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450 S Michigan Ave, AUD 540
Chicago IL 60605
United States

312-341-2247

Illinois Labor History Society

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ILHS Upcoming Events


Feb
10
12:00 PM12:00

UE Mural Tour

The United Electrical Workers Union (U.E.) has entered into a sale for their building at 37 South Ashland Avenue. The historic murals therein, painted in 1974 by John Pittman Weber and Jose Guerrero, are an important part of the labor movement and the mural art scene in Chicago. While efforts to move the murals, or at least a significant part of them, are ongoing, this is likely to be your last chance to see the whole work in the form it was planned and painted.

ILHS has arranged a tour... one of the last… for members and friends who want to see the murals in their original space and context.

JOIN US Saturday, FEB. 10TH at 12 noon for a FREE one-hour tour led by Carl Rosen, U.E. President and expert on the murals and their meaning.

PLEASE RSVP HERE:

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Dec
8
6:00 PM18:00

2023 Union Hall of Honor

Dear Friends of the Illinois Labor History Society,

The Illinois Labor History Society is thrilled to gather for the Union Hall of Honor Banquet and to celebrate our Illinois labor advocates.  This year’s theme is Forging a Union of Steel. We are pleased to announce that this year we are honoring Fred Redmond—Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO; the late George Becker—former USW President; Roberta Wood—Founding Co-chair USWA District 31 Women’s Caucus; and Norma Gaines—Founding Co-chair USWA District 34 Women’s Caucus, for their lifelong advocacy of union and human rights, and for their work to engage union members and labor activists.

We are excited to have as our keynote speaker Michael R. Millsap, Director, District 7 United Steelworkers.

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Sep
17
1:30 PM13:30

ILHS MONTHLY PULLMAN LABOR TOUR THIS SUNDAY!

  • Illinois Labor History Society/Historic Pullman Foundation (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Please join the ILHS for our monthly Pullman Labor History Tour this Sunday, September 17 · 1:30pm CDT. We will meet at the Pullman Exhibit Hall at 11141 South Cottage Grove Avenue, Chicago

ILHS members get $5 off the ticket price when using Promo Code ILHS2023

 Tickets are limited, so please get yours today!

The town’s architecture and amenities embodied Pullman’s ideals. But a critical element was missing – democracy. Then the workers united…

Entrepreneur George Pullman made a fortune building and operating sleeping cars and other railroad equipment. He had very exacting standards and the name “Pullman” was synonymous with luxury.

Just as he expected high quality in his products and their operation, Pullman’s “model town” was an attempt to carry that same standard to his factory and workforce. Attractive and well-built homes, a school, a church, a library, and a marketplace all reflected George Pullman’s ideals of orderliness, cleanliness, and luxuriousness. However, one critical element was missing – democracy. The town and factory were ruled by the Pullman company and its officers. When workers rose up for a voice in 1894, a national railroad shutdown resulted. Pullman’s reputation suffered as he opposed his workforce.

Co-sponsored by the Illinois Labor History Society and the Historic Pullman Foundation, this tour explores the relationships between George Pullman, his company town, and the men and women who worked at his factory. We will again bring to life a period of conflict and struggle that reflects many contemporary issues – Pullman is where America’s story lives.

Guided tours are available to the public from June through September. Tours depart the HPF Exhibit Hall at 1:30 p.m., last about 90 minutes, and cover a walking distance of about a mile.

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Sep
2
12:00 PM12:00

Chicago Labor Day Parade & Eddie Fest 2023

  • Illinois Labor History Society (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Mark your calendars for the Chicago Labor Day Parade & Eddie Fest on Saturday, September 2!

This year’s parade kicks off at noon along Cottage Grove Ave. on Chicago’s South Side in the Pullman neighborhood. Eddie Fest will immediately follow and be held on the grounds of the Pullman National Historical Park! We’re proud to partner with the Historic Pullman Foundation, Friends of Labor, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Pullman House Project, National A. Phillip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum, and Illinois Labor History Society to make this year’s events safe and enjoyable for all!

Visit the Chicago Labor Day Parade's website at https://www.chicagolaborparade.com/, which includes more information, as well as links to register your organization to participate and to register as a volunteer.

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Aug
10
to Sep 4

ILLINOIS LABOR-SPONSORED EVENTS - LABOR DAY FESTIVITIES STATEWIDE

  • Illinois Labor History Society (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

ILLINOIS LABOR-SPONSORED EVENTS - LABOR DAY FESTIVITIES STATEWIDE


ILLINOIS STATE FAIR Aug. 10-20 – Illinois AFL-CIO Labor Pavilion Exhibition Location: Illinois AFL-CIO Labor Pavilion on the southeast side of the Illinois State Fairgrounds (801 E Sangamon Ave, Springfield, IL). We expect between 1,000-3,000 people each day.
Time: The pavilion will be open from 10am to 5pm daily Contact: Amy Rueff, 217-492-2633 or amy.rueff@ilafl-cio.org

ALTON Aug. 23 & 26 – James Stanley Charity Softball Tournament Location: Gordon Moore Park, Alton, IL on hwy. 140.
Contact: B. Dean Webb, 618-259-8558
Aug. 26 – Labor Celebration Parade & Picnic - kids games, food, and refreshments Location: Parade starts at Wood River IL Round House, parade will continue North on Wood River Ave and end at the Wilshire Village Parking Lot in East Alton, IL. Picnic for Union Members and their family –following parade at Gordon Moore Park, Alton, IL on hwy. 140. (Wrist Bands are required to attend Picnic, see your local union) Time: Parade lineup begins at 8:00 a.m. & starts at 10 a.m. / Picnic starts after parade completion. Contact: B. Dean Webb, 618-259-8558 or Nick Dodson, 618-363-1384

BELLEVILLE
Aug. 31– Southwestern Illinois CLC 54th Annual Labor Awards Dinner Location: Panorama Banquet Center (downstairs), Bel-Air Bowl,
200 S. Belt West, Belleville, IL 62220 Time: Doors open 6:00 p.m. with Dinner at 7:00 p.m. Cost: $25 per person in advance $30 at the door for dinner, Sponsor ad book $75 or $150. Contact: Charles Kaemmerer, Jr. at 618-979-4953 or Scot Luchtefeld at 618-340-8300.
Sept. 4 – Labor Day Parade & Picnic Location: Parade is in downtown Belleville, lineup starts in 4th block of South 1st St., and will end at Hough Park with the annual Picnic. Parade & Picnic open to union members and their families ONLY and food, beverages, rides and games for kids are available.
Time: Parade - 8:00 a.m. lineup, 10:00 a.m. start / Picnic – 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Contact: Scot Luchtefeld, 618-340-8300

BLOOMINGTON - NORMAL Sept. 4 – Labor Day Parade followed by a dinner in Miller Park for union members and their families
Theme: “Prevailing Wage is a Family Wage” Location: Downtown Bloomington – starting at Front and Center Streets
Time: Parade – 9 a.m. line up, 10 a.m. start / Lunch – 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. $6 box lunch
Contact: For questions or an application, call 309-208-1120 or contact paradeblono@gmail.com.

CHARLESTON
Aug. 26 – Labor Council Picnic Location: Fox Ridge State Park, 8 miles south of Charleston on Rt. 130
Time: Lunch – Noon – 4:00 p.m. Music, BBQ dinner – all active or retired union members welcome. Contact: Contact John Warner at 217-855-2839 .

CHAMPAIGN - URBANA Sept. 4 – Labor Day Parade & Picnic Location: Downtown Champaign – starting at corner of Chestnut
St. and Main St to Walnut St to Neil St. to Washington St. Time: Staging begins at 9:00 a.m. and Parade starts at 10 a.m.
A picnic will immediately follow at West Side Park in Champaign. Contact: Matt Kelly at 217-621-5201 or David Beck at 217-
721-5344

DANVILLE Sept. 4 – Labor Day Parade Location: Downtown Danville Time: 8:00 a.m. lineup, 9 a.m. start Contact: Vermilion County Federation of Labor President, Oscar Williams - owilliams@afgenvac.org

DECATUR Sept. 4 – Labor Day Parade & Picnic Location: Downtown Decatur, line up on South Franklin Street at Wood Street
Time: 8:30 a.m. lineup, 10 a.m. start; Theme: TBD Parade Contact: John Warner, 217-855-2839 There will be a picnic at Fairview Park immediately following the parade until 2 p.m. Comment: This is the 10th annual combined picnic of all labor unions in Macon County, expecting about 2,500 participants. Food, refreshments, ice cream, raffles & kid games. Free to union sponsors, $25 for general public.
Picnic Contact: Lloyd Holman, 217-620-4923

GALESBURG Sept. 4 – Labor Day Parade – 130th Annual Location: Downtown Galesburg, IL – Main Street Time: 10 a.m. start
Contact: Galesburg Trades & Labor Assembly President Randall Bryan, 309-335-0907

GRANITE CITY Sept. 4 – Labor Day Parade and Picnic – Live music, food and refreshments
Location: Parade lineup begins at 9:00 a.m. in downtown Granite City on State Streetbetween Niedringhaus & 18th Street
and will go to Wilson Park for picnic for Union Members and their families. Time: Parade starts at 10:00 a.m. Contact: B. Dean Webb, 618-259-8558 or Mike Fultz 618-931-7212, cell 618-409-4314

PEORIA Sep. 4 – Labor Day Parade. Location: Parade - Downtown Peoria – details coming soon on assembly area.
Labor Day Party – on the Riverfront at parade’s end. There will be food, music, and fun for all!
Time: Parade starts at 10 a.m. with parade lineup at 8:30 a.m. Contact: Lisa Uphoff at 309-672-1967

QUAD CITY Sep. 4 – Labor Day Parade Location: East Moline – lineup at John Deere Harvester Works parking lot, 1100 13th Avenue in East Moline Time: Lineup at 9 a.m.; parade starts at 11 a.m. and proceeds along 15th Avenue. Contact: Dan Gosa, 309-788-1303

QUINCY Saturday September 2, 2023– Labor Day Picnic sponsored by Western Trades & Labor Assembly. Location: Machinists Hall & Grounds, 2929 N. 5th Street, Quincy, IL Time: Picnic 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. / Chicken Dinner will be served from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. Bingo and lots of door prizes. Open to all area union members including retirees and their immediate families. Live band from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. We are asking each family to bring non-perishable food items for charity. Contact: Steve Marold, 309-645-4903

ROCKFORD Sept. 4 – Labor Day Parade, Picnic & Pageant Location: Parade lineup at Davis Park, 320 S Wyman Street, Rockford, IL
Time: Parade lineup at 8:30 a.m. and begins at 10 a.m. Theme: “Workers’ Rights Now and Forever” Contact: Email rockfordunitedlabor@outlook.com

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
Aug. 25 through Sept 4 – DuQuoin Illinois State Fair Labor Pavilion will be open each day of the fair and is sponsored by The Egyptian Building Trades Twilight Parade will be held at 6 p.m. on Aug. 25 for union members wishing to walk with their Union float.

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May
1
4:30 PM16:30

Celebrate May Day at Haymarket Memorial - May 1 at 4:30 p.m.

Celebrate May Day!

 HAYMARKET MEMORIAL PLAQUE DEDICATION

Monday, May 1, 4:30 p.m.

Haymarket Memorial — 175 N. Des Plaines St., Chicago

 Join the CFL, ILHS, LCLAA on May Day! On the 30th Anniversary of his death, a plaque will be dedicated to honor the life and legacy of Cesar Chavez, as well as the continuing work of Dolores Huerta and the United Farm Workers (UFW) to fight for equity and justice.

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Apr
1
4:00 PM16:00

Joe Hill: Alive as You and Me

FREE EVENT!

Please join us at the Irish American Heritage Center in the McGinty Room on Saturday, April 1 at 4 PM for an evening of entertainment with Tom Kastle who brings to life the great labor leader Joe Hill.

 Tom Kastle is a singer, songwriter, actor, and tall ship sailor who has performed throughout the US, Canada, Europe, and New Zealand. He has been a regular member of the Solidarity Sing Along, in Madison, Wisconsin, where he has sung alongside activist singers like Holly Near, Peggy Seeger, Tom Morello, Jackson Browne, and Masha from Pussy Riot. Tom's most recent recording is "Angels & Nightingales", a collection of original songs based mostly on traditional ballads and fiddle tunes. His stage appearances include Man of La Mancha, Henry IV and God Save Us! with Ed Asner as well as independent films like Francisco Torres' Delight In the Mountain.  He recently performed Joe Hill: Alive as You and Me in Madison, Wisconsin and at the University of Ohio in Akron, Ohio.

Tickets are FREE, but there are only 100 available so please RSVP below!

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"Filipinos & Pullman" - Chicago Federation of Labor Secretary-Treasurer at Pullman
Sep
18
4:00 PM16:00

"Filipinos & Pullman" - Chicago Federation of Labor Secretary-Treasurer at Pullman

CFL’s Don Villar Speaking September 18

 

The Historic Pullman Foundation (HPF) is hosting Chicago Federation of Labor Secretary –Treas-urer and ILHS board member on September 18, 4p.m., part of their on-going speakers’ series.

 

Villar will speak on “Filipinos and Pullman.”  As African-American Pullman Porters began organizing in 1925, the Pullman Company brought in Filipinos as possible strike-breakers. Instead, the Filipino workers joined in solidarity with the Porters and stymied the Pullman Company.

 

Villar is a labor activist, an Emmy award-winning former broadcast news journalist, and civil rights attorney. Villar is the current Secretary-Treasurer of the Chicago Federation of Labor (CFL). He was elected to the post in 2018. Prior to his election to the CFL, Villar was President of NABET-CWA Local 41. He was elected as Local 41 President in 2015, representing broadcast TV workers across Chicago. For nearly 25 years, Villar was a news writer/producer at WLS-TV/ABC7 covering local, state, national, and international stories that impacted the people across Chicago. While working full-time in television news and moving up the ranks of leadership at his Union,

 

Villar also began studies at Loyola University of Chicago Law School in 2008. Villar received his Bachelor of Liberal Arts & Sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

 

Tickets are $10 for the talk, free to HPF members.  For tickets, go to: https://tinyurl.com/3mw2ha6x

 

At HPF’s Exhibit Hall, the Railroaders photography exhibit continues through December 31. 

 

During World War II, Office of War Information photographer Jack Delano was sent to Chicago to capture everyday railroad workers aiding the war effort.  These stunning “on the job” portraits reveal the subject’s working class commitment to the Homefront effort.  The Exhibit Hall is open Tuesday–Sunday, 11 a.m.—3 p.m. at 11141 S. Cottage Grove Ave.  Admission is $10, free to HPF members.  It will be open on Labor Day.

 

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Labor Day at Pullman
Sep
5
12:00 PM12:00

Labor Day at Pullman

The Illinois Labor History Society will join with the National Park Service (NPS) Pullman National Monument (PNM), the State Historic Site and other partners to celebrate Labor Day in Pullman on Monday, September 5.

Activities are located in the NPS Visitor Center and on the IDNR factory grounds at 111th and S. Cottage Grove Ave.  Opening remarks at the tent start at noon followed by four additional performances.  Adjacent tents will host partners celebrating the theme "Building Solidarity Through Diversity."  All activities are free and family-friendly.    

From 1—2 p.m. ILHS member Bucky Halker, along with mandolin virtuoso Don Stiernberg will play labor music.  Union actor and ILHS board member

Alma Washington and friends will present a short theatrical presentation.

The ILHS will offer Pullman Labor History tours at 12:00 and 2:00 p.m., leaving from the reconstructed workers gate at 111th Street.  Additionally, NPS Rangers are leading "Pullman Strikes Over Decades" tours of the historic grounds at 1 and 3 p.m..

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"Railroaders" 1942-1943 photographs at the Historic Pullman Foundation through Dec. 31
Aug
27
to Dec 31

"Railroaders" 1942-1943 photographs at the Historic Pullman Foundation through Dec. 31

  • Historic Pullman Foundation (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Experience the “RAILROADERS: Jack Delano’s Homefront Photography” exhibition, organized by Center for Railroad Photography & Art and Chicago History Museum, in the renovated Pullman Exhibit Hall (formerly the shared Visitor Center). The exhibition is a striking visual exploration of the hard work and heroism of railway workers in the yard, on the trains and in the station during World War II and is accompanied by thoughtful biographies and interactive elements.

The RAILROADERS exhibit will run throughout the rest of the year. Please see hours and admission information below. Call Historic Pullman Foundation at 773.785.8901 if you have any questions.

Pullman Exhibit Hall hours

Tuesday through Sunday, 11am – 3pm

Admission cost

$10 for adults

$5 for children under 12

Admission is free for Historic Pullman Foundation members

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Republic Steel Memorial Day Massacre commemoration
May
21
1:00 PM13:00

Republic Steel Memorial Day Massacre commemoration

Steelworkers were on strike, 25,000 strong. It was a warm, sunny holiday, a mass picket line and rally took place in a field near the Republic Steel Plant, led by the Steelworkers Organizing Committee of the newly formed CIO. As the rally proceeded, police launched a sudden attack, killing 10 attendees and injuring at least 100, including women and children.
The Massacre is commemorated annually, this year on Saturday, May 21 at 1 pm, outdoors weather permitting, otherwise in the Steelworkers Hall at 11731 S Ave "O".

To learn more, check out these two videos: https://www.usw.org/video/the-memorial-day-massacre and, available at the ILHS online bookstore, http://www.illinoislaborhistory.org/shop/the-1937-memorial-day-massacre-dvd.

 

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Author event - "A Matter of Moral Justice: Black Women Laundry Workers & the Fight for Justice"
May
16
7:00 PM19:00

Author event - "A Matter of Moral Justice: Black Women Laundry Workers & the Fight for Justice"

A Matter of Moral Justice: Black Women Laundry Workers and the Fight for Justice.

 

On Monday May 16, at 7 p.m., at Gage Gallery, Roosevelt University, 425 S Wabash, in Chicago, the Illinois Labor History Society will host Jenny Carson, for a talk on her book A Matter of Moral Justice: Black Women Laundry Workers and the Fight For Justice.  

 

Recently published by the University of Illinois press, this book tells the history of how women working in New York’s power laundry industry in the 1930s, including Trinidadian-born Garveyite Charlotte Adelmond, fought back against substandard working conditions, racial and gender discrimination, and poor pay by forming a union.

This book highlights how race and gender shaped worker conditions, labor organizing, and union politics across the country in the twentieth century.

 

Jenny Carson is an Associate Professor of History in Toronto, Canada. 

 

Her book talk will also feature a guest appearance by Bea Lumpkin, ILHS Labor Hall of Honor member and long time Chicago labor activist, who was on the frontlines of the effort to organize laundry workers.

 

Copies of A Matter of Moral Justice will be available for purchase at the event, and light refreshments will be served.

 

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Pullman Railroad Days
May
14
to May 15

Pullman Railroad Days

  • Illinois Labor History Society (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Wartime is not just troops in battle—it’s also a determined home front effort.  During 1942-43, the Office of War Information sent famed photographer Jack Delano to highlight railroad workers’ contributions.  With rubber and gas rationing, war materiel, troop movements and industrial output all depended on the steel rails. 

Those photos are the centerpiece for a new Historic Pullman Foundation (HPF) Exhibit Hall display, opening May 14-15 during Pullman Railroad Days: People, Progress & Innovation. The exhibit continues through October 9.   The hall is at 11141 South Cottage Grove in Chicago.

This exhibit was originally designed by the Center for Railroad Photography and Art and the Chicago History Museum in 2014.  

Assigned to the Office of War Information, Delano photographed in Chicago during winter1942-43  to capture railroad workers, a vital link in the nation’s defenses.  Delano roamed Chicago roundhouses, terminals, repair shops, steam locomotive cabs and cabooses to capture diverse workers in their daily labor. 

Delano’s intimate portraits reveal begrimed yet dignified faces, transmitting the hard labor and pride this workforce represented.

These stunning 1940s photographs remind viewers that railroad work is critical and a career with deep pride.

The Illinois Labor History Society will offer tours during Railroad Days, along with other events. 

Four railcars will open for display at the 111th Street Metra Electric station, reflecting Pullman craft workers’ quality work.

They include the “last Pullman Car,” Amtrak Superliner the George M. Pullman (1981), 1914’s Pennsylvania Railroad Francis L. Suter, 1928’s New York Central #3 and 1950’s Louisville & Nashville Royal Street.  These cars are testament to Pullman’s designs and its workers’ high-craft standards.

The Suter was built in 1914 for the Pennsylvania Railroad as business car 7503, complete with a brass-railed observation platform.  Business cars were used by company executives to inspect the lines and to entertain important customers and politicians.  The car was retired in 1971 and passed onto private ownership, where it was refurbished to its period appearance.  The car includes a wood-burning fireplace.

The Pennsylvania’s main competitor was the New York Central, and NYC #3 is also a classic brass-railed observation car. Its original owner was Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt’s third-generation descendant Harold Sterling Vanderbilt.  The car’s solid, heavyweight construction echoes the inter-war Pullman era, when thousands of Pullman sleepers, diners and parlor cars roamed the nation’s rails. 

Royal Street is a 1950 Louisville & Nashville Railroad streamlined observation car.  Royal Street exemplifies the nation’s railroads post-World War II commitment to updated, streamlined trains and Pullman’s continued contributions to elegant travel.

 

Visit HPF’s website, https:// www.pullmanil.org, for updates. The Pullman Exhibit Hall will be open after May 14 on Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., at 11141 S Cottage Grove Ave, Chicago, IL 60628, 312-785-8901. 

 

The Pullman National Monument and HPF are accessible via the Metra Electric line at the 111th Street station, or via the

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Walker Packinghouse Mural restoration
May
5
4:00 PM16:00

Walker Packinghouse Mural restoration

The History of the Packinghouse Worker Thursday, May 5th, 2022 4:00 - 7:00PM at 4859 S Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL To celebrate May Day, Chicago Public Art Group (CPAG) in collaboration with the Chicago Housing Authority, Illinois Labor History Society, United Food and Commercial Union, and Chicago Blues Revival is unveiling the restored labor mural, The History of the Packinghouse Worker,” one of the few remaining exterior murals by renowned African American artist William “Bill” Walker (1927-2011). Walker created this mural as a dedication to workers’ dignity. Bernard Williams and Damon Lamar Reed restored this mural in the Fall of 2021. The restoration was made possible by the generous funding of the National Academy of Design/ Edwin Austin Abbey Memorial Trust Fund for Mural Painting, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Chicago Housing Authority. Special appearance from Grammy award-winning blues artist Dom Flemons, one hour prior to the unveiling at 4:00 pm. Schedule of Event: 4:00pm - 4:45pm Performance by Dom Flemons 5:00pm - 5:53pm Speaking commences 5:53pm - 6:00pm Ribbon cutting ceremony 6:00pm - 7:00pm Post-event activities including Folks and Labor Singer, Bucky Halker and local musical hero,Toronzo Canon

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U.S. Canada Labor History Network - the 8 hour day
May
4
6:30 PM18:30

U.S. Canada Labor History Network - the 8 hour day

Sponsored by the U.S. - Canada Labor History Network, a group of organizations dedicated to preserving worker history in North America.

Speakers include:

Will Jones, professor of history at University of Minnesota, immediate past president of the Labor and Working Class History Assn., and author of "March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963."

Alvin Finkel, emeritus professor of history, Athabasca University, Athabasca, Alberta. Author of 13 books on Canadian history, specializing on worker history and ethnic studies.

Open Discussion. No Charge. Registration required at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-forum-the-struggle-for-the-8-hour-day-is-it-relevant-today-tickets-319009565197?fbclid=IwAR3gKJBheVutomtlLKfHUJho9UTl6gyVL48iOhzbYfw09BVNul2dwpCTHn8

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Mother Jones' Birthday Party
May
1
4:00 PM16:00

Mother Jones' Birthday Party

A live celebration Mother Jones Birthday Party is Sunday May 1,  4-6 p.m. at the Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N Knox Ave, Chicago.

 

Admission is free.  Guest will include Flight Attendants President Sara Nelson, Irish General Consul Kevin Byrne, artist Lindsay Hand, musicians Paddy Homan, Kathy Cowen and the SAG-AFTRA singers, with emcee Chicago Federation of Labor Secretary-Treasurer Don Villar.

 

Free cake and attendees are eligible for unique door prizes. Mother Jones celebrated May 1 as her birthday because she was “Reborn in the Labor Movement,” and you can be too! Mother Jones is expected to make a guest appearance. For more information, check out "events" at motherjonesmuseum.org. "

 

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Haymarket Square May Day commemoration
May
1
12:30 PM12:30

Haymarket Square May Day commemoration

 

Italian unionists from the Federation of Metallurgical and Office Workers (FiOM) will join the ILHS at 12:30 p.m. on May Day, Sunday, May 1, to unveil their commemorative plaque on the Haymarket’s Square statue’s base.  The base features plaques from labor movements around the globe, marking May 1 as International Workers’ Day.

 

The FiOM was scheduled last year but because of COVID could not attend.  Since 2005 the ILHS and the Chicago Federation of Labor have co-sponsored the annual May 1 gathering.  The statue is on Des Plaines Street, just north of Randolph, in Chicago’s west loop.  This is where on May 4, 1886 an eight-hour day rally took place, which was attacked by the police, who were then the victims of an unknown bomb thrower.

 

The FiOM was founded in 1901 as Italy’s first industrial union.  The organization helped found the General Italian Confederation of Labor (CGIL) in 1906.

 

The union achieved strong gains through the World War I period through factory occupations and other militant actions.  Benito Mussolini’s 1922 fascist take-over repressed unions.  The union lost leaders either killed or imprisoned by the fascist regime.  During World War II union activist aided the resistance.

 

After the war contract gains were won and in 1969 the union linked support with student and women’s movements.  The over 300,000 member strong union continues to fight for workers’ rights in the globalization age.

 

ILHS President Larry Spivack welcomes all to the May 1 event, saying, “We hope you can join us once again to honor and celebrate the events from the Haymarket Affair that led to the creation of International Labor Day. This is the one place where workers of the world actually unite!”

 

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Mt. Olive Mayday Mother Jones bench dedication
May
1
12:00 PM12:00

Mt. Olive Mayday Mother Jones bench dedication

The Mother Jones Museum Mt. Olive, Illinois, the Union Miners Cemetery association, and the City of Mt. Olive present a May Day program honoring Mother Jones, her family, and legacy in Macoupin County.

Sunday, May first, 12:00 pm, at the Union Miners Cemetery there will be a procession of labor banners, dedication of a commemorative bench dedicated to the memory of Mother Jones’ husband and children, tributes to Mother Jones and General Bradley by actors Loretta Williams and Dale Hawkins, labor music by Wildflower Conspiracy and Nick Krumwiede. Speakers include  Illinois AFL-CIO  President, Tim Drea, UMWA District 12 VP Steve Earl and greetings from Cork, Ireland and West Virginia.

At 2 pm at Main Street program will begin. A magic-ian and fire engine visit for children, local foods including Mt. Olive coffee roaster, Kazoo coffee with their Mother Jones Hellraiser coffee, will line Main St.

Three writers and historians will discuss their current books and projects. Prof. Fawn-Amber Montoya, James Madison University, will dis-cuss her work with Colorado mining community oral his-tories. Ginny Ayers, West Virginia historian will discuss her new book on Mother Jones in West Virginia. Elizabeth Rodenz, Pennsylvania. writer and therapist, will discuss her new book on the women in the Pennsylvania coalfields, in-cluding Mother Jones activities there.

The Mother Jones Museum will be open, a quilt honoring Mother Jones in Mt. Olive will be displayed at City Hall,

Wildflower and Nick Krumwiede will perform during the afternoon.

For more information, please call 618 659 8759 or email friendsofthemotherjonesmuseum@gmail.com, or jcondellone@gmail.com.

 

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Bloomington Trades & Labor Fest
Apr
30
10:00 AM10:00

Bloomington Trades & Labor Fest

The Bloomington & Normal Trades & Labor Assembly (AFL-CIO) and the McLean County Museum of History are hosting Trades & Labor Fest 2022 on the Museum Square in downtown Bloomington, 10 a.m.—1 p.m. on Saturday, April 30.

 

The event will feature multiple local unions, businesses and non-profit organizations who will have hands-on opportunities to display their craft skills.  The organizations will all offer a hands-on experience displaying their specialty, that all can participate in.

 

“This is a chance to display our varied & diverse union craft and the skills in our community,” said Trades & Labor President Adam Heenan. “Our young people especially need exposure to well-paying jobs and union apprenticeship opportunities that can help build a sustainable quality of life with decent pay and benefits for which ancestors in our movement have fought for over 150 years.  In this way we celebrate the past, present, and future of work in McLean County.”

 

 “The Museum is thrilled to once again partner with local trades and unions, businesses, and organizations to educate the public about the various types of industries in McLean County,” said Candace Summers, Director of Community Education at the McLean County Museum of History. “This event also gives us the opportunity to help our community learn about individual workers, jobs and occupations, and businesses that helped build and shape McLean County throughout our almost 200 year history!”

 

Besides the hands-on skills demonstrations, labor music and perhaps a little theater will be performed.  All events are free and open to the public.  The Museum’s “Working for Living” exhibit will be open along with other exhibits.

 

Two events converge around the April 30 date.  April 28 is the AFL-CIO’s “Workers’ Memorial Day,” honoring those who lost their lives on the job and calling for renewed job site safety.  Local unions traditionally gather on that day and read over 400 names of McLean County residents who died from job site accidents or occupational exposures.  That commemorative reading will take place at 8 a.m. on April 30 on the east steps of the Museum of History on Main Street.  The event is also saluting International Workers’ Day.

 

Local musicians will share labor music throughout the day.

 

For a complete list of participating local businesses, organizations, trades and labor unions, plus other updates, please visit www.mchistory.org.

 

 

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Marseilles Steve Sutton memorial dedication - Workers' Memorial Day
Apr
28
5:00 PM17:00

Marseilles Steve Sutton memorial dedication - Workers' Memorial Day

A 5 p.m. April 28 Illinois State Historical Society (ISHS) marker unveiling will mark Joliet Laborer and Iron Worker “Big Steve” Sutton’s murder and 21 other injured workers during a July 19, 1932, protest at an Illinois River dam site in Marseilles, Illinois.

 

Special guest include musicians Tom Morello and Bucky Halker, ULLICO Inc. CEO Edward M. Smith, Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza, Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs and Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea.

 

Morello’s spirited union musical message lifted spirits during the Wisconsin 2011 protests again Governor Scott Walker and his union-busting agenda.  Morello’s upbeat, union spirit galvanizes those assembled.

 

Event sponsors include Laborers Local 393, ULLICO, Inc., the Illinois State Historical Society, Great Plains Laborers District Council, Laborers International Union of North America Midwest Region, and the Illinois Labor History Society.

 

On July 18, 1932, 300-plus unemployed construction workers marched on the federal dam project, which was employing out of state workers.  The protestors, desperate for work during the Great Depression, were demanding local hire.

 

Two out-of-state companies, Stephens Brothers and Miller-Hutchinson had won the contract, bringing a multi-state crew. The wages were substandard for the area.

 

The next day a second demonstration was planned.  Meanwhile the dam site was fortified and workers there armed with rifles, revolvers and clubs.  As protestors approached the work site the out-of-state workers opened fire. 

 

“Big Steve” Sutton of Joliet collapsed after bullets pierced a lung and two in his stomach.  Twenty one others were wounded and treated, including Cecil Hopton, shot through the eye; Thomas Chambers was shot and clubbed in the head, others received lacerations and various gunshot wounds.

 

Tragically, as the shooting continued, company General Superintendent Herbert W. Miller, arrived from Joliet, having reached an agreement with the Laborers and Electricians to hire local workers.

 

LaSalle County sheriff E.J. Welter, backed by the State Police, rushed to the scene; he calmed the situation, seizing rifles, revolvers and ammunition from the job site.  All 127 company construction workers were arrested, primarily for their own safety.

 

With negotiated assistance from Illinois AFL President and State Representative Reuben Soderstrom and Marseilles banker Sherman Lewis, a union recognition agreement was reached and the out-of-state workers dispatched homeward. 

 

The grand jury convened in October, summoning 125 witnesses.

 

In 1933 International Hod Carriers and Common Laborers Local 393, now the Laborers International Union of North America Local 393, was founded in Marseilles, a direct result of the dam shooting.

 

The Workers’ Memorial Day event is scheduled for the Illinois Valley Cellular Parking lot, 200 Riverfront Drive, Marseilles.  In case of inclement weather the event will move to the school, 201 Chicago Street.

 

 

 

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Union Hall of Honor salutes Civil Rights leaders
Dec
3
6:30 PM18:30

Union Hall of Honor salutes Civil Rights leaders

The Illinois Labor History Society welcomes

Sara Nelson

President, Association of Flight Attendants—CWA

Union Hall of Honor

A virtual gathering

Friday, December 3, 2021

6:30 p.m.

“Labor & Civil Rights”

2021 Union Hall of Honor Inductees

Jesse Jackson

C.T. Vivian

Carl Rosen

Mike Siviwe Elliott

 Tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/union-hall-of-honor-tickets-180407211827?ref=eios

 

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National Park Service to Hold Virtual Event: “Monumental Labor: Justice Denied, Injustice Remembered”
Nov
10
5:00 PM17:00

National Park Service to Hold Virtual Event: “Monumental Labor: Justice Denied, Injustice Remembered”

  • Illinois Labor History Society (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

National Park Service to Hold Virtual Event: “Monumental Labor: Justice Denied, Injustice Remembered”

Please join us on Wednesday, November 10 from 5:00pm to 6:30pm Central Time for a virtual public event that brings National Park Service staff, scholars, community leaders, and members of the public together to discuss the history and ongoing significance of two commemorative sites in the Midwest - the Dred and Harriet Scott Statue, which is managed by Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis, Missouri, and the Haymarket Martyrs’ Monument, a National Historic Landmark, near Chicago, Illinois.

Follow this link to register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_EvPy83xKTqejvc7Xa8jWig

Tune in ten minutes early to see a slideshow with photographs of the two sites.

Each monument calls attention to a pivotal time in 19th century American life. The Dred and Harriet Scott Statue, dedicated in 2012, honors the Scotts' courageous decision to seek freedom from enslavement in 1846, when they filed suit at the Old Courthouse in St. Louis. More than ten years later, their case would end with a Supreme Court ruling that denied African Americans the most basic rights of citizenship.

Completed in 1893, the Haymarket Martyrs' Monument at Forest Home/Waldheim Cemetery occupies an exceptional place in U.S. labor history. It pays tribute to the lives of five men charged with playing a role in an 1886 bombing at Haymarket Square in Chicago and to the broader movement for workers’ rights to which the accused dedicated their lives. Over time, other prominent radicals and labor organizers have been buried in proximity to the Monument, an indication of its continued significance.

The event features: Sue Bennett (Assistant Superintendent, Pullman National Monument); Dr. Melissa Dabakis (Professor Emerita of Art History, Kenyon College); Lynne Jackson (President and Founder, Dred Scott Heritage Foundation); Pamela Sanfilippo (Program Manager, Museum Services & Interpretation, Gateway Arch National Park); and Dr. Geoffrey K. Ward (Professor of African and African-American Studies, Washington University in St. Louis).

Audience members will be invited to participate in the conversation through the chat and Q&A.


This event is the second event in the "Monumental Labor" series, a three-part virtual public event program that explores the memory of work and working peoples in National Parks and National Historic Landmarks. It is organized by Dr. Eleanor Mahoney and Dr. Emma Silverman and made possible by the National Park Service in part by a grant from the National Park Foundation and Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

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John L. Lewis historic marker dedication
Nov
5
1:00 PM13:00

John L. Lewis historic marker dedication

John L. Lewis marker dedication Nov. 5

Over the crackling radio, a familiar 1930s-40s voice was United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) President John L. Lewis (1880-1969).  At that time the UMWA was the world’s largest industrial union.  Lewis broke away from the American Federation of Labor and founded the Congress of Industrial Organizations (1937), launching massive organizing drives that added millions to labor’s ranks, launching unions like the United Auto Workers and the United Steel Workers.

With his bushy eyebrows and stentorian baritone, Lewis’ visage was regularly on magazine covers and newspaper front pages, while his union’s control of coal – the nation’s vital energy source – made the UMWA a powerful force.

Lewis was born in Lucas, Iowa, but came to Panama, Illinois with his parents and his siblings in 1908.  The mine there was large and employment readily found.  Within a year the Lewis family won election to local union office and Illinois Mine Workers District 12 hired Lewis as their Springfield lobbyist after the Cherry Mine Disaster.  His trajectory only went upward from there, leading the UMWA from 1920-1960.

The Village of Panama is going to erect an Illinois State Historical marker at 1 p.m. on Friday, November 5 at the John L. Lewis Park – Union Memorial Cemetery.   The effort is being supported by the Union Labor Life Insurance Company (ULLICO), Laborers International Union of North America—Midwest Region, United Mine Workers of America and the Illinois Labor History Society.

The dedication site is at Shoal Creek Avenue and Jefferson Street in Panama on the southwest side of town.  Panama is east of Mt. Olive and south of Hillsboro, Illinois, approximately two miles east of Highway 127 at Donnellson.   The event is free and open to the public.

 

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