User:Claireblackman

Overview
Arthur Lee Emerson was interviewed by Covington Hall as part of the Federal Writers Project. This interview took place in 1938 in Mentone, Alabama.

Early Life
Arthur Lee Emerson grew up in an orphanage in Chattanooga, Tennessee because his father and mother were both gone early in Emerson's life. Emerson was adopted and raised by a doctor in the rural mountains near Mentone, Alabama. He was taught by Dr. Parker, his adoptive father, since there were no schools in the area. Emerson and his foster father bonded in their rural mountain house through education. Dr. Parker passed away at 87, and Emerson left his home to go join the workforce.

Career
At eighteen, Emerson’s career with organizing unions began when he organized a strike against a berry picking company. This was Emerson’s first successful organized labor movement since it helped increase the workers’ pay. During the panic of 1907, Emerson was working with a lumber company in West Louisiana that severely increased working hours and decreased pay. Emerson and some of his coworkers held a strike until wages were increased. He continued to organize strikes and unions across the South to ensure that workers received proper conditions. Emerson was beloved and followed by many workers who joined his cause. Emerson fought to combat the unfair practices of large companies like “yellow dog oaths,” but this created tensions between the unions and corporations. During a strike in Grabo, Louisiana on July 7, 1912 with over 800 individuals, shots were fired between the union-men and the strikebreakers which resulted in casualties on both sides. Emerson and some of the other leaders were arrested, but the jury found them not guilty. Emerson suffered from a nervous breakdown after the strenuous trial, so he decided to move back to the mountains. During this time, he studied law which made him become a successful labor organizer and lawyer. He continued to fight for labor rights in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Later Life
While Emerson was living in Chattanooga, Tennessee, he married his wife Christine and had three boys and a girl. In 1921, Emerson suffered from a stroke while coaching basketball which severely impaired his speech and mobility. Emerson's family decided to buy his old farmhouse until he could overcome his disability. Due to his impairment and the declining economy, his family became extremely poor. Emerson's family struggled financially because people could not afford to buy products from their farm. Emerson worked long hours to grow and gather crops in terrible conditions that would not generate a sizable profit. Emerson and his wife were concerned that they would be unable to send their children to college. Although Emerson suffered from the effects of his stroke throughout the rest of his life, he was always hopeful that he could return to organizing unions.

The Rise of Unions
Unions in the United States began in retaliation against large corporations that were taking advantage of their workers. In the United States, unions began during the industrial revolution after the Civil War. Unions worked to ensure that workers were protected from large corporations. Working conditions were terrible during the early 1900s because the increase in the available workers from immigration meant that corporations could reduce the wages and increase the hours of their workers. “The relative well-being of the working class depends to a large extent on its state of organization and combativeness”, so unions most effectively create change when people cause a large enough resistance. Unions rely on this ability of workers to form a considerable opposing force against large corporations. In response to the rise of unions, corporations would force their workers to sign yellow dog contracts which would bar workers from joining or forming unions. Large companies would use the yellow dog oaths “as a weapon against the recognition of the labor union and consequent collective bargaining." Unions continuously fought against these yellow dog contracts in order to protect and defend the working class. Unions have become a driving force of change and protection for the working class because of their ability to raise an issue with the unjust practices of big businesses.

Panic of 1907
In the year 1907, the United States faced an economic crisis which created a small depression. The Panic of 1907 “demonstrated the frailty of the nation’s banking system." As a result of the Panic of 1907, businesses laid off massive amounts of employees and created poor working conditions. The number of Americans that were unemployed grew since many businesses cut back on workers and wages. The main cause of the Panic of 1907 was the unfair business practices performed by companies which created an unstable banking system. The Panic of 1907 affected many other countries that the United States had close financial ties with like Mexico. Many banks were shut down across the United States to limit the amount of money people could withdraw. The mild depression created by the Panic of 1907 led to a growth in unemployment numbers and a decrease in wages.

Farming During the Great Depression
The Great Depression produced nationwide financial hardships, but one of the hardest hit industries was farming. Farmers during the 1930s faced drought, pests, extreme weather conditions, and a lack of resources. In addition, many farmers were unable to have electricity. The poor farming conditions caused many farmers to leave their farms to pursue other professions. For instance, young men often took “government jobs building roads and bridges." Many families were left with very little money and used their own farms to supply their meals. The agricultural industry was damaged severely by the Great Depression, but as the drought came to an end in the 1940s, farmers were able to begin yielding higher production rates.