A.J. Whittenberg Interview 2

Partial Transcript: JUDITH HELFAND: Could you tell me your name and your address?

Segment Synopsis: A.J. Whittenberg discusses what is was like to work in the textile mills under segregation.

Keywords: African-American mill workers

Subjects: African Americans--Segregation; Ku Klux Klan (1915- ); Textile workers; Working class African Americans

Partial Transcript: JUDITH HELFAND: At this period of time, in 1933 is when the NRA was just coming into affect, do you remember the National Recovery Act?

Segment Synopsis: A.J Whittenberg discuss the National Recovery Act and the impact that it had on the textile mills and African American textile workers.

Keywords: African-American mill workers; National Recovery Administration

Subjects: Textile manufacturers; United States. National Recovery Administration; Working class African Americans

Partial Transcript: JUDITH HELFAND: Was there a group of would say black intellectuals who were living here in 1933 who were talking about these issues?

Segment Synopsis: A.J. Whittenberg discusses the contents of Mr. Neely's letter to President Roosevelt.

Keywords: African-American mill workers

Subjects: African Americans--Civil rights; Working class African Americans

Partial Transcript: JUDITH HELFAND: Do you remember when the white, when the , when the people in Greenville started organizing the unions?

Segment Synopsis: A.J. Whittenberg discusses how African Americans were not allowed in the union, the textile workers' strike of 1934, and the deaths at Honea Path.

Keywords: union organizing

Subjects: Honea Path (S.C.); Race discrimination; Textile Workers' Strike (Southern States : 1934); Textile workers

Partial Transcript: JUDITH HELFAND: So, if there was a strike for 21 days where did all the black workers go?

Segment Synopsis: A.J. Whittenberg discusses how African American women worked as domestic servants in the homes of mill workers, the way in which discrimination against African Americans played out in all aspects of life in Greenville, S.C.

Keywords: African-American mill workers; domestic workers

Subjects: Race discrimination; Race discrimination--Economic aspects; Racism; Segregation in education; Textile Workers' Strike (Southern States : 1934); Textile workers; Working class African Americans; Working class women

Partial Transcript: JUDITH HELFAND: Could you tell me about the kind of power that the mill management or the textile industry had in the 1930s?

Segment Synopsis: A.J. Whittenberg discusses how mill owners and various other industrialists have disliked the union and benefited from keeping organized labor out of South Carolina.

Keywords: mill managers; mill owners; union organizing

Subjects: Textile manufacturers

Partial Transcript: JUDITH HELFAND: Were you sympathetic, did you want to see the cotton mill workers-- I know that they were giving the black people a hard time, the workers, I know that, but even so, did you and your friends feel sympathetic when they were trying to organize unions?

Segment Synopsis: A.J. Whittenberg discusses why he did not sympathize the people organizing the union, the discrimination he faced in employment, and why he started his own business.

Keywords: African-American mill workers; National Recovery Administration; union organizing

Subjects: Discrimination in employment; Textile workers; United States. National Recovery Administration; Working class African Americans

Partial Transcript: JUDITH HELFAND: Alright, what happened?

A.J. WHITTENBERG: Well I'll tell you what happened that night before.

Segment Synopsis: A.J. Whittenberg discusses his invovment in the Civil Rights movement, the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, and how Ku Klux Klan member refused to kill him.

Subjects: African Americans--Civil rights; Civil rights demonstrations; Ku Klux Klan (1915- )

Partial Transcript: JUDITH HELFAND: Do you think there is a picture of Mr. Neely somewhere?

Segment Synopsis: A.J. Whittenberg discuses Mr. Neely, his beliefs on African American unions, getting in contact with Mr. Neely's relative,and letters written in protest of violation of the NRA.

Keywords: African-American mill workers; African-American unions

Subjects: Wages; Working class African Americans