Strassel says both King and Reuther saw connections between the civil rights and labor movements, including shared priorities on issues like right to work and fair wages. Reuther’s support for King started at an early point in his career.
“Reuther put the resources that the UAW had built up, becoming such an important union in the country, at the disposal of Dr. King,” Strassel said. “He would have staffers work on these different campaigns within the civil rights movement. … Publications that the UAW printed that were distributed internationally, he would put messages from Dr. King within there.”