Leona E. Ellis, 1981 May 15
Scope and Contents
This oral history interview with Leona E. Ellis was conducted by Sandy Polishuk in Portland, Oregon, on May 15, 1981. In this interview, Ellis discusses her family background and early life in Portland. She discusses working as a marine machinist for the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation. She describes her job duties, talks about her experiences as one of the first women in the shipyards, and speaks about some of the people she worked with. She talks about her wages, about her life after the war, and about attending business college. She speaks about her social life during the war, about the dangers of the job, and about her membership in unions. She talks about the treatment she received from her male coworkers, shares her observations of the treatment of Black shipyard workers, and describes the launch of the last Liberty ship. She shares several anecdotes about her time in the shipyards, particularly regarding her experiences as a woman. She closes the interview by looking at photographs and other documents, and talking about them. Incomplete transcript available (10 pages).
Dates
- Creation: 1981 May 15
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Extent
3 audiocassettes (2 hr., 26 min., 45 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