United Automobile Workers of America, District 65 Oral History Collection
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Abstract
The labor union now known as District 65, UAW, was organized in 1933 by Arthur Osman and in 1938 became Local 65 of the United Retail and Wholesale Employees of America, CIO. Though at first primarily composed of Jewish workers, the union expanded to include persons of various geographical and ethnic backgrounds from the retail and manufacturing sectors, clerical personnel, salesclerks, writers, editors, technicians, and lawyers. The United Automobile Workers of America, District 65 Oral History Collection is audio recordings and transcriptions for over 30 interviews with union members dating from 1980 to 1994, as well as audio recordings of an Executive Council meeting from October 12, 1982. This collection also contains audio recordings of speeches by Martin Luther King, Jr. dating from 1962 to 1967 and a Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial service from 1971.
Historical Note
The labor union now known as District 65, UAW, was organized in 1933, by Arthur Osman and in 1938 became Local 65 of the United Retail and Wholesale Employees of America, CIO. In 1948, Local 65's leadership refused to sign the Taft-Hartley Act's non-communist affidavits, and Local 65, seceded from its parent union and the CIO but rejoined in 1954 as District 65 of the RWDSU (Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union). In 1969, differences, including the union's opposition to the Vietnam War, led to District 65's disaffiliation from the RWDSU and the formation of the National Council of Distributive Workers of America. In 1979, District 65 joined the United Automobile Workers. Though at first primarily composed of Jewish workers, the union expanded to include persons of various geographical and ethnic backgrounds from the retail and manufacturing sectors, clerical personnel, salesclerks, writers, editors, technicians, and lawyers.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged alphabetically by interviewee last name.
Scope and Contents
The United Automobile Workers of America, District 65 Oral History Collection contains interviews in the form of audio recordings and transcriptions for over 30 union member oral history interviews dating from 1980 to 1994. Topics include union evolution from the 1960s to the 1980s; March on Washington; the Red Scare; Frank Cherry; African-Americans in the union; lack of women in union negotiations; trade work in the Depression Era; and the formation and evolution of the Camera Club. An audio recording of a union Executive Council meeting from October 12, 1982 is also in this collection, as well as of speeches by Martin Luther King, Jr. dating from 1962 to 1967 and a Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial service from 1971.
Subjects
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Because of the assembled nature of this collection, copyright status varies across the collection. Copyright is assumed to be held by the original creator of individual items in the collection; these items are expected to pass into the public domain 120 years after their creation. The Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives is not authorized to grant permission to publish or reproduce materials from this collection.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; United Automobile Workers of America, District 65 Oral History Collection; OH.019; box number; folder number or item identifier; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Collected by the Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives; dates unknown. The accession number associated with this collection is 1979.015.
Audiovisual Access Policies and Procedures
Access CDs for audiovisual materials in the collection are available by appointment for reading room viewing and listening only. Access to some audiovisual materials in this collection is available through digitized access copies. Researchers may view an item's original container, but the media themselves are not available for playback because of preservation concerns. Materials that have already been digitized are noted in the collection's finding aid and can be requested in our reading room.
Access to some audiovisual materials in this collection is available through digitized access copies. Researchers may view an item's original container, but the media themselves are not available for playback because of preservation concerns. Materials that have already been digitized are noted in the collection's finding aid and can be requested in our reading room.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Decisions regarding arrangement, description, and physical interventions for this collection prior to 2024 are unknown. In 2024, individual listings for original recording, transcript, and access copy were added to each interview subject in the inventory, as well as bringing the finding aid up to compliance with DACS and ACM Required Elements for Archival Description.
