UAW International Education Department

UAW International Education Department The UAW International Education Department has been educating and empowering our members since 1936.

UAW members leading the fight for economic and social justice in the workplace and beyond. Stand up UAW!
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The purpose of this page is to present matters of interest to UAW members and the community in general. While it is an online discussion site, and opposing points of view will be respected and presented, the International is under no legal obligation to run any post. We try to

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Constitutional issues or other matters are best suited to be answered by their local elected representatives.

“Midnight.” Did you know that was the underground railroad’s code name for Detroit? When you walk through Hart Plaza on ...
06/14/2026

“Midnight.” Did you know that was the underground railroad’s code name for Detroit? When you walk through Hart Plaza on the riverfront, you can feel the presence of that history of fighting injustice. You can almost hear Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, which he delivered for the first time to a crowd of over 125,000 in Detroit in 1963. A newly installed bronze statue commemorates that legacy.

Other sculptures in Hart Plaza also carry special meaning for UAW members. The Michigan Labor Legacy Monument “Transcending” honors workers. To learn the symbolism of the vast, sweeping circular shape with a gap, take some time to read the plaques before meandering on.

Nearby, “Gateway to Freedom” vividly portrays freedom-seekers, including Lucie Blackburn, pressed forward together on their journey. As a passageway to Canada, Detroit was a critical stop in the series of safe houses and secret routes that helped freedom seekers to escape slavery.

Many of those individuals settled in Detroit, helping others on that journey. This was the intent of Thornton and Lucie Blackburn, who had escaped from slavery in Kentucky. When the couple was seized by bounty hunters, Detroit’s abolitionist community, already known for its powerful collective resistance, reacted fiercely and strategically. Mass protests and a daring rescue involving a jailbreak, disguises, and gunfire, would come to be known as the Blackburn Riots. Learn the rest of this story, and other events of the “Midnight” stop, at the Detroit Historical Museum: detroithistorical.org

For other interesting pieces of labor history to explore in Michigan, check out this guide: michiganlaborhistorysociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/190326_LaborHistoryMap.pdf

From autoworker to heavyweight champion to national icon, Joe Louis is someone worth meeting. Next time you’re in Detroi...
06/12/2026

From autoworker to heavyweight champion to national icon, Joe Louis is someone worth meeting.

Next time you’re in Detroit, stop by Huntington Place and say hello to “The Brown Bomber.” Unlike the famous giant fist downtown that also honors him, this statue lets you stand face-to-face with the man himself.

A cultural icon and one of the most talented athletes of the 20th century, Joe Louis reigned as heavyweight champion from 1937 to 1949, a record still unbroken. Joe remained humble—often donating his winnings to military relief and appearing in charity exhibitions. He also served in the U.S. Army during WWII, earning the Legion of Merit.

Before turning pro, he trained every day after his shifts assembling trucks at Ford’s River Rouge plant, still fighting poverty as a child of a sharecropper family that had moved to Detroit fleeing threats from the Ku Klux Klan. Throughout his life, he fought against segregation and racism. Despite being the most popular athlete in the world, he was denied the chance to open a Ford dealership because of his race.

Joe’s unrivaled talent and his character made him a national symbol of strength and unity. He was known for his humility and generosity, and he earned the Legion of Merit during his service in the U.S. Army during WWII. After his knockout victory over the Nazi-endorsed German fighter Max Schmeling, he was featured in wartime campaigns to boost morale during a deeply segregated era.

There’s more to Joe’s story, and it will stay with you. It’s a photo worth taking and a piece of history worth seeing.

UAW International Union
Citation: US Army via AP

Visiting Detroit and curious about the workers who built the Motor City? You won’t want to miss the iconic Detroit Indus...
06/11/2026

Visiting Detroit and curious about the workers who built the Motor City?

You won’t want to miss the iconic Detroit Industry Murals, a striking series portraying autoworkers on the early assembly lines.

Painted by Diego Rivera in the early 1930s, these murals deeply moved President Roosevelt and contributed to the development of work programs in the New Deal. The images reflect a growing unrest over harsh factory conditions, low wages, and widespread unemployment. Those tensions would soon fuel the Ford Hunger Strike and the rise of the UAW.

This meaningful tribute to workers has been designated as a National Historic Landmark. You can catch the unforgettable collection at the Detroit Institute of Arts – plan your visit at www.dia.org

Detroit Institute of Arts

Diego M. Rivera, Detroit Industry Murals, 1932-1933, frescoes. Detroit Institute of Arts, Gift of Edsel B. Ford, 33.10

✊Take bargaining and contract enforcement to the next level by developing your skills at the UAW Bargaining & Contract E...
06/02/2026

✊Take bargaining and contract enforcement to the next level by developing your skills at the UAW Bargaining & Contract Enforcement Boot Camp!

Whether you are just starting out or are a seasoned vet, this boot camp's four unique learning tracks allow you to get the training and experience you need for where you are at in your role.

MORE INFO:
www.uaw.org/education/bargaining-and-contract-enforcement

05/27/2026

MORE INFO: uaw.org/education/bargaining-and-contract-enforcement

UAW International Union

👇 Check out Local 174's Education Committee teaching members how to make their local union's standing committees more ef...
05/14/2026

👇 Check out Local 174's Education Committee teaching members how to make their local union's standing committees more effective!

Do you want to learn how to be more successful with your local union's standing committee?

Join us at the UAW Standing Committee Conference this fall at Black Lake! Details coming soon!

Are you a UAW member who loves to express themselves through art?Are you looking for a way to connect your passion for t...
05/07/2026

Are you a UAW member who loves to express themselves through art?

Are you looking for a way to connect your passion for the labor movement with your love of art?

The Union Hall Arts Residency is what you need!

4-6 union members while be chosen to form a cohort and attend a 4-week residency program in Detroit, MI where they will be partnered with mentors to expand their skills, explore various mediums, and gain exposure to historical approaches, contemporary strategies and novel ideas informed by the values and history of the labor movement.

Selected candidates are eligible to receive a travel and lodging sponsorship from the UAW to attend the residency. Applicants must be able to take a union leave of absence from their workplace, and attend the entire 4-week residency program, August 10- September 7, 2026. Additional rules and eligibility information can be found in the call letter, brochure, and website links below.

DEADLINE TO APPLY: June 1, 2026

LEARN MORE:
https://uaw.org/2026-union-hall-arts-residency/
www.unionhallarts.org/residency

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