Oral history with Mr. Cecil Shelton

              Oral history with Mr. Cecil Shelton
This oral history is provided through a cooperative project of University of Southern Mississippi Libraries and USM's Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage.
Funding provided by a National Leadership Grant for Libraries from the Institute for Museum and Library Services
The transcript is presented here for reference purposes only. Interviews in this collection are protected by copyright. PERMISSION TO PUBLISH MUST BE REQUESTED from the Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage. Please call ( 601) 266- 4574 for more information.
Biography
Cecil Shelton is a black Mississippi labor leader interviewed concerning his work in organizing the Aluminum Workers Union and in leading the state's AFL- CIO [ American Federation of Labor- Congress of Industrial Organizations].
Shelton was born in Gore Springs, Mississippi, near Grenada on September 1, 1945. He is the son of Sherman and Eunice Shelton. He attended Carrie Dotson High School, finishing his high- school work in 1965. He has also attended Grenada's Vocational- Technical Training Night School, as well as numerous state and national AFL- CIO labor schools.
In 1964 Shelton was hired at what was then called Lyons plant, where he worked in the chrome department, applying chrome to automotive wheel covers. ( Presently the plant is owned and operated by Rockwell International Corporation.) During his time at the Lyons plant, Shelton became involved in the fledgling labor movement, as well as being active in civil- rights marches in Grenada. In 1967 he participated in the organization of Aluminum Workers Local 202 at the plant and in 1968 he was elected secretary- treasurer of the local. At various times he also held the offices of recording secretary, shop steward, and vice- president of his local. In 1980 Local 202 elected him president.
In January of 1978 Shelton took a leave of absence from Rockwell International to work full- time as field coordinator setting up on- the- job training programs for the Mississippi AFL- CIO Appalachian Council. In addition to these duties, he has served as president of both the North Delta Central Labor Council and the North Central Chapter of the A. Philip Randolph Institute, and vice- president of the Mississippi AFL- CIO. He has been involved in the A. Philip Randolph Institute on the state level as vice- president and in the Democratic Party as a member of the state Democratic Executive Committee and the Grenada County Democratic Executive Committee. Governor William Winter also appointed him to the Job Development and Training Labor Advisory Council and the Department of Corrections Advisory Board.
Governor Bill Allain appointed Shelton to numerous positions as well. In 1984 Allain appointed him to the State Council on Vocational Education for the state of Mississippi; and, in 1985, to the State Constitution Commission to study the state's 1890 Constitution and to the North Central Planning and Development District. mus- coh. sheltonc. doc Page 1 of 59