerton. Lyle also discusses his other passion - coaching baseball.
Date Issued:
2006-01-26T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Michigan State University. Libraries
Collection:
G. Robert Vincent Voice Library Collection

4. Milton Vann, an African American, discusses his career as a production worker and UAW member at the Fisher Body plant in Lansing, MI

Description:
Milton recalls being hired in October 1967, serving in the Air Force, and receiving a BS in Social Science from MSU in 1971. He comments on diversity of race and backgrounds in Fisher, the nature of the work, heat, the snack wagon, strikes, strike pay, quality control, worker dedication, and his union activity.
Date Issued:
2006-02-06T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Michigan State University. Libraries
Collection:
G. Robert Vincent Voice Library Collection

5. Earl Nicholson Sr., an African American, discusses his career as a UAW production worker and GM manager at the Fisher Body plant in Lansing, MI

Description:
Earl talks about being hired in April 1963, first impressions of the factory, black workers assigned to the body shop, and union sympathies. Earl was the first black supervisor at Fisher and tells of making the transition from hourly to supervision, the effect of the BOC reorganization on managers, and comments on GM's treatment of salaried retirees.
Date Issued:
2006-05-16T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Michigan State University. Libraries
Collection:
G. Robert Vincent Voice Library Collection

6. Monte Jackson, an African American, discusses his career as a production worker and UAW member at the Fisher Body plant in Lansing, MI

Description:
Monte tells of being hired in December 1984 into the Paint Shop spraying clear coat. He describes the jobs in paint and working 13 hours a day in paint repair. Monte talks about relations with supervisors, race relations, substance abuse, his catering business and business in the plant.
Date Issued:
2005-12-21T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Michigan State University. Libraries
Collection:
G. Robert Vincent Voice Library Collection

7. Calvin Sturdivant, an African American, discusses his 40 year career as a UAW production and skilled trades worker at the Fisher Body plant in Lansing, MI

Description:
Calvin tells of growing up in Arkansas, working at a unionized shoe factory in St. Louis, moving to Michigan and being hired in November 1949 and being placed on one of the worst jobs. He describes his frustration with racism, sexism and unfairness. Calvin provides several examples of conflict and his eventual move to skilled trades as the first black in Jig & Fixture repair. He discusses being a strike captain during the 1970 strike.
Date Issued:
2006-01-13T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Michigan State University. Libraries
Collection:
G. Robert Vincent Voice Library Collection

8. Lue (Loo) Sudduth, an African American, discusses his 35-year career as a UAW production worker and GM manager at the Fisher Body plant in Lansing, MI

Description:
Lue talks about being hired in November 1954 and going to the Paint Shop. He discusses becoming a paint mixer and being one of the first blacks put on supervision. Lue talks about the technical duties of paint mix, swing shifts, women in the plant, and his family.
Date Issued:
2005-12-07T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Michigan State University. Libraries
Collection:
G. Robert Vincent Voice Library Collection

9. Fonnie Price, an African American, discusses his career as a UAW production worker, skilled trades millwright, then GM maintenance manager at the Fisher Body plant in Lansing, MI

Description:
Fonnie talks about working for Studebaker in South Bend and coming to Fisher in April 1955. He describes a workplace with few blacks placed on the worst jobs, being placed in the lead solder booth and receiving blood tests for lead exposure. Fonnie describes his move to skilled trades, racial issues, relations with coworkers and managers, and his move to supervision. He reflects on the challenges of being a lone black supervisor, his promotions, retirement and recent loss of benefits.
Date Issued:
2006-02-01T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Michigan State University. Libraries
Collection:
G. Robert Vincent Voice Library Collection

10. Calvin Sturdivant, an African American, discusses his 40 year career as a UAW production and skilled trades worker at the Fisher Body plant in Lansing, MI

Description:
Calvin tells of growing up in Arkansas, working at a unionized shoe factory in St. Louis, moving to Michigan and being hired in November 1949 and being placed on one of the worst jobs. He describes his frustration with racism, sexism and unfairness. Calvin provides several examples of conflict and his eventual move to skilled trades as the first black in Jig & Fixture repair. He discusses being a strike captain during the 1970 strike.
Date Issued:
2006-01-13T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Michigan State University. Libraries
Collection:
G. Robert Vincent Voice Library Collection