Kalamazoo Gals by John Thomas

An interesting read by a Gibson guitar aficionado who puzzled over a 1944 photo he uncovered of women in front of the Gibson Guitar company-- a staff of women crafting guitars during World War II. The odd thing about this photo was the fact that John was aware that the company covered up this fact until the 1970's because they wanted to be supportive of the war effort -- they claimed to the world that they would not build guitars until "our boys come home". In John's words, this is what drew him to write this story: "Then I encountered two data points that drove me to write this book. First, in the course of researching an article I’ve long forgotten, I came across an explanation in the book “Gibsons Fabulous Flattops” for why the WWII era Gibson guitars that sport a small golden “Only A Gibson Is Good Enough” banner are such fine instruments: ”Though nearly 90% of Gibson’s workforce was taken from guitar production and put to work on war contracts, the 10% remaining were the company’s most seasoned craftsmen.” Second, I found that unique 1944 photo of the all female workforce. So I began to wonder. Did these women build these guitars? If they did, why doesn’t anyone know about them? What if these guitars are special not because seasoned craftsmen built them, but because craftswomen built them. Thus began my five year journey that ended with the publication of Kalamazoo Gals." I really enjoyed this story for several reasons: the Kalamazoo history, the attitude and culture of World War II, the fact that women were finally recognized for their amazing contribution, the individual stories of the women --and the surprise I felt when I found out that my mother worked at Gibson for a short time prior to her going into the Navy!! At first I felt sadness that we somehow "missed" the announcements of John Thomas coming to Kalamazoo in 2007 to interview the employees from that era; then I realized that it was in September, when we all were caught up in the grief of losing my sister. My mom would not have been able to think cognitively at that time. Here are John's words about how he felt about those Kalamazoo Gals and the friendships that developed: "When I look at that 1944 image today, my eyes immediately focus on the figure sitting in the front row, fifth from the right. That’s Jenny Snow, the first Kalamazoo Gal I met. I visited their home first in September of 2007 and again in the spring of 2008. At the close of our first meeting, Jenny uttered the words that still disquiet me: “Well, I guess I’m just gonna live long enough to see this book come out.” Jenny, like most of our Kalamazoo Galls, did not survive to see the publication of this book. Or, put more honestly, I didn’t finish the book in time for them to see it in print. If I didn’t succeed in my goal of completing the story while all twelve of the Kalamazoo Gals remained with us, I did complete it in time to host one more Sunday afternoon tea for the surviving Kalamazoo Gals and for the children and grandchildren of those not able to see their names in print. And I do hope I’ve succeeded in telling the story well."