Vous êtes sur la page 1sur 27

The Reign of Cannon Mills

Aaron Febre, Zaria Franklin, Chouathong Lo


Professor: Lynn Raymond
Course:
UWRT 1102-014
Due Date:
April 28, 2016

Figure 1: Overview of Cannon Mills


Source: ncpedia.org

Figure 2: Cannon Mills Throughout the Nation


Source: UNCC Atkins Library Archives

Introduction
Cannon Mills was a very successful textile company. It was created by James W. Cannon.
Throughout its reign, the ownership was inherited by his son Charles A. Cannon. As time
passed Cannon mills was bought by various corporations. Its final owner was businessman
David Murdock.

Figure 3: Cannon Mills at Night


Source: www.pinterest.com

James W. Cannon

Born in 1852

Worked on the farm

Present during the Civil War

Figure 4: James W. Cannon


Source: ncpedia.org

Brief History of Cannon Mills

Founded in 1888

Started off small

Turkish cloth

Biggest producer by the end of WW1

Consolidation of mills beat the


Great Depression

Figure 5: Little Boy Who Worked


Source: ncpedia.org

Cannon Quiz
1.

How much do you think you get after retirement per month at Cannon Mills?

2.

What do you think was the average time a worker worked at Cannon Mills?

3.

What do you think the qualifications were to have a supervising position?

Working Criteria

Daily Life of an Employee


Whistle blew
Loyalty Banquets
Do the right thing
Vaccinations
Cannon Newspaper
Figure 6: Newspaper Headline
Source: UNCC Atkins Library Archives

Job Occupations
Worked different machines to break down thread
Spun it around a spindle
Office work
Supervisor
Janitors (Blacks) (Under 25% to prevent unions)
Figure 7: Woman at Work
Source: southernspaces.org

Contributions to the Community


Provided jobs
Constructed attractions
Cheap housing
Life insurance to all employees

Figure 8: YMCA Logo


Source: www.racemin.com

Early workers Opinion


Had everything they needed
Workers support
Easy route
Sense of stronger community

Figure 9: Necessity or Luxury?


Source: www.int3ger.com

Mill Hill
Provided housing for workers
Could be rented out to workers
Took stipend from check
Bills reduced

Figure 10: Mill House


Source: learnnc.org

The Change of Ownerships


1. Cannon Manufacturing Company (1888 - 1921)
2. Cannon Mills Company (1921-1983)
3. Fieldcrest-Cannon Corporation (1983 - 2001)
4. Pillowtex Corporation (2001-2003)

Figure 11: Cannon Mills Corporation Logo


Source: www.hobbydb.com

Figure 12: Marshall Field & Company Logo


Source: www.thedepartmentstoremuseum.org

Figure 13: PillowTex Logo


Source: www.constant-contact.com

David Murdock and Cannon Mills


Murdock bought Cannon Mills Company in 1982
Name changed twice

Cannon Mills Corporation to Fieldcrest-Cannon Corporation

Fieldcrest-Cannon Corporation to Pillowtex Corporation

Murdock was the downfall of Pillowtex Corporation

Figure 14: Dave Murdock and a Horse


Source: www.forbes.com

Mill House Truth


Only used for supervisors
Terms of convenience
Selective privilege

Figure 15: A Boys Feet


Source: salvationarmy.ca

Workers Opinion under Murdock


The supervisors were treated well
Those underneath were treated horribly
How hard you work = how much money you get

Figure 16: Jimmy lecturing Henry (Goodfellas)


Source: www.tumblr.com

Harsh work environment


Some people ratted on others to get better payment
Dont they know snitches get stitches?
Figure 17: Work Meme
Source: www.tumblr.com

The Workers Opinion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG87KsCb1c0
Figure 18: Video Explaining the Workers Opinion about Cannon Mills
Source: www.youtube.com

The Closing of Pillowtex


Corporation

Largest worker layoff in North Carolina History

About 8,000 employees were fired

Half of them were residents of Kannapolis

Many workers learned about it over the radio rather


than their supervisors

Many were given the opportunity to go back to school

Funded by the government

Some people refused to head back to school

Figure 19: WBTV News Coverage of the Shutdown


Source: www.wbtv.com

Figure 20: Kids On Their Phones (The Simpsons)


Source: www.abovetopsecret.com

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College


Possible Degrees

Pharmacy Technician

Medical Coding and Billing

Medical Unit Secretary

General Construction

Customer Service Certification


Figure 21: Pie Chart Depicting the Courses taken by Former
Pillowtex Employees at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
Source: Chouathong Lo

Demolition of Pillowtex Corporation


The following videos show a section of Cannon Mills being
demolished courtesy of CBS and another by a bystander.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/massive-implosion-caught-on-tape
Figure 22: Cannon Mills Explodes
Source: www.cbsnews.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edAJazqlIgA
Figure 23: Demolition of Pillowtex Corporation
Source: www.youtube.com

David Murdock and NC Research Campus

Part of his philanthropy acts

Was built over the remaining sites of Cannon


Mills

The Research Campus was built to help create


research over food, nutrition, and treating
diseases such as Cancer and Alzheimers

Figure 24: NC Research Campus


Source: www.turnerconstruction.com

It is a public-private joint biotech lab

Many Universities across North Carolina are


involved in the campus, including UNCC!

Paternalism? or Fascism?

Figure 25: James W. Cannon


Source: http://www.heritagepursuit.com

Figure 26: Charles A. Cannon


Source: http://www.ncmarkers.com

Figure 27: David H. Murdock


Source: www.forbes.com

Figure 28: Adolf Hitler


Source: ehistory.osu.edu

In Conclusion
Cannon Mills was a textile mammoth that was established for over 100 years. It acted as
an economy booster, job provider, and a sense of community for the town of Kannapolis
and its surrounding areas. It is unfortunate that the mill was demolished so impetuously.
Thousands of people lost their jobs and everyone in the community was affected in some
way. The land that once held Kannapoliss lifeline has now been prepossessed by the
North Carolina Research Campus. Today the only remains of any information regarding
Cannon Mills lies in the basement of A.L. Brown High School. Many have recuperated
from the lost, but the tragedy will never be forgotten.

In Memory of Cannon Mills

Works Cited
Beatty, Myra, Douglas Longman, and Van Tran. Community Response to the Pillowtex Textile
Kannapolis Closing: The "Rapid Response" Team as a Facilitative Device. N.p.: n.p., Apr. 2004.
PDF.
Bobak, Jonelle. "GWU Series Features Lecture on History of Cannon Mills." Shelby Star. Sep 17
2014. ProQuest. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
Cherry, Kevin. "Cannon Mills." Cannon Mills. NCpedia, 2006. Web. 19 Feb. 2016.
Claiborne, Jack, and William Price. "James W. Cannon (1852-1921)." North Carolina History Project.
John Locke Foundation, 2016. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.
Dakss, Brian. "Massive Implosion Caught On Tape." CBSNews. CBS Interactive, 24 Mar. 2006.
Web. 28 Feb. 2016.
Ford, Emily. "Pillowtex 10 Years Later: N.C. Research Campus Behind Schedule But Picking Up
Steam - North Carolina Research Campus." North Carolina Research Campus. N.p., 30 July
2013. Web. 01 Mar. 2016.

Works Cited (cont.)


Mecia, Tony, and Adam Bell. "COMPANY GIVES UP ON REBUILDING, RETURNS TO
BANKRUPTCY COURT." Editorial. Ed.
Mock, Gary N. "Cannon Mills." Cannon Mills. Textile Industry History, n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2016.
"NC Business Hall of Fame -- Charles A. Cannon." NC Business Hall of Fame -- Charles A. Cannon.
N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
N.p.. Where Do You Stand. N.p., N.p. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.
Richter, Paul. "Murdock Letter Discloses Cannon Mills Merger Talks." Los Angeles Times (pre-1997
Fulltext): 1. Aug 15 1985. ProQuest. Web. 29 Feb. 2016.
Stan Choe and Tim Funk. Comp. Jaime Levy, Charles Lunan, Rick Rothacker, and Gail SmithArrants. The Charlotte Observer [Charlotte] 31 July 2003, Third ed., Main sec.: 1A. Log in to
NewsBank. The Charlotte Observer, n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
Vanderburg, Timothy W. Cannon Mills and Kannapolis: Persistent Paternalism in a Textile Town.
Knoxville: The University of Tennessee Press, 2013. Project MUSE. Web. 19 Feb. 2016.

Vous aimerez peut-être aussi