Midnight in the Vehicle City: The Strike Heard Around the World

Radio Free Flint Podcast

Midnight in Vehicle City by author Edward McClelland is a book that tells the story of Flint, Michigan, during the Great Recession and the struggles of its residents as they try to survive in a city that has been hit hard by the economic downturn. The story centers around autoworkers struggling to make ends meet and their challenges of working for General Motors Corporation in the 1930s. Those challenges included poor pay and working conditions.

The author does an excellent job of capturing the mood and atmosphere of Flint during this time, and the characters are well-developed and believable. The book is also well-researched and provides a lot of insight into the history and culture of Flint and the larger economic and political forces that have shaped the city.

Overall, Midnight in the Vehicle City is a compelling and poignant read that provides a unique perspective on the struggles of ordinary people in an extraordinary time. It is a powerful reminder of the resilience and determination of the human spirit. It is highly recommended for anyone interested in social and economic issues or the history of the Rust Belt.

Listen to a clip of a stirring archival speech by the late Walter P. Ruether, former President of the United Automobile Workers Union. Ruether's words hit a note, given today's struggle to protect democracy.

The conversation examines the impact the strike made on the culture of Flint, Michigan, and its people. Does the intensive local activism of 1937 that spurred the birth of the UAW still exist today in Flint?
Now that the 1937 sit-down strikers are gone, why does the labor movement still celebrate this strike? What did this historical confrontation between the UAW and General Motors accomplish? Did the famous strike help build the American middle class?

Please visit the author's website if you want more information about author Edward McClelland and to purchase his book Midnight in the Vehicle City or any of his other books.

• Watch Video: Babies and Banners: Story of the Women's Emergency Brigade (1979). Oscar-nominated documentary about the women who battled the police to help and support their striking husbands inside the GM auto factories of Flint, Michigan.
• Watch Video: The Flint Sit-Down Strike and White Shirt Day. A video about the history of the historic strike. The UAW produced it.

The song "1937" in the podcast introduction and outro was written by David O. Norris and Dan Hall and performed by Dan Hall and a local choir of UAW members. Many thanks to them and UAW Region 1-D for their assistance in producing this song.
The historical photographs included on the Radio Free Flint episodes page are courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, [reproduction number, e.g., LC-USF34-9058-C]

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