Episode 5 - Communist Women In the Great Depression

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The Great Depression was one of the greatest crises in capitalism's history, throwing millions out of work and pushing them to the brink of starvation. Women workers bore the brunt of this, being the first to be fired in nearly every workplace. But women workers fought back, organizing massive strikes, marches, and demonstrations against both their atrocious working conditions and the inadequate relief from the government. A new organization emerged in this period to take up the lead in the struggle for social equality: the Communist Party. 

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Overtime Episode 64 Preview: Women in the US Labor Movement - Pt 5

This penultimate episode of Organize the Unorganized concludes the story of the CIO. We cover first the communist purge in the late 1940s, as well as Operation Dixie, the failed campaign to organize the south. We then get to merger with the AFL in 1955, and the afterlife of the CIO in the Industrial Union Department and its contributions to the Civil Rights Movement.

Guests in order of appearance: Lizabeth Cohen, Howard Mumford Jones Professor of American Studies at Harvard University; James Young, Professor Emeritus of History at Edinboro University; Melvyn Dubofsky, Professor Emeritus of History and Sociology at Binghamton University; Erik Loomis, Professor of History at the University of Rhode Island; David Brody, Professor Emeritus of History at UC-Davis; Jeremy Brecher, Labor Historian; William P. Jones, Professor of History at the University of Minnesota; Nelson Lichtenstein, Professor of History at UC-Santa Barbara; Lisa Phillips, Associate Professor of History at Indiana State University; Steve Fraser, Labor Historian; Ruth Milkman, Distinguished Professor of Sociology at the CUNY Graduate Center; Dorothy Sue Cobble, Professor Emerita of History and Labor Studies at Rutgers University

Clips in order of appearance: “Bill Strength Congress of Industrial Organizations Program,” Part 11, “Congress of Industrial Organizations and Americanism” (1524A/28), in “Textile Workers Union of America Records, 1915-1994,” Wisconsin Historical Society, https://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi/f/findaid/findaid-idx?c=wiarchives;view=reslist;subview=standard;didno=uw-whs-us00129a (0:00); “James Matles - 1973, District 10 meeting, Lake Arrowhead, CA,” UE History, https://soundcloud.com/user-141302221/james-matles-1973-district-10-meeting-lake-arrowhead-ca (9:41); “Congress of Industrial Organizations convention debate on the expulsion of the communists, circa 4 November 1949” (1524A/91&92), in “Textile Workers Union of America Records, 1915-1994,” Wisconsin Historical Society, https://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi/f/findaid/findaid-idx?c=wiarchives;view=reslist;subview=standard;didno=uw-whs-us00129a (19:40, 20:14, 21:49, 22:33, 23:53); “Martin Luther King, AFL-CIO Convention 4 Dec 11, 1961,” AFL-CIO archive at the University of Maryland (35:30); “John F. Kennedy’s remarks to a labor group, 24 September, 1963” (375A/41), in “United Packinghouse, Food, and Allied Workers Records, 1937-1968,” Wisconsin Historical Society, https://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi/f/findaid/findaid-idx?c=wiarchives;id=navbarbrowselink;cginame=findaid-idx;cc=wiarchives;view=reslist;subview=standard;didno=uw-whs-mss00118;focusrgn=C02;byte=412854728 (39:50); “UAW Audiovisual Collection: 1955 Documentary on the CIO,” Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University (46:40)

Theme music by Drake Tyler.

Organize the Unorganized

Episode 8: Is There an Ending to the CIO?

This final episode of Organize the Unorganized is devoted to key lessons of the CIO moment. All of the guests on this program were asked about this basic question, and we try to represent all of their answers on this episode. The negative lessons, points where guests were keen to note the differences between the 30s and the present moment, focused on the changed economic situation and the issue of labor law. The more positive lessons pertained to union democracy, overcoming divisions in the working class, mass organizing, raising expectations, and seizing the moment.

Guests in order of appearance: Dorothy Sue Cobble, Professor Emerita of History and Labor Studies at Rutgers University; David Brody, Professor Emeritus of History at UC-Davis; Ruth Milkman, Distinguished Professor of Sociology at the CUNY Graduate Center; Ahmed White, Nicholas Rosenbaum Professor of Law at the University of Colorado-Boulder; Lizabeth Cohen, Howard Mumford Jones Professor of American Studies at Harvard University; Robert Cherny, Professor Emeritus of History at San Francisco State University; Jeremy Brecher, Labor Historian; Nelson Lichtenstein, Professor of History at UC-Santa Barbara; Bryan Palmer, Professor Emeritus of History at Trent University; William P. Jones, Professor of History at the University of Minnesota; Rick Halpern, Professor of American Studies at the University of Toronto; Peter Cole, Professor of History at Western Illinois University; Erik Loomis, Professor of History at the University of Rhode Island; Steve Fraser, Labor Historian

Clips in order of appearance: “David Dubinsky speaks at the 25th anniversary celebration of his ILGWU presidency, Madison Square Garden, New York, 1957, Part 2,” David Dubinsky Audio-visual Recordings, Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library, https://rmc.library.cornell.edu/EAD/htmldocs/KCL05780-002av.html (37:32); “Walter Reuther and the UAW,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4n76yNizs8 (38:03); “A Conversation with Harry Bridges,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EFZOj7_1qI (39:31); John L. Lewis, “Industrial Democracy Speech, WEAF,” The John L. Lewis Papers, Wisconsin Historical Society (493A/39) (39:46)

Songs in order of appearance: The Union Boys, “Hold the Fort,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj4tNpjr9c4 (12:33); “On the Line,” “Tom Glazer Sings Favorite American Union Songs circa 1948,” United Packinghouse, Food, and Allied Workers Records, 1937-1968, Wisconsin Historical Society (Audio 375A/78), https://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi/f/findaid/findaid-idx?c=wiarchives;id=navbarbrowselink;cginame=findaid-idx;cc=wiarchives;view=reslist;subview=standard;didno=uw-whs-mss00118;focusrgn=C02;byte=412854728 (19:07); “We Shall Not Be Moved,” The Original Talking Union and Other Unions Songs with the Almanac Singers with Pete Seeger and Chorus, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3cJ7GVoOdA (27:56); Tracy Newman, “It Could Be a Wonderful World,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-yIs5GICs8 (42:33)

Theme music by Drake Tyler.

Episode 9: Lessons

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Normally our history series tend to focus on mass movements, on structures, on the broad forces at play in the class struggle. But just because the class struggle is the motor of history, doesn't mean that individuals don't play critical roles. Elizabeth Gurley Flynn was one of those exceptional working class leaders forged in struggle who played an outsized role in many of the most pivotal labor struggles in US history. Political agitator, firebrand public speaker, labor organizer, IWW legend, Communist Party leader, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn played countless roles in the pursuit of liberation. In this series, we'll discuss her incredible life and what lessons we can learn from her lifelong devotion to the cause of the working class. 

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OT Ep 68 Preview: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Pt 1

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Elizabeth Gurley Flynn was already an organizer before she even left High School. Traveling the industrial cities of the northeast to speak for workers, she quickly decided to dedicate her life to the cause of the working class. Her work with the IWW would take her across the whole Northern half of the country, and bring her in contact with many of the most towering figures in US labor history, like herself. Continuing her frantic pace of organizing even while pregnant, Elizabeth never backed down from a fight. 

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OT Ep 69 PREVIEW: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Pt 2

The Old Umbrella Mender, written by Eugene V. Debs for The Coming Nation on March 1st, 1913. The story of Eugene Debs' encounter with an old rail worker who refused to betray his fellow workers and paid a heavy price.

The Old Umbrella Mender

In this episode, Jenn and Daren dive deep into the exploitation of Black labor, drawing from their personal experiences working for Disney. They shed light on the harsh realities faced by Disney workers, particularly Black employees, and discuss the broader implications of these labor practices within the context of American capitalism.

The episode begins with Jenn and Daren discussing the recent viral video of Disney characters unionizing and the importance of labor unions in protecting workers' rights. They then share anecdotes from the time they each spent at Disney, revealing the less-than-magical side of the company including the exploitation of part-time workers, overt racism and anti-Blackness.

In the second segment, Jenn and Daren broaden the conversation to include the systemic issues that Black workers face across various industries. They cite statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Brookings Institute to illustrate the disparities in employment and pay for Black workers, and discuss the additional challenges faced by Black women and men in the workplace.

The episode concludes with a reflection on the importance of mental health and work-life balance, particularly for Black workers navigating hostile work environments. Jenn shares her personal journey from STEM to academia and the pressures she faced, while Daren emphasizes the need for self-care and ethical work practices.

Reference Material:
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/08/31/black-workers-views-and-experiences-in-the-us-labor-force-stand-out-in-key-ways/#:~:text=Black%20Americans%20make%20up%20large,time%20and%20are%20self%2Demployed
https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2022/04/07/black-americans-views-of-education-and-professional-opportunities-in-science-technology-engineering-and-math/
https://www.epi.org/indicators/state-unemployment-race-ethnicity/
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/why-are-employment-rates-so-low-among-black-men/
S1E5 - The Erasure of Black Women's Work - https://soundcloud.com/thatblackcouple/episode-5-the-erasure-of-black-womens-work
Rutgers doctoral student gives birth on same day she defends dissertation - https://abc7ny.com/post/rutgers-doctoral-student-goes-into-early-labor-gives-birth-on-same-day-she-defends-dissertation-from-hospital/14780220/
Why I will no longer use my unpaid labor to discuss race in America with white people - https://watercoolerconvos.com/2017/09/10/will-no-longer-use-unpaid-labor-discuss-race-america-white-people/
On Nnedi Okorafor and when Hollywood values our work but erases our names - https://watercoolerconvos.com/2017/09/14/nnedi-okorafor-erasure/


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Email: ThatBLKCouple@gmail.com

Podcast Summary:
This is an accidentally funny podcast about the realities of Blackness and adult life. We do “adult” differently. We are That Black Couple.
Our goal is to create a space for Black millennials to discuss and embody adult life on their own terms. We aren’t beholden to “traditional” gender or parenting roles, queerness is fluid and present in the ways we show up in our relationships and in the world, and we want to build community with other 30-something Black folx who are trying to figure this ish out.

S6E9 - Black Workers and Disney’s Exploitation of Labor

On April 20th, 1914, Colorado state militiamen attacked a massive tent colony erected by striking miners and their families who had been evicted from their company homes, killing eighteen of them, including women and children. The attack sparked a pitched battle. Between September 1913 and the end of April 1914, 75-100 people were killed and dozens more injured and jailed.

Written by Scott Ward. Narration by Dr. Nicholas B. Breyfogle. Video and textual versions of this podcast are available at https://origins.osu.edu/milestones/april-2014-which-side-are-you-ludlow-massacre-and-class-struggle-1914. Podcast production by Katherine Weiss, Dr. Nicholas B. Breyfogle, and Laura Seeger. 

This is a production of Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspective at the Goldberg Center in the Department of History at The Ohio State University and the Department of History at Miami University. Be sure to subscribe to our channel to receive updates about our videos and podcasts. For more information about Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspective, please visit origins.osu.edu.

The Ludlow Massacre: Fighting for Workers’ Rights, 1914

I interviewed Gabe Christy and Sam James who host the Labor Jawn Podcast, a podcast about the history of the labor movement in Philadelphia. You can find their podcast and music in the links below.
laborjawn.com
Labor Jawn: https://open.spotify.com/show/4YDu6jbg3DsYThjswCx115?si=5501673e2c1f4277
Music of Labor Jawn: https://open.spotify.com/album/3rBPs4tIMXYq5usa6087fy?si=29mvfSNCSUapAyssOSAZ3w
Other Music By Sam James: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0BRbaZrYKlcIG12CxCxTdl?si=OKyL8tiYTYyNi-S6xZmMXA

Labor Jawn Interview

Update for listeners, and happy Father's Day wishes; excerpt from latest patron-only lecture on Italy between unification and the entry into the First World War.
Please sign up on Patreon to hear the latest lecture and all patron-only materials! -- https://www.patreon.com/posts/italy-nation-war-131082248

Podcast website:  www.historiansplaining.com
Image:  The Paderno D'Adda hydroelectric power plant, Lombardy, 1895-8
Music: "Nel Blu, Dipinto di Blu" / "Volare," by Domenico Modugno

Update & Excerpt -- Italy: Nation-Building & Entry Into World War I

I am an audiobook producer who loves what I do. My aim is to constantly improve my work and strive to bring books to life through audio. I would rather narrate a quality book for royalty share than narrate a horrible book for big money.

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS BELOW! Click on "Show More"

A podcast about the history, strategy, and significance of the Congress of Industrial Organizations from the Center for Work & Democracy at Arizona State University and Jacobin Magazine. All clip, song, and quote references, as well as links to individual interview transcripts, at soundcloud.com/organizetheunorganized.

Interview with Jeremy Brecher: https://jacobin.com/2024/01/organize-the-unorganized-congress-of-industrial-organizations-labor-history-unions

Interview with David Brody: https://jacobin.com/2024/07/cio-afl-industrial-unions-history/

Interview with Robert Cherny: https://jacobin.com/2024/01/west-coast-class-struggle-history

Interview with Dorothy Sue Cobble: https://jacobin.com/2024/03/cio-labor-movement-afl-cobble

Interview with Lizabeth Cohen: https://jacobin.com/2024/01/congress-of-industrial-organizations-history-worker-organizing-unity-great-depression

Interview with Peter Cole: https://jacobin.com/2024/08/ilwu-racism-dockworkers-san-francisco

Interview with Melvyn Dubofsky: https://jacobin.com/2023/12/cio-committee-industrial-organization-mass-production-workers-us-labor-movement-afl

Interview with Steve Fraser: https://jacobin.com/2024/01/cio-history-working-class-organizing-new-deal

Interview with Rick Halpern: https://jacobin.com/2024/06/packinghouse-workers-organizing-committee-upwa-cio-history/

Interview with Nelson Lichtenstein: https://jacobin.com/2024/09/cio-worker-organizing-labor-history

Interview with Erik Loomis: https://jacobin.com/2024/03/cio-sit-down-strikes-roosevelt-communists

Interview with Ruth Milkman: https://jacobin.com/2024/08/unions-afl-cio-democracy-leadership

Interview with Daniel Nelson: https://jacobin.com/2024/01/akron-rubber-workers-union-sit-down-strike-cio

Interview with Bryan Palmer: https://jacobin.com/2024/01/1934-minneapolis-truckers-strike-cio-left-organizing

Interview with Lisa Phillips: https://jacobin.com/2024/04/cio-union-density-mccarthyism-racism

Interview with Ahmed White: https://jacobin.com/2024/04/cio-little-steel-strike-swoc

Interview with James Young: https://jacobin.com/2024/05/united-electrical-workers-ue-union-cio-communists

This is an accidentally funny podcast about the realities of Blackness and adult life. 

Our goal is to create a space for Black millennials to discuss and embody adult life on their own terms. We aren’t beholden to “traditional” gender or parenting roles, queerness is fluid and present in the ways we show up in our relationships and in the world, and we want to build community with other 30-something Black folx who are trying to figure this ish out.

We do “adult” differently. 


-About Daren and Jenn-

Jenn is a queer, Black feminist from Oakland. Daren is an introverted nerd and novelist from Anaheim.

They are boo’ed up and have been since 2002 when they bonded over a mutual love of Brian McKnight’s “Never Felt This Way”, their favorite Brandy lyrics, and nineties TV like Family Matters, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and Living Single. It was a shared obsession with Black cultural icons, histories, and artistry that drew Jenn and Daren to one another even though they are actually completely different personality-wise.

Jenn and Daren have always said to themselves, “Wouldn’t it be cool if we had a show?” Well, no major networks have reached out yet. So, until that happens, you can find the them here, sharing their views on race and culture and everything in between.

They are young thirty-somethings who have been married since for over a decade. Jenn and Daren have three beautiful, brilliant, radical, snarky kids who play no games.

History lectures by Samuel Biagetti, a historian (and antique dealer) with a Phd in early American history; my dissertation was on Freemasonry in the 1700s. I focus on the historical myths and distortions, from "the Middle Ages" to "Race," that people use to rationalize the world in which we live.   More info at www.historiansplaining.com

Please see my Patreon page, https://www.patreon.com/user?u=5530632, if you want to keep the lectures coming, and to hear the patron-only materials.

Smart conversations about today’s most interesting topics - a history podcast for everyone, produced by Origins from Ohio State's Department of History

New tracks tagged #labor history