Kay Blair, 1980 April 26
Scope and Contents
This oral history interview with Kay Blair was conducted by Madeline Moore on April 26, 1980. Blair’s daughter, Nancy K. Blair, was also present. In this interview, Blair discusses her experience working as an electrician in the Kaiser shipyard on Swan Island. She talks about her commute, about balancing home life and her career, and shares instances of sexual harassment she experienced from her male coworkers. She describes working with asbestos and other health hazards of the job. She also talks about race and sex segregation that she observed. She describes a typical work day, talks about her training, and shares her reasons for seeking work as an electrician. She also talks about the Kaiser child service centers. She discusses her reasons for leaving the shipyards and talks about her life after the war. She also talks about her membership in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and describes her working and living conditions. She closes the interview by sharing her thoughts about the women’s movement and feminism. Incomplete transcript available (13 pages).
Dates
- Creation: 1980 April 26
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Extent
1 audiocassettes (1 hr., 1 min., 22 sec.)
Language of Materials
From the Sub-Series: English
Repository Details
Part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library Repository
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Portland OR 97205 United States
5033065204
5033065240
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