White Furniture Company
White Furniture Company was the “oldest maker of fine furniture.” This phrase was reiterated over and over again by longtime Mebane, North Carolina residents. This company employed 1 out of 20 Mebane residents and was a driving economic force in the town. White 's “regulated many of the rhythms of the town-opening and closing time, lunchtime, weekend and holidays.”
For this reason, when White Furniture Company closed the whole town was effected. Many individuals, some who had been with the factory for most of their lives were out of a job. Closing: The Life and Death of an American Factory by Bill Bamberger and Cathy N. Davidson explores these individuals lives before and after the closing of the factory along with powerful images that paint a vivid picture of exactly what these workers went through when White Furniture closed its doors.
White Furniture was founded in 1881 by two brother, Dave and Will White. This company helped the town of less than 300 inhabitants grow into a thriving town of over 1000 people. In 1985 however, 104 years after the factory opened shareholders were asked to vote on whether to sell the business to Hickory for 5.1 million or to “maintain business as usual.”
Though the White family was split on whether or not to sell, the company was bought out by Hickory. The new owner made promises that, “even after the buyout, Steve White 's son, Sam, would be kept on as the company 's president.” However, these promises turned out to be empty because, “as soon as the papers were signed, sealed and delivered, everything changed....Under the new ownership, virtually all the rest of the White management team was fired-including Sam White and Charlie Millender, who were asked to resign within a year of the sale.”
One would assume with this type of treatment of upper management and th family that originated the company that employees would be give much harsher treatment, but surprisingly, they were not. In fact, it can be argued they worked in
For this reason, when White Furniture Company closed the whole town was effected. Many individuals, some who had been with the factory for most of their lives were out of a job. Closing: The Life and Death of an American Factory by Bill Bamberger and Cathy N. Davidson explores these individuals lives before and after the closing of the factory along with powerful images that paint a vivid picture of exactly what these workers went through when White Furniture closed its doors.
White Furniture was founded in 1881 by two brother, Dave and Will White. This company helped the town of less than 300 inhabitants grow into a thriving town of over 1000 people. In 1985 however, 104 years after the factory opened shareholders were asked to vote on whether to sell the business to Hickory for 5.1 million or to “maintain business as usual.”
Though the White family was split on whether or not to sell, the company was bought out by Hickory. The new owner made promises that, “even after the buyout, Steve White 's son, Sam, would be kept on as the company 's president.” However, these promises turned out to be empty because, “as soon as the papers were signed, sealed and delivered, everything changed....Under the new ownership, virtually all the rest of the White management team was fired-including Sam White and Charlie Millender, who were asked to resign within a year of the sale.”
One would assume with this type of treatment of upper management and th family that originated the company that employees would be give much harsher treatment, but surprisingly, they were not. In fact, it can be argued they worked in