gstrassel's blog

Every first Saturday in May, sports fans take in the historic Kentucky Derby, "the most exciting two minutes in sports." The pinnacle of horse racing, the Derby takes place at Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky. Most spectators focuson the horses and jockeys, but the race would be impossible without the efforts of thousands of racetrack employees  read more »

As PyeongChang prepares to light the torch for the 2018 Olympics, we are reminded of when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) almost passed the baton to the city of Detroit. The story of Detroit’s persuasive and nearly successful endeavor to bring the 1968 Olympic games to the Motor City is told through the documents of the Jerome Cavanagh Papers at the Walter P. Reuther Library. Detroit, thanks to postwar economic growth, had previously been suggested as the United States’ pick as Olympic candidate city.  read more »

In 1955, The Laborer magazine commissioned a series of paintings titled "Landmarks in Labor", including them in their publications throughout that year. Each painting depicts and describes vital accomplishments of the American labor movement, from the birth of the eight hour day to the founding of the Knights of Labor. The images, found in a collection of labor union photographs, are being presented but the Reuther Library in anticipation for the upcoming Labor Day.  read more »

The Walter P. Reuther Library is proud to announce the opening of the SEIU Photographs, a collection of images that spans the union’s proud history from 1915 to 2012. The majority of the collection originated from the Communications Department at SEIU’s international offices in Washington D.C. Most of the photos have been taken for SEIU’s various publications and informational literature (posters, pamphlets). Many of these photos capture pivotal moments in the union’s history, ranging from  read more »