Interview with Morris Benson
In this interview, Morris Benson discusses his involvement in the union and his working life at the Ensley Steel Plant (TCI). He details his involvement in organizing labor, beginning in 1936. He was a deacon of a church and was asked to find out how other black workers felt about organizing. Benson...
| Format: | Electronic |
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University of Alabama Libraries
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| Online Access: | http://purl.lib.ua.edu/54289 |
| format |
Electronic |
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| collection |
Working Lives Oral History Collection |
| building |
University of Alabama Libraries |
| publisher |
University of Alabama Libraries |
| topic |
Oral histories |
| spellingShingle |
Oral histories Interview with Morris Benson |
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Oral histories Benson, Morris--Interviews; Labor unions--Alabama--Ensley; Ensley Steel Plant (Alabama); Steel industry and trade--Alabama--Ensley; Segregation--Alabama--Ensley; Education--Alabama; Alabama--Religion; United States--Civilization--1970-; interviews; transcripts |
| description |
In this interview, Morris Benson discusses his involvement in the union and his working life at the Ensley Steel Plant (TCI). He details his involvement in organizing labor, beginning in 1936. He was a deacon of a church and was asked to find out how other black workers felt about organizing. Benson says he tried to get everyone to join. He recounts early strikes in the 1940s and recalls early segregated union meetings. Benson details how the union helped him get a raise and a promotion. He also talks about company spies. Regarding his early life, Benson says he got a sixth grade education, explaining that "colored folks" in the country could not go further in school. Benson describes FDR as the "greatest president we ever had" and goes on to say that he "brought us out of that hole that Hoover put us in." Benson also discusses his involvement in the church and the role of the church in the black community. He discusses revivals and offers up differences between city and country churches.The digitization of this collection was funded by a gift from EBSCO Industries. |
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Interview with Morris BensonBenson, Morris (Interviewee); Hamrick, Peggy (Interviewer)Sound; Text1984 June 8engelectronic; image/jpeg; 2 audio cassettes; 2 transcriptsIn this interview, Morris Benson discusses his involvement in the union and his working life at the Ensley Steel Plant (TCI). He details his involvement in organizing labor, beginning in 1936. He was a deacon of a church and was asked to find out how other black workers felt about organizing. Benson says he tried to get everyone to join. He recounts early strikes in the 1940s and recalls early segregated union meetings. Benson details how the union helped him get a raise and a promotion. He also talks about company spies. Regarding his early life, Benson says he got a sixth grade education, explaining that "colored folks" in the country could not go further in school. Benson describes FDR as the "greatest president we ever had" and goes on to say that he "brought us out of that hole that Hoover put us in." Benson also discusses his involvement in the church and the role of the church in the black community. He discusses revivals and offers up differences between city and country churches.The digitization of this collection was funded by a gift from EBSCO Industries.Benson, Morris--Interviews; Labor unions--Alabama--Ensley; Ensley Steel Plant (Alabama); Steel industry and trade--Alabama--Ensley; Segregation--Alabama--Ensley; Education--Alabama; Alabama--Religion; United States--Civilization--1970-; interviews; transcriptsUnited States--Alabama--Jefferson County--BirminghamThe University of Alabama Libraries Special CollectionsWorking Lives Oral History Projectu0008_0000003_0000006http://purl.lib.ua.edu/54289Images are in the public domain or protected under U.S. copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code), and both types may be used for research and private study. For publication, commercial use, or reproduction, in print or digital format, of all images and/or the accompanying data, users are required to secure prior written permission from the copyright holder and from archives@ua.edu. When permission is granted, please credit the images as Courtesy of The University of Alabama Libraries Special Collections.http://cdm17336.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/u0008_0000003/id/257 |
| title |
Interview with Morris Benson |
| titleStr |
Interview with Morris Benson |
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http://purl.lib.ua.edu/54289 |
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UAworkingoh257 |
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http://cdm17336.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/getthumbnail/collection/u0008_0000003/id/257 |
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1705814249068036096 |