Calvin Sturdivant, an African American, discusses his 40 year career as a UAW production and skilled trades worker at the Fisher Body plant in Lansing, MI

Calvin tells of growing up in Arkansas, working at a unionized shoe factory in St. Louis, moving to Michigan and being hired in November 1949 and being placed on one of the worst jobs. He describes his frustration with racism, sexism and unfairness. Calvin provides several examples of conflict and his eventual move to skilled trades as the first black in Jig & Fixture repair. He discusses being a strike captain during the 1970 strike.