Interview with Guillermo Lopez

Javier Toro

Guillermo Lopez

2020-07-09

Residence of Guillermo Lopez

Guillermo Lopez's last 10 years of his 27 years career working for Bethlehem Steel was in the role of Joint Civil Rights Representative for the Bethlehem Steel Factory and the Union that represented the workers of Bethlehem Steel. Guillermo Lopez recounts the problems that his parents encountered with their neighbors which once escalated to the point of violence, and how his family was among five other families that put their homes up as collateral to form the Puerto Rican Beneficial Society in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Guillermo Lopez recalls the hustle and bustle of the South Side when Bethlehem Steel and the marketplace were in motion. He speaks about the historical ties to the police brutality that happens today and the police brutality against the Puerto Rican community which became the motivation for establishing the Puerto Rican Beneficial Society. The Puerto Rican Beneficial Society was also created to address the problems in their children’s education. In addition, Guillermo speaks on the political impediment to allow the Puerto Rican Beneficial Society relocate from the South Side into the central part of the city near City Hall.

CC BY-NC 4.0