Socialists in Union Square, N.Y.C. May 1, 1912

How Labor Lost May Day

At the turn of the century, May 1 was a time for radical labor protests. During WWI, May Day was replaced by the more nationalistic Labor Day.
Travel

The End of the Tour: Why Do We Travel?

Travel is commodity, a privilege, and a state of mind; a comfort to some and a trial to others. 
Mogadishu,Somalia-April, 30, 2013 :A general view of the tent camp where thousands of Somali immigrants on April 30, 2013, in Mogadishu,Somalia.

The Power of Tent City Politics

How demonstrators can use their collective strength to force local governments to address a set of grievances. 
One of the Proximity Cotton Mill sewing classes. Greensboro, N. C.

How 19th-Century Cotton Mills Influenced Workplace Gender Roles

The spinners' union made it nearly impossible for women to secure reliable work in the cotton mills, instituting their proper role in the workplace.
Burning of Barges during Homestead Strike

Should Archivists Document Collective Memory?

Collective memory can be a useful addition to the documentation of history. 
Photograph of Septima Clark, ca. 1960, Avery Photo Collection, 10-9, Courtesy of the Avery Research Center.

How Septima Poinsette Clark Spoke Up for Civil Rights

The daughter of a slave, Septima Clark graduated from college, became a teacher, and became a fierce advocate for social and cultural change.  
A mother holding her newborn in a birthing tub after her home water birth.

From Home Births to Maternity Wards and Back Again

Once hospital deliveries became mainstream, mothers have had to make a choice: a home birth or go to the hospital? 
A sleeping car porter employed by the Pullman Company at Union Station in Chicago, Illinois.

The Historic Achievement of the Pullman Porter’s Union

The achievements of the Pullman Porter's Union were a significant civil rights victory for both U.S. labor and the civil liberties of African-Americans. 
"Men with sign "International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union""

Why We Should Care About the Death of Labor Unions

Labor unions nationwide may be weakened by the Supreme Court. But unions have been instrumental in protecting the interests of underrepresented groups.
Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King.

By Herman Hiller / New York World-Telegram & Sun, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Ronald Reagan and the Rewriting of Martin Luther King’s Legacy

Ronald Reagan invoked Dr. King's legacy to fit with his larger political and rhetorical aims.