Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Billups Oral History

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Dublin Core

Title

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Billups Oral History

Description

Joseph Billups was one of the first members of Local 600. He worked at Ford and was fired numerous times for his union association. Mr. and Mrs. Billups discuss their roles with the Ford Hunger March of 1932, their participation with the Detroit Unemployment Council and Soup Kitchens, and the assistance they provided for evicted persons before the founding of the welfare department. Billups describes the Nat Turner Club, a progressive group that influenced the advancement of Civil Rights. He recalls his involvement striking various auto plants and Henry Fords’ recognition of the union. Billups recalls how he became pro-union and explains the reasons that other black auto workers did not participate in union activities.

Oral History Item

Interviewer

McBride, Roberta

Interviewee

Billups, Joseph, 1893-; Billups, Rose,

Date Recorded

1967-09-09

Coverage

Detroit, MI; 1996-2004

Citation

“Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Billups Oral History,” Michigan Oral History Database, accessed May 18, 2024, http://www.database.michiganoha.org/index.php/items/show/1879.

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