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News Article | April 30, 2013
‘Dust Bowl Troubadour’ Sang for Unions, Justice
For more than a century, labor musicians have lifted spirits and helped build solidarity on union picket lines. But most Americans seldom heard labor’s voice — until one prolific entertainer helped popularize songs about the plight of everyday workers. Although he is mostly remembered as the man who...
News Article | February 28, 2013
Eleanor Roosevelt: ‘One of Us’
Although she belonged to a prominent New York family and could have chosen a life of leisure, Eleanor Roosevelt was a tireless advocate for social and economic justice.
News Article | December 31, 2012
Addie L. Wyatt: Labor, Civil Rights Leader
Last year we bid farewell to an important advocate for justice for working families everywhere: The Rev. Addie L. Wyatt. Though not widely known outside Chicago, the diminutive, African-American woman made important contributions that “helped open the way for redefining women’s roles within the gene...
News Article | October 31, 2012
Minnesota Timber Workers Triumph Over Lumber Barons
In 1937, at the height of the Great Depression, Minnesota’s timber workers triumphed over daunting odds to launch two successful strikes, achieve union recognition, and negotiate unprecedented improvements in wages and living conditions. Their success arose from a collective resolve to gain control...
News Article | August 31, 2012
Union Workers and 9-11
Following the horrific events of Sept. 11, 2001, the nation paid tribute to the workers who faced unimaginable danger when they responded to the terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people. Three hundred fortythree firefighters and 72 police officers were among those who lost their lives, and...
News Article | June 30, 2012
Joe Glazer: Singer, Songwriter, Union Activist
Music has played an important role in the labor movement’s efforts to uplift, organize, and build solidarity among workers for more than a century. And for the past seven decades, singer-songwriter Joe Glazer dedicated his many talents to the fight for social and economic justice at union rallies an...
News Article | April 30, 2012
Exploited Children Organize, Defeat Newspaper Titans
Just over a century ago, several thousand child laborers captured the nation’s attention when they took on two of the nation’s biggest newspaper publishers. Their struggle exposed the exploitation of children and inspired workers, both young and old, to fight for better pay and working conditions.
News Article | February 29, 2012
Pecan Shellers’ Strike Sparked Hispanic Workers’ Movement
In Depression-era south Texas, a young Mexican-American woman broke tradition when she stood up for oppressed workers in her community and made an important contribution to the fight for social justice. Vilified by the conservative establishment that controlled San Antonio, she became a beloved lead...
News Article | December 31, 2011
In World War II, Black Women’s Army Unit Delivered
In 1945, an Army battalion of African-American women played an important role in U.S. efforts to defeat Nazi forces in Europe — even though many Americans questioned their right to serve. By processing a massive backlog of mail destined for the troops, these soldiers improved the morale of America’s...
News Article | October 31, 2011
Remembering Postal Heroes 10 Years Later
Just weeks after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, with the country still wracked with fear and anger, we learned of another deadly threat: Anthrax was being sent through the mail. Despite the dangers, postal workers kept the mail moving, as the nation confronted a new and unknown menace.
News Article | August 31, 2011
‘Si, Se Puede,’ Yes, We Can
It is next to impossible to think of the modern labor movement — and the struggles of farm workers in the United States — without César Chávez. A firm believer in nonviolence, Chávez beat the odds and successfully organized a union of farm workers. In the process, he became a symbol of hope to milli...
News Article | June 30, 2011
Maine Governor Removes Artist’s Labor Tribute
The Republican governor of Maine has censored an artist’s tribute to the state’s workers — infuriating unions and many others who called it a brazen attempt to erase decades of labor history.
News Article | March 31, 2011
Regina V. Polk: Breaking the Mold
“I only met Regina Polk once. Briefly. That’s a teamster? I thought. The beauty? The cape? The high heels? The perfect make-up? Where’s the beer belly and the donut? The scowl and the crowbar?” – Terry Spencer Hesser Regina V. Polk fought diligently for workers’ rights, working as a labor organizer...
News Article | December 31, 2010
Rev. James Orange: A Champion for Labor and Human Rights
Reverend James Orange played a critical role in actions that led to the enactment of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and later applied his organizing skills in the fight for economic justice for workers across the south.“He was the living embodiment of the connection between the union movement and the...
News Article | October 31, 2010
1913 Silk Strike United Diverse Workforce
A 1913 strike among silk industry workers in Paterson, NJ proved that laborers could stand up to the factory bosses who exploited them. The strike united men and women, immigrant and native-born, and skilled and unskilled workers, and although it was not entirely successful, it left an enduring lega...