WDTH Labor in Duluth oral history interviews

Collection — Item: tapes

Identifier: S2369

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of three interviews concerning union organizing activities, factory working conditions, labor politics, and the experiences of Croatian immigrants in northern Minnesota. Earl Bester, Nick Borovack, and Joe Paszak were interviewed by Jean Johnson of radio station WDTH. The total length of the combined interviews is approximately 2 hours.

Earl Bester's interview describes labor politics and union organizing activities in Duluth, Minnesota and specifically at Minnesota Steel, later known as U.S. Steel.

Nick Borovack's interview describes his experiences as a Croation immigrant to the United States, and his early working experiences in a lumber mill in Virginia, Minnesota and a steel mill in Duluth, Minnesota.

Joe Paszak and Nick Borovack's joint interview describes union organizing activities at the U.S. Steel Plant and a comparison of factory work and workers from the 1940s and 1970s.

Dates

1979-1980

Creator

KUMD-FM (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Open for use in the Kathryn A. Martin Library, Archives and Special Collections.

Conditions Governing Use

This collection may be protected by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code). It is the user's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and to obtain all necessary permissions prior to the reproduction, publication, or other use of any portion of these materials. Researchers may quote from the collection under the fair use provision of the copyright law.

Biographical / Historical

KUMD is a public radio station operated by the University of Minnesota Duluth. It was founded as a 10 watt AM station in 1957 by UMD students. KUMD converted to 250 watts FM in 1962. Eventually KUMD took over the defunct 100,000 watt commercial station WDTH FM. The station was on air as WDTH for several years before reclaiming the KUMD call letters.

Extent

3.00 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Physical Location

This collection is located at the University of Minnesota Duluth Archives. For more information about this collection or to make an appointment, contact us at libarchives@d.umn.edu or 218-726-8526.

Physical Description

2 audiocassettes

General

This collection is part of the Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections, which are housed in the University of Minnesota Duluth Archives at the Kathryn A. Martin Library.

Subjects

Central labor councils Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Croatian Americans Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Duluth (Minn.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Immigrants Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Labor unions Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Labor, Organized Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Labor--History Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Morgan Park (Duluth, Minn.) Subject Source: Local sources
Oral history Subject Source: Local sources
Oral history interviews Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Steel industry and trade Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
United States Steel Company
United States Steel Corporation
Virginia (Minn.) Subject Source: Local sources
Workers Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings