Caption: the Arcelor Mittal Steel Mill, East Chicago, IN.  Formerly Inland Steel, Credit: Ayana Contreras
Image by: Ayana Contreras 
the Arcelor Mittal Steel Mill, East Chicago, IN. Formerly Inland Steel 

Brother Purham: A Steelworker's Story

From: Ayana Contreras
Length: 00:10:00

Recorded by fellow retired steelworker Joe Gutierrez, and produced by Ayana Contreras, this piece was created for Vocalo.org in conjunction with The Thirty Year Project. Read the full description.

The_mill_small The Thirty Year Project was an attempt to collect narratives of East Chicago, IN Steelworkers on what it meant to reach thirty years of service at the mill (often a daunting task).  After thirty years, they could retire and collect their full pension; but many never got there (due to injury or bodily failings).  This thirty year plan was put into place by the union because, as Joe Gutierrez put it, "before, the average life span of retirees from the mill was six months to a year."

This is one Steelworker's story, whose story is like so many others: he met a girl....

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Piece Description

The Thirty Year Project was an attempt to collect narratives of East Chicago, IN Steelworkers on what it meant to reach thirty years of service at the mill (often a daunting task).  After thirty years, they could retire and collect their full pension; but many never got there (due to injury or bodily failings).  This thirty year plan was put into place by the union because, as Joe Gutierrez put it, "before, the average life span of retirees from the mill was six months to a year."

This is one Steelworker's story, whose story is like so many others: he met a girl....

Broadcast History

originally aired on Vocalo.org, WBEW-FM

Musical Works

Title Artist Album Label Year Length
Handclappin' Red Prysock Mercury 1955 00:00
When a Man Loves a Woman Percy Sledge Atlantic 1966 00:00
Uptight (Everything is Alright) Stevie Wonder Tamla 1965 00:00
Danger! She's a Stranger The Five Stairsteps Windy C 1967 00:00

Additional Credits

Interview conducted & recorded by Joe Gutierrez.

Related Website

http://www.vocalo.org