Kay Baker, 1981 April 4
Scope and Contents
This oral history interview with Kay Baker was conducted by Karen Wickre at Baker’s home in Portland, Oregon, on April 4, 1981. In this interview, Baker discusses her early life in Oswego (now known as Lake Oswego), Oregon, including her experiences during the Depression. She shares the reasons why she chose not to get married. She then talks about working as a burner for the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation and for Commercial Iron Works, describes how the work affected her health, and discusses some of the people she worked with. She talks about her wages, about her membership in the Boilermakers Union, and about her reasons for leaving the shipyards. She shares her observations about the experiences of Black shipyard workers, describes a typical workday, and describes some of the treatment that women workers received from their male coworkers. She talks about her life after the war, particularly her experiences working at Precision Cast Parts. She closes the interview by sharing her thoughts on the women’s movement and feminism. Complete transcript available (52 pages).
Dates
- Creation: 1981 April 4
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Extent
2 audiocassettes (1 hr., 24 min., 37 sec.)
Language of Materials
From the Sub-Series: English
Repository Details
Part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library Repository
1200 SW Park Ave.
Portland OR 97205 United States
5033065204
5033065240
libreference@ohs.org