First in a double podcast episode about Ben Fletcher, a very important but little-known dock worker and labour organiser in the US with the Industrial Workers of the World union. In these episodes, we speak with historian Peter Cole, author and editor of Ben Fletcher: The Life And Times Of A Black Wobbly . We also hear words written by Fletcher, voiced by fellow Wobbly, Alki. In part 1 we learn about his early life, as well as his union branch, Local 8, which in the early 20th-century organised ...
Jun 05, 2023•40 min•Ep 73•Transcript available on Metacast Podcast episode about anti-fascist youth cultural movements in Nazi Germany before and during World War II. In particular we look at the German Edelweiss Pirates and Swing Kids, and in our patreon bonus episode we also speak about the French Zazous and the Austrian Schlurfs. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters . Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us...
Apr 03, 2023•32 min•Ep 72•Transcript available on Metacast We chat with Pearson from the Coffee with Comrades podcast about our new web apps: the Working Class History Map and Stories app. This episode has been timed to coincide with the public launch of our web apps on January 31. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters . Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistory...
Jan 31, 2023•55 min•Ep 71•Transcript available on Metacast Concluding part of our double-episode in conversation with author, DD Johnston, about his new novel, Disnaeland. In this part, Darren discusses the novel’s relationship to the Scots language, the apocalyptic prophecies of radical, pre-Enlightenment Christianity, and his focus on mutual aid as a response to disaster. Darren also performs two further readings from the novel. Full information, sources, further reading, acknowledgements and eventually a transcript on the webpage for this episode: ht...
Dec 13, 2022•33 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast The first of a two-part episode, Working Class Literature speak to DD Johnston about his new novel, Disnaeland, about a working-class Scottish community's response to societal collapse. We also discuss his previous novels and his participation in McDonald's Workers' Resistance, a radical collective of angry employees at the world's biggest fast food chain. Darren also reads passages from Disnaeland and his first novel, Peace, Love and Petrol Bombs. Full information, sources, further reading, ack...
Dec 06, 2022•48 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast Rerelease of our episode 49 about Anti-Racist Action in Minneapolis, because we are currently trying to co-publish a book, We Go Where They Go: The Story of Anti-Racist Action, which is the definitive history of the group across the US. To fund its publication, we are currently running a Kickstarter campaign so please do check it out here, and support it by pre-ordering your copy at a great discount with lots of other great rewards. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our su...
Oct 13, 2022•56 min•Ep 49•Transcript available on Metacast Second in a double podcast episode about the life and work of Howard Zinn, historian, World War II veteran and activist, in his own words, 100 years since his birth. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistory You can listen to our podcast on the below links, or on an...
Aug 29, 2022•42 min•Ep 70•Transcript available on Metacast First in a double podcast episode about the life and work of Howard Zinn, historian, World War II veteran and activist, in his own words, 100 years since his birth. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistoryYou can listen to our podcast on the below links, or on any ...
Aug 17, 2022•40 min•Ep 69•Transcript available on Metacast Concluding part of our double podcast episode about the iconic strike of mostly East African Asian women workers at the Grunwick photo processing plant in London in 1976-8. Featuring Amrit Wilson, Jayaben Desai and Colum Maloney, who took part in the dispute, and Sujata, chair of the Grunwick 40 group. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise...
Aug 10, 2022•47 min•Ep 68•Transcript available on Metacast Double podcast episode about the iconic strike of mostly East African Asian women workers at the Grunwick photo processing plant in London in 1976-8. Featuring Amrit Wilson, Jayaben Desai and Colum Maloney, who took part in the dispute, and Sujata, chair of the Grunwick 40 group. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Joi...
Aug 03, 2022•44 min•Ep 67•Transcript available on Metacast Part 2 of our double-podcast episode to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1972 building workers' strike. In this episode, we speak to two participants in the strike - Tony O'Brien and the actor, Ricky Tomlinson - about how the strike ended, the framing of the Shrewsbury 24, Ricky’s experiences in prison, blacklisting, and the legacies of the 1972 strike. Full acknowledgements, photos, sources, more information and eventually a transcript on the homepage for this double episode: https://wor...
Jul 24, 2022•38 min•Ep 66•Transcript available on Metacast Part 1 of our double-podcast episode to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1972 building workers' strike. In this episode, we speak to two participants in the strike - Tony O'Brien and the actor, Ricky Tomlinson - who talk about conditions in the building industry, how the strike started, and the flying pickets organised by the rank and file that spread it across the country. Full acknowledgements, photos, sources, more information and eventually a transcript on the homepage for this double...
Jul 12, 2022•35 min•Ep 65•Transcript available on Metacast Concluding part of our double podcast episode about Mildred Fish-Harnack, the US-born woman at the centre of the underground resistance to Nazism in Berlin during World War II. In conversation with Rebecca Donner, Mildred’s great great niece and author of All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and othe...
Apr 29, 2022•48 min•Ep 64•Transcript available on Metacast First in a double podcast episode about Mildred Fish-Harnack, the US-born woman at the centre of the underground resistance to Nazism in Berlin during World War II. In conversation with Rebecca Donner, Mildred’s great great niece and author of All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. F...
Apr 17, 2022•40 min•Ep 63•Transcript available on Metacast Part 2 of our double-episode in which we talk to acclaimed author, poet and Professor of Children’s Literature, Michael Rosen, about his anthology, Workers’ Tales: Socialist Fairy Tales, Fables, and Allegories from Great Britain, which gathers together short stories from the labour and socialist press between 1880 and 1920. In this episode, Michael shows how popular children’s stories (like Wind in the Willows and Alice in Wonderland) are shot through with the political content of their adult au...
Mar 30, 2022•30 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast A Working Class Literature podcast double-episode in which we talk to acclaimed author, poet and Professor of Children's Literature, Michael Rosen, about his anthology, Workers' Tales: Socialist Fairy Tales, Fables, and Allegories from Great Britain, which gathers together short stories from the labour and socialist press between 1880 and 1920. You can buy a copy of Michael's anthology here: https://bookshop.org/books/workers-tales-socialist-fairy-tales-fables-and-allegories-from-great-britain/9...
Mar 17, 2022•34 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast Second of a double podcast episode about the League of Revolutionary Black Workers in Detroit in the late 60s/early 70s, in conversation with Herb Boyd, author of Black Detroit and former member of the group, and Dan Georgakas, author of Detroit I Do Mind Dying. This podcast is only possible because of support from our listeners on patreon. Join us and get access to exclusive content at https://patreon.com/workingclasshistory This is an improved, extended and partially re-recorded version of our...
Mar 07, 2022•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast Double podcast episode about the League of Revolutionary Black Workers in Detroit in the late 60s/early 70s, in conversation with Herb Boyd, author of Black Detroit and former member of the group, and Dan Georgakas, author of Detroit I Do Mind Dying. This podcast is only possible because of support from our listeners on patreon. Join us and get access to exclusive content at https://patreon.com/workingclasshistory This is an improved, extended and partially re-recorded version of our podcast epi...
Feb 24, 2022•46 min•Ep 61•Transcript available on Metacast Concluding part of our double podcast episode on the 1977 Bread Intifada in Egypt. We speak with journalist and revolutionary socialist, Hossam el-Hamalawy, about the uprising and its significance today. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. For example you can listen to part 2 of this double episode now. Join us or find...
Dec 27, 2021•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast Part 1 of our double episode on the 1977 Bread Intifada in Egypt, in which hundreds of thousands of working-class Egyptians rose up against the government’s termination of food subsidies. We speak to Egyptian journalist and revolutionary socialist, Hossam el-Hamalawy, about the uprising, the decade of worker-student militancy leading up to it, and its relevance today. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access t...
Dec 13, 2021•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Concluding part of a double podcast episode on the West Virginia mine wars 1902-1922. We speak with Catherine Moore and others from the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum, as well as some West Virginia teachers who had just been on strike about the conflicts, and how they are remembered today. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other co...
Nov 29, 2021•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast Part 1 of a double podcast episode on the West Virginia mine wars 1902-1922. We speak with Catherine Moore and others from the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum, as well as some West Virginia teachers who had just been on strike about the conflicts, and how they are remembered today. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Fo...
Nov 09, 2021•38 min•Ep 57•Transcript available on Metacast The final part of our four-part podcast miniseries about the May 18 uprising in Gwangju, South Korea, in 1980 against the US-backed military dictatorship of Chun Doo Hwan. We speak with Kim Yong Ho, David Dolinger and Jeon Yong Ho, who took part in the events, as well as researcher and lead translator of the excellent book, Gwangju Diary, Kap Su Seol. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episode...
Oct 25, 2021•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast Part 3 of our four-part podcast miniseries about the May 18 uprising in Gwangju, South Korea, in 1980 against the US-backed military dictatorship of Chun Doo Hwan. We speak with Kim Yong Ho, David Dolinger and Jeon Yong Ho, who took part in the events, as well as researcher and lead translator of the excellent book, Gwangju Diary, Kap Su Seol. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus...
Oct 08, 2021•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast Part 2 of our four-part podcast miniseries about the May 18 uprising in Gwangju, South Korea, in 1980 against the US-backed military dictatorship of Chun Doo Hwan. We speak with Kim Yong Ho, David Dolinger and Jeon Yong Ho, who took part in the events, as well as researcher and lead translator of the excellent book, Gwangju Diary, Kap Su Seol. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus...
Sep 27, 2021•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast First part of our podcast miniseries about the May 18 uprising in Gwangju, South Korea, in 1980 against the US-backed military dictatorship of Chun Doo Hwan. We speak with Kim Yong Ho, David Dolinger and Jeon Yong Ho, who took part in the events, as well as researcher and lead translator of the excellent book, Gwangju Diary , Kap Su Seol. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus epis...
Sep 11, 2021•31 min•Ep 53•Transcript available on Metacast Podcast episode about the history of the revolutionary union the Industrial Workers of the World in Canada. We speak with historian and author Mark Leier about the union’s organising work amongst loggers, miners, road and railroad construction workers, First Nations dock workers and more. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other con...
Jun 18, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep 52•Transcript available on Metacast Episode two of the Working Class Literature podcast about Joseph Skipsey, a poet and coal miner from the North East of England. After entering the mines as a child, he would grow up to become a nationally-renowned poet, respected by some of the most famous artists of the nineteenth century. In this episode, we speak to researcher Dr Gordon Tait and musician Chris Harrison, both of whom have been doing lots of work around Skipsey’s life and poetry. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon sup...
Jun 10, 2021•51 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast Podcast episode about two extremely influential South Korean worker organisers, Jeon Tae-il and Lee So-sun, and the autonomous self-organisation of women textile and garment workers in the country from the 1960s to the 1980s. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at https://patreon.com/workingcla...
Apr 12, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep 51•Transcript available on Metacast Podcast episode in which we talk about our new book, Working Class History: Everyday Acts of Resistance & Rebellion, with our friends at the Coffee with Comrades podcast, which they edited and put out as their episode 114. They kindly shared the audio with us, which we have lightly edited for brevity and include here as our latest episode. In it, we discuss the book, the WCH project, the nature of people's history, our approach to class and its intersection with other forms of oppression. Ou...
Feb 09, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep 50•Transcript available on Metacast 
