Today in Wheeling History: January 10--Roy Reuther, labor organizer from Wheeling, West Virginia, passed away in Detroit, Michigan (1968).
Roy Louis Reuther was born on August 29, 1909, in Wheeling, West Virginia. He was the third of four sons of Valentine and Anna (Stocker) Reuther. His father, Valentine, was a dedicated socialist and president of the Ohio Valley Trades and Labor Assembly, which deeply influenced Roy's commitment to the labor movement. Roy attended Wheeling Public Schools and graduated from Wheeling High School in 1931. After high school, he took an apprenticeship with an electrical firm and joined the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. However, after being laid off, he moved to Detroit, Michigan, in 1932 to join his brothers Walter and Victor. In Detroit, he took classes in labor education at the City College of Detroit (now Wayne State University) and became active as an organizer for the Socialist Party. Roy played a significant role in the historic Flint sit-down strike, which led to the recognition of the United Auto Workers (UAW) by General Motors. He later became the political director for the UAW and was deeply involved in the civil rights movement. Roy Reuther passed away on January 10, 1968, in Detroit, Michigan, and his ashes were scattered over Black Lake at the UAW Family Education Center in Michigan.
To learn more: Wikipedia (https://shorturl.at/4f2nX), Find a Grave (https://shorturl.at/d57KA), Wayne State University (https://shorturl.at/5Jcyl)
Photo credits: Wikimedia Commons
Roy Louis Reuther was born on August 29, 1909, in Wheeling, West Virginia. He was the third of four sons of Valentine and Anna (Stocker) Reuther. His father, Valentine, was a dedicated socialist and president of the Ohio Valley Trades and Labor Assembly, which deeply influenced Roy's commitment to the labor movement. Roy attended Wheeling Public Schools and graduated from Wheeling High School in 1931. After high school, he took an apprenticeship with an electrical firm and joined the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. However, after being laid off, he moved to Detroit, Michigan, in 1932 to join his brothers Walter and Victor. In Detroit, he took classes in labor education at the City College of Detroit (now Wayne State University) and became active as an organizer for the Socialist Party. Roy played a significant role in the historic Flint sit-down strike, which led to the recognition of the United Auto Workers (UAW) by General Motors. He later became the political director for the UAW and was deeply involved in the civil rights movement. Roy Reuther passed away on January 10, 1968, in Detroit, Michigan, and his ashes were scattered over Black Lake at the UAW Family Education Center in Michigan.
To learn more: Wikipedia (https://shorturl.at/4f2nX), Find a Grave (https://shorturl.at/d57KA), Wayne State University (https://shorturl.at/5Jcyl)
Photo credits: Wikimedia Commons
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