Oral history interview with Gordon Berkstresser, III, April 29, 1986

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This interview is a manual on the past, present, and future of the textile industry in the American South. Gordon Berkstresser III moved from management positions in the textiles into academia, where he studies the industry. In this detailed, dense interview, Berkstresser describes some of the changes that have taken place in American textiles over the course of the 20th century and how industry leaders have responded to those changes. He sees the textile industry as dynamic, both technologically and methodologically, but also sees it in a state of crisis, threatened by imports, a weak political position, and calcified ideas. Berkstresser describes complex political and business arrangements with clarity, making this interview a useful, detailed source for information about the textile industry.