Labor Day falls at an interesting moment in the rolling return to school of students across America, leaving some to wonder how or whether to celebrate Labor Day in their classrooms. Yet, it is always inspiring to take opportunities to share with our students moments in history where everyday people have come together to advocate for themselves and each other. Whether you share them all with your students or just one or two, here are some organized labor movements over time that have been led by BIPOC communities to protect their workers and their communities.
Atlanta Washerwomen’s Strike
In post-Civil War Atlanta, African American washerwomen formed the Washing Society in 1881, demanding better wages and autonomy. The strike faced opposition from authorities and business owners, resulting in arrests and fines. Despite challenges, the strike attracted 3,000 members and garnered citywide support. Ultimately, the strikers secured higher wages, autonomy, and acknowledgment of their labor’s impact, marking a significant achievement for African American women’s labor rights during the early Jim Crow era.
Two More Labor Movements Where Women Led The Way
In the 1920s, Los Angeles dressmaking industry exploited women of color, especially Mexican women, with unfair wages and conditions. In 1933, a powerful strike led by Mexican women achieved fair wages and union recognition, paving the way for worker protections. A decade later, Texas factories employed mostly Mexican and Mexican-American women to shell pecans, but low wages and poor conditions prompted a strike led by Emma Tenayuca, resulting in improved wages and contributing to the establishment of a national minimum wage later that year.
Invite students to compare the Dressmaker’s Strike and the Delano Grape Strike in honor of Labor Day with this resource.
Delano Grape Strike of 1965
During the 1960s, Mexican and Filipino farm workers faced harsh conditions in California’s grape industry. They initiated a strike in Delano County in 1965. The workers endured violence, intimidation, and challenges. Through boycotts, marches, and negotiations, they garnered national attention and secured better wages, conditions, and contracts, marking a substantial achievement for labor rights and workers’ empowerment. One often overlooked but impressive aspect of this movement was the collaboration between the two different ethnic groups who had previously been played against one another in labor disputes.
Memphis Garbage Workers Strike
Sometimes, in remembering the assassination of Dr. King, we forget to teach about what brought him to Memphis. In 1968, the deaths of two African American garbage collectors led to a Memphis strike by 1,300 black workers. Led by T.O. Jones and supported by the AFSCME president, they demanded union recognition, safety standards, and fair pay. The strike faced resistance, but Martin Luther King Jr.’s involvement drew attention. After a chaotic demonstration marred by violence, a deal was finally reached on April 16, acknowledging the union and improving wages, marking a significant step in the struggle for economic justice.
Bringing Diverse Labor Movements back to Your Classroom
Educating students about these powerful movements in your classroom may just be a moment of sharing about them. You could share about one and ask students to write a few sentences in reflection in their journals. In my classroom, we practice our reading and compare and contrast skills comparing the Dressmaker and Grapeworker movements each year. This year, I’ll also be leading some practice in listening and note taking playing the short clip about the Sanitation Workers strike.
If it doesn’t work to share these things right now in your classroom, I hope you’ll now at least have these moments to draw from in your toolbox in conversations about history throughout the school year. Happy Labor Day!
