Title
Interview with Neil Rolde
Streaming Media
Date of Interview
3-14-2011
Duration of Audio File
Audio File #1 01:47:27
Interviewee
Neil Rolde
Gender
Male
Residence
Portland, Maine
Occupation/ Work History
Democratic party activist and leader, 1960s-2000s, Maine historian and publisher, benefactor for progressive Maine organization.
Role
Public Official
Mill or Principal Employer
Governor Kenneth Curtis, Augusta, Maine
Mill Location
Madawaska, Maine
Keywords
Fraser Paper, Paper Industry - Maine, Labor Unions- Paper Industry, Paper Mill Strike - 1971
Abstract
A key part of the Rolde interview describes Governor's role in 1971 Fraser strike, when he and Governor Curtis flew to strike site to bring an end to violence. Rolde also describes the rise of liberal Democratic leadership of Maine state government in 1960s and 1970s.
Document Type
Interview
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Neil Rolde, interview by Michael Hillard, March 14, 2011, Stories of Maine's Paper Plantation, Digital Maine, Maine's Economic Improvement Fund, Digital Commons, University of Southern Maine
Comments
Vivid account of meetings with union and company leaders on August 9 and August 10 in wake of violent confrontation on train tracks. Governor Curtis got negotiations restarted that ultimately led to the end of the strike. Rolde tells the story of Curtis's campaign to get elected as a very young and liberal governor in 1966, how he helped Curtis to pass progressive environmental policies and generally challenge the paper industry's great political power. A signature accomplishment was abolishing the notorious undemocratic "Governor's Council" typically comprised of business leaders that had veto power over legislation and executive and judge appointments.