This mural showing the early history of UAW local 174 was painted by Walter Speck and Barbara Wilson in 1937 and originally hung in the local’s union hall at 2730 Maybury Grand St., in Detroit, Michigan. After moving with the local to several new offices, the mural now resides in the Walter Reuther Library at Wayne State University in Detroit.

Local 174 was Reuther’s home local, and the mural depicts several scenes in the formation of the union, including the 1936-37 Flint Sit-Down Strike and the 1937 Battle of the Overpass at Ford Motor Company. On the right, workers are shown holding copies of Local 174’s first contract.