Blogs

Watching footage of NASA’s space shuttles blasting off and orbiting the globe, did you realize you were looking at union-made vehicles? Just like a Corvette or F-150, those spaceships (along with their giant orange boosters) were built by union labor, represented by the UAW.

The newly opened addition to the UAW Aerospace Department Records shines a light on the industry side of aerospace.  read more »

How might the relationship and flow of information between parents and the Detroit Board of Education affect the quality and locality of a child’s education? How were the parents of children involved in the inter-district busing debate of the early 1970s informed on the judicial and legal changes factoring into their children’s education?  read more »

Why was the United Auto Workers union involved in the highly controversial legal issue of racially-integrating busing policies in the Pontiac school district? From an outsider’s perspective, there is no clear link. The issue of forced busing has nothing to do with a worker’s union. However, it is important to remember that these workers went home to their families each night.  read more »

The Walter P. Reuther Library, Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs, invites applications for the Ronald Raven Annual Award for the Winter 2022 semester. Graduate students enrolled in Wayne State’s History Department or the School of Information Sciences are eligible for this award. The successful applicant must be in good academic standing and demonstrate financial need. The award consists of a $1,500 tuition stipend and a semester-long internship in the University Archives. Students who have completed the introductory archival administration course LIS 7710/HIS 7840 are strongly encouraged to apply. The application deadline has been extended to January 31, 2022; preference will be given to early applicants. For details, please see our scholarships page.