Hidden Bibliographic Details
| Varying Form of Title: | History Makers video oral history with John Matthews
John Matthews
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| Other authors / contributors: | Matthews, John, 1910-2013, interviewee.
Wilson, Shawn, interviewer.
Burghelea, Neculai, director of photography.
HistoryMakers (Video oral history collection), production company.
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| Sound characteristics: | digital
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| Digital file characteristics: | video file
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| Notes: | Videographer, Neculai Burghelea.
Shawn Wilson, interviewer.
Recorded New York, New York 2006 December 17.
Vendor-supplied metadata.
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| Summary: | Salesman and community activist John A. Matthews, Sr. was born on March 3, 1910 in Panama. He grew up in Kingston, Jamaica. After high school, Matthews moved to New York City where he became active as a civil rights worker in 1935 when he co-formed the first picket line against the Transport Workers Union and became a founding member of the Harlem Labor Union. After serving in World War II, Matthews founded a restaurant workers' union that broke open employment barriers in Harlem and New York in the mid-1950s. In 1963, he worked as campaign secretary to Adam Clayton Powell. From 1964 to 1966, Matthews helped end discriminatory hiring or membership practices by retailers, hospitals and unions. This work culminated in Matthews being named chairman of the NAACP Labor and Industry department. Matthews continued to organize community, tenants and youth organizations. Matthews passed away on March 28, 2013 at age 103.
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