At one time, Sutton attended classes at the community college in the Certified Nursing Assistant program. "But she told them no. Sally Field won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Sutton. In the 1960s, the Civil Rights Act allowed African-American employees access to more and better jobs in the mills, which stoked racist anxiety among the white employees. As evinced in current reporting, most recently by the New York Times on fast fashion giant Fashion Nova, it’s still possible to manufacture stateside while robbing your employees blind. For each of the artifacts, Macklin has created key words. That my family and children and children like mine will have a fair share and equality.” Hopefully her legacy will keep that dream alive. On August 28, 1974, workers at the J. P. Stevens plant in Roanoke Rapids voted to unionize. Crystal Lee would clash with J.P. Stevens & Co. (now Westpoint Home), the company that owned the factories and homes in which the textile workers spent their days and this clash would be immortalized in the 1979 film, Norma Rae. Early industrial mills in places like Lowell, Massachusetts offered women of the late 1800s a way out of the home and even educational opportunities and many of the mill owners created towns to house their workforce, often in accordance with their own pseudo-utopian ideals. For the past two years, Macklin has organized the collection of papers, books, photographs and other items that Sutton, known as the inspiration for the Oscar-winning film "Norma Rae," bequeathed to Alamance Community College (ACC). }, function emailCurrentPage(){ Sutton, who lived in Burlington for a number of years, began giving items to the college in 2006. Sign up and be the first to hear about news, sales, and giveaways! The next year, in 1974, workers in Roanoke Rapids voted overwhelmingly in favor of representation by the TWUA (which merged with another union to become the Amalgamated Textile and Clothing Workers Union of America), but it would be another five years before J.P. Stevens signed a contract that guaranteed a $5 minimum wage and established safety and health policies. She was the one who encouraged me to go back to school. An actor, comedian, and writer with a crippling denim addiction. Beyond that, this battle for labor equality was an extremely intersectional one. Charity Apple Times-News @tnCharityApple, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. An opening reception is from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday in the library and will feature performances by Roger Lane and his student ensemble and local musician Larry Vellani. 3. f. Der. 2 – The Most Unwittingly Evil Man in America, Iron Heart Surges Into Fall With 13 Oz. Her supervisors had forbidden people to copy the letter, which among other lies, asserted that the union was run by African-Americans. .field-name-field-release-date time { Sutton was fired by J. P. Stevens but later, under court order, was rehired with reinstated back wages. These idyllic working towns diminished in progressiveness as the years wore on and by the time Crystal Lee came along, the situation was pretty dire for working people in places like Roanoke Rapids. "We're hoping to get a grant so that we can digitize these items and they can be accessed nationally.". The story of Crystal Sutton is depicted in the 1979 film, Norma Rae. The Times-News ~ 707 S Main St, Burlington, NC 27215 ~ Do Not Sell My Personal Information ~ Cookie Policy ~ Do Not Sell My Personal Information ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service ~ Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. She came to work the very next day with a five inch pin pledging her allegiance to the company and began holding meetings in her house after work. "Crystal Lee was something else. Image via Southern Spaces.org. Both her parents and grandparents were textile mill workers and she followed in their footsteps. Sensing a potential paradigm shift in the Southern mills, specifically the historically intractable J.P. Stevens ones, the Textile Workers Union of America (TWUA) sent organizers to the Piedmont region. For more about North Carolina’s history, arts and culture, visit Cultural Resources online. Librarian Colleen Macklin didn't know Crystal Lee Sutton personally, but after poring over the late union organizer's items, she's certainly felt a kinship. Download premium images you can't get anywhere else. How can we make this page better for you. It is located in the Crystal Lee Sutton Study Room inside the library. " I am very pleased by Norma Rae’s ability to supply current knowledge of the real estate community and always willing to go the extra mile. Del lat. Friends and family will share their memories and footage from her numerous TV appearances and speaking engagements will be shown. Crystal Lee died in 2009 of brain cancer, the casualty of another corporation after her insurance company delayed her treatment. As legend has it, they began shutting off their machines and giving her the V for victory sign, until the plant was quiet.
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