LibGuides: Labor History Resources in Archives and Special Collections: Digital Collections

Digital Collections

In an effort to increase access to Middletown and Stoeckel Archives of Local History materials for researchers, the Ball State Universities Libraries, in collaboration with the Center for Middletown Studies, is developing the "Middletown Digital Archives" and other digital collections of documents, oral histories, photographs, maps, and other sources from Archives and Special Collections. As material is digitized, it will become available as part of the Digital Media Repository and accessible through this Web site. Several of these collections come from the Muncie Labor Archives.

Changing Gears Documentary Film Collection
Contains digital video recordings captured during the creation of the film Changing Gears: End of an Era, a feature-length documentary about the closing of Muncie's century-old BorgWarner (formerly Warner Gear) automotive parts plant. Includes oral history interviews with former BorgWarner employees and labor leaders, interviews with main characters from the film, and interviews with historians, community leaders, and other experts about the historical context and legacy of BorgWarner.
Daniel B. Crowder Oral Histories
The Daniel B. Crowder Oral Histories digital collection provides online access to 16 taped interviews from the United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW-CIO) Local 287 members of Muncie, Indiana.
Everett W. Ferrill Collection
The Everett W. Ferrill Collection consists of scrapbooks and photographs that were created by local labor leader, John M. Wells. The collection contains scrapbooks of the 1955 Delaware County Economic Conference and the 1989-1959 Surplus Food Program.
Middletown Digital Oral History Collections
Consists of audio and accompanying transcriptions for oral history interviews conducted with African American, Jewish and Catholic communities of Muncie, Indiana and local labor union leaders.
Muncie Chevrolet Plant Architectural Drawings
Consists of 104 architectural drawings for buildings erected as part of the T.W. Warner Company, later Chevrolet Motor Company of Muncie, Indiana, between 1918 and 1920.
Muncie Chevrolet Plant Photographs
The Muncie Chevrolet Plant Photographs collection includes images from Chevrolet-Muncie in Muncie, Indiana ranging from circa 1950 to 1980 regarding the plant's construction, expansion, machinery, transmission production, company events, and employees.
Other Side of Middletown Photographs
Contains scanned photographs from an exhibit on the history of AfricanAmericans in Muncie and includes photographs of African American labor union leaders and strike breakers.