Oral History Interview with William W. Finlator, April 19, 1985. Interview C-0007. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007).
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Abstract
Longtime civil rights advocate Reverend William W. Finlator speaks powerfully about decades of activism and the future of rights in America. Finlator's activism was wide-ranging: he marched for integration in the 1950s and 1960s, joined vigils protesting capital punishment in North Carolina, and advocated for the rights of migrant workers. During a life of activism, he developed strong opinions about capital punishment, racism, the neglect of the poor, and what he saw as the pernicious influence of religion over politics. His most passionate language, however, is devoted to the defense of working people.
Excerpts
Tracing the roots of his commitment to racial justice
Accelerating civil rights activism over a ministerial career
Migrant workers lack civil rights
Links between oppressed peoples of the world
Selective reading of the Bible turns Christians against the ERA
Damage done by groups like the Moral Majority
Faux patriotic, Christian posture justifies discrimination for Reagan and others
Racism beneath progressive veneer in North Carolina
Industrialization has not helped the working class in North Carolina
Negative and positive responses to preaching progress from the pulpit
North Carolina's right-to-work law
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Subjects
Civil rights movements--North Carolina
Baptists--Clergy--North Carolina--History--20th century
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