Obama’s Speechwriters Get History Lesson From UMass Boston
September 17, 2009
by Office of Communications
When White House speechwriters were putting together remarks for President Barack Obama's appearance at the AFL-CIO's annual convention in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, they wanted to put an inspiring story from union history into the speech. For this, they turned to UMass Boston Professor of History James Green (www.jamesgreenworks.com), author of four books about the labor movement.
Professor Green told the speechwriters about the nearby town of Aliquippa, where steel workers organized unions despite threats, intimidation, and sometimes violence from the big steel companies of the day, eventually winning concessions such as a minimum wage, 40-hour work week, and safer working conditions.
Green also wrote up a brief summary and sent it to the speechwriters, who incorporated the story of Aliquippa into the closing of the President's speech. Watch it at www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JOthZMA6aI.
Read the full text of the President's address at www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-at-the-AFL-CIO-convention-in-Pittsburg.
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