Illinois has a deep history of working peo ple standing up for fair wages\, decent working conditions\, and dignity o n the job. Labor strikes in Illinois have had lasting impacts not just on our state\, but on the nation\, and even the labor movements of other coun tries. This talk will tell some of those stories&mdash\;including the figh t for the eight-hour work day in the 1880s\, to the 1890s strike of the Pu llman Company\, and its role in the passage of Labor Day as a national hol iday. \; It will also cover some significant strikes right here in Cha mpaign County. We will talk about what does it take for workers to put eve rything on the picket line&mdash\;and why these past struggles matter for working people today.
\nStephanie Fortado is a social and cultural h istorian of the modern United States\, with a focus on African American wo rking class and social movement history. She is especially interested in C ivil Rights and Black Power history and in labor history\, especially as i t relates to women&rsquo\;s history\, environmental history\, and urban hi story. \;
\nhttps://urbanafreelibrary.libnet.info/event/17383766 URL;VALUE=URI:https://urbanafreelibrary.libnet.info/event/17383766 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR