Born into a socialist and union-activist family, Reuther was imbued with a passion for social and economic justice from a young age. After starting as a tool and die maker in his teens, he moved to Detroit and joined Ford Motor Co. He was fired in 1932 for his socialist organizing activities. /2
In the 1930s, Reuther and his brother Victor embarked on a three-year world tour, which included working in a Soviet car factory. This experience made him a fierce opponent of communism, though his opponents often baselessly accused him of being a communist sympathizer. /3
After returning to Detroit, he became a key organizer for the nascent United Auto Workers union, leading successful sit-down strikes, including a major victory against GM in 1937. He was also famously beaten by Ford’s security guards during the “Battle of the Overpass” in 1937. /4
In 1946, Reuther was elected president of the UAW and served in that position until his death in 1970. He transformed the UAW into one of the most progressive labor unions in the U.S. Auto workers’ standard of living doubled under his leadership, with substantial increases in pay and benefits. /5
Reuther was a powerful and visible ally of the Civil Rights Movement, marching with Martin Luther King Jr. and helping to fund the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Coretta Scott King later eulogized him, stating, “He was there in person when the storm clouds were thick.” /6
As a liberal Democrat, Reuther was an influential advisor to JFK and LBJ. He helped advocate for landmark legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Peace Corps. A lifelong environmentalist, Reuther and the UAW were crucial in funding and organizing the first Earth Day in 1970. /7
On May 9, 1970, Reuther, his wife and four others were killed when their chartered jet crashed on approach to a small airport in Michigan. The official cause was an instrument malfunction, but some speculate foul play. Reuther was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1995. /end
Further reading on the "Battle of the Overpass" in 1937. bsky.app/profile/bamb...
Ah, yes, Ford...the company of Nazis.