Wayne State University's Walter P. Reuther Library, in the College of Urban, Labor and Metropolitan Affairs, announces the opening of the "Bernard J. Firestone: Joy in Solidarity" exhibit on Tuesday, Feb. 1.

Featuring the extraordinary life and service of nationally recognized Detroit labor leader Bernard "Bernie" J. Firestone, the exhibit will run from Feb. 1 through December 2005 in the Woodcock Gallery of the Walter P. Reuther Library on Wayne State's main campus. Viewing hours are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

One of Detroit's foremost social activists, Firestone was an advocate for people facing oppression and injustice. His 40-year career with the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union and legal background helped develop Firestone's understanding of everyday human struggles.

Firestone, an alumnus of Wayne State University earning undergraduate and law degrees from the institution, provided years of service to dozens of philanthropic organizations, workers' rights, educational reform and causes of humanity. Firestone's life was tragically cut short on Sept. 6, 1989, when he was murdered by a disgruntled retiree.

For more information about the exhibit, contact Kristen Chinery at the Walter P. Reuther Library, (313) 577-8377, or e-mail: ac9538@wayne.edu. Further information may also be available at the Walter P. Reuther Library Web site, www.reuther.wayne.edu.

Wayne State University is a premier institution of higher education offering more than 350 academic programs through 12 schools and colleges to more than 33,000 students in metropolitan Detroit.