Oral history interview with George R. Elmore, March 11, 1976
Subtitle: interview H-0266, Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007)
Contributors: Glass, Brent D., interviewer; Southern Oral History Program; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Documenting the American South (Project); University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library
Edition: Electronic ed.
Publisher: University Library, UNC-Chapel Hill
Published: 2007
Place of publication: [Chapel Hill, N.C.]
Language: eng
Subjects: Interviews; Farmers; Textile workers; Farm life; Social life and customs; Company towns; Social conditions; Labor unions
Other titles: Interview H-0266, Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007); Interview with George R. Elmore, March 11, 1976; Oral histories of the American South.
Description: George Elmore lived most of his life near Gastonia, NC, and in this interview reveals why he exemplifies some of the changes that took place in North Carolina in the first half of the 20th century, including the move from farming to industry and the rise of a managerial class. Elmore and his family followed their financial needs from farming to mill work and back again twice until he earned a management position in a textile mill. His wide experiences allow him to discuss the laboring life from a variety of perspectives: farm and mill town, mill worker and mill management. This interview is richest when Elmore discusses those perspectives, comparing the dignity of farm work with the less respected mill labor, or attempting to see the question of union organization from the viewpoint of impoverished workers and wary employers. This interview will be useful for researchers interested in gauging the temper of southern workers in the mid-20th century and learning something about the rhythms of farm and mill town life.
Notes: Title from menu page (viewed on May 23, 2008).

Interview participants: George R. Elmore, interviewee; Brent Glass, interviewer.

Duration: 01:40:23.

This electronic edition is part of the UNC-CH digital library, Documenting the American South.  It is a part of the collection Oral histories of the American South.

Text encoded by Jennifer Joyner.  Sound recordings digitized by Aaron Smithers.

Text (HTML and XML/TEI source file) and audio (MP3); 2 files: ca. 168.2 kilobytes, 183 megabytes.

Original version: Southern Oral History Program Collection, (#4007), Series H, Piedmont industrialization, interview H-0266, Manuscripts Department, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Transcribed by Patricia Crowley. Original transcript: 44 p.

Funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services supported the electronic publication of this interview.

Mode of access: World Wide Web.

System requirements:  Web browser with Javascript enabled and multimedia player.