Biography Ola Delight Smith

1 biography

1.1 telegraphic career
1.2 work labor journalist , organizer
1.3 later life

biography

ola delight lloyd born in mercer county, illinois, in 1880. father, john alva lloyd, farmer; mother, celeste crawford lettie long, died when ola nine. family moved many times during childhood, residing various periods of time in mississippi, alabama, georgia, nebraska, iowa, , wisconsin.

telegraphic career

while family living in epes, alabama, ola became interested in telegraphy , used practice set @ home learn morse code. took telegraphy course @ alabama polytechnic institute girls in montevallo (now known university of montevallo) , began working telegrapher, first queen , crescent route , later postal telegraph company. in 1901, ola married edgar b. smith, traveling salesman, , couple moved birmingham, alabama, managed western union office. later moved gainesville, georgia, ola again worked postal telegraph; joined commercial telegraphers union of america (ctua) in 1904. ctua had been formed in 1902 represent interests of commercial telegraphers. in 1906, joined order of railroad telegraphers (ort), had been formed in 1886 represent telegraphers worked railroads.

in 1907, ola , husband moved atlanta, georgia. ctua declared nationwide strike in august 1907 after several union members dismissed western union participating in union activities. ola delight smith played active role in strike, ended in defeat union in november 1907. result, blacklisted western union , unable find employment telegrapher.

to supplement husband s meager , erratic income, entered variety of ventures, including running boarding house, writing business letters, , providing general secretarial services. continued participate in union activities, , in may 1908 organized dixie twin order telegraphers club in order coordinate social activities involving both ctua , ort. organized telegraphers convention held in atlanta in may 1909, , served president of ladies auxiliary of twin order telegraphers until 1913. served ctua representative atlanta federation of trades , georgia federation of labor.

work labor journalist , organizer

in 1906, had begun writing atlanta journal of labor, published atlanta federation of trades, , became associate editor. wrote columns on variety of subjects, focusing on need organized labor , women s role in labor unions. became advocate rights of children, , served georgia federation of labor s delegate southern conference on women , child labor.

in 1914, atlanta textile workers belonging united textile workers union went on strike against fulton bag , cotton mills protest poor working conditions , employment of children in mills. ola delight smith became involved labor organizer. took photographs document working conditions , illustrate condition of children working in mills. activities came attention of mill owners, hired operatives spy on , report on activities.

the mill owners began clandestinely circulate attacks on reputation, resulting in being dismissed strike leader in november 1914. husband filed divorce @ same time, aided lawyer represented mills. strike ended in defeat utw in 1915.

later life

ola delight smith left atlanta , resumed work telegrapher, operating atchison, topeka, , santa fe railway in texas. in 1918, married almond cook in oklahoma, , couple relocated dalles, oregon. there almond cook began exhibit signs of mental instability, due painter s colic (lead poisoning) years of working painter. when disappeared in 1920s, ola moved portland, oregon, , took residence in portland young women s christian association (ywca) in hopes of finding him. search proved unsuccessful, , stay @ ywca left impoverished. however, able obtain work telegrapher in portland, first postal telegraph company , later western union.

she began develop health problems in 1920s, , operated on several types of cancer, including skin cancer in 1928. after being told doctors condition incurable, began treat herself home remedy recommended neighbors, , pronounced herself cured in affidavit wrote in 1938. illnesses did not interrupt work @ western union, , continued there until retirement @ age 70 in 1950. in letter written in 1956, expressed gratitude passage of wagner act in 1935, forbade blacklisting , made possible telegraphers had been blacklisted return work: wagner act struck ankles shackles bound me blacklist , yellow-dog contracts. again free work in organized labor.

she charter member of local 92 of ctua in portland, , helped organize united railway labor political league , committee on labor education. chair of third congressional district committee of women s division of labor league political education. remembering support ywca had provided in search missing husband, became member of ywca board of directors in 1954. in 1956, portland central labor council celebrated 76th birthday, noting 50 years of selfless devotion , service labor movement.

ola delight smith cook died on december 5, 1958, after brief illness. bequeathed estate oregon central labor council establish library labor research. personal papers can found in oregon historical society in portland.