Wobbly Culture on laborarts.org
Friends, we have a new exhibit on the LaborArts.org website, created by Joseph Deodato, and we'd be delighted to hear your thoughts.
"Solidarity Forever: A Look at Wobbly Culture celebrates one of the most remarkable developments in the American labor movement's history-- the formation just a century ago of the Industrial Workers of the World. The exhibit features cartoons, graphic art, songs and poetry, evoking the vibrant folk culture of the IWW of the early 20th century.
At a time when the established unions in the American Federation of Labor were largely confining their organizational efforts to white, native-born, skilled male workers, the IWW came upon the scene with its revolutionary notion of One Big Union that would unite all workers, regardless of degree of skill, race, creed, immigrant status or sex. It had a lasting impact on labor's cultural contributions in song and in cartoons, producing the immortal song writer, Joe Hill and utilizing the talents of such outstanding cartoonists as Art Young. In addition to conducting a number of major organizational struggles, including the historic Bread and Roses textile strike in Lawrence, Massachusetts, the IWW also fought many battles for free speech, particularly in communities on the West Coast.
The IWW's influence was felt long after it passed from the scene, with the formation of the CIO in the 1930s, which picked up the gauntlet of organizing the unorganized of every category. That influence is also reflected in the songs and images from the IWW's creative, unifying culture still found in union halls and on picket lines today.
Henry Foner and Rachel Bernstein