Provided by the Akron Stories project with permission from Lucille Esposito
Lucille Esposito recorded a story about her mother, Filomene Mae Riccilli, shown at right in this photo, who worked at BF Goodrich from 1933-1976.
At one time the rubber industry employed more than 72,000 workers in Akron. Many Akronites have ancestors who worked in the industry. And it attracted one population in particular.
As the city unveils a new statue Thursday in tribute to those workers, we hear some of the stories that visitors will be able to listen to at an accompanying interactive kiosk.
“He heard that there was work up in Akron and he came up to Akron.”