In this week’s episode, we talk to historian Gabe Christy and musician Young Sam James, the duo behind The Labor Jawn podcast, which blends history, storytelling, and music to shine a light on labor movements rooted in Philly and beyond. During this conversation, they shed light on a labor movement with Jersey roots, the 1913 Paterson Silk Strike; discuss the power of solidarity among working folks through collective action; and explore the role music has played in uniting and energizing workers through labor songs. If you’d like to hear more about what Gabe and Sam are doing, visit their website, laborjawn.com. Their site includes links to their podcast on various platforms, in addition to their YouTube and Discord channels and social media pages.
Music things we talked about
* Mill Mother’s Lament, lyrics written by Ella May Wiggins and performed by Pete Seeger
* I am a Union Woman, lyrics by Aunt Molly Jackson and performed by Bobbie McGee
* The Red Flag, anthem of the British Labour Party
* The 8-Hour Day, Pete Seeger
* Little Red songbook, published by The Industrial Workers of the World, illustrated by Jeannette Gysbers, and printed by Red Sun Press
* Review of the musical Pins and Needles\
Strike and labor rights-related things we talked about
* The General Strike and partners
* Shawn Fain, Labor Daddy
* May Day 2028 - (May 1) when all UAW contracts are going up
* The 3.5% Rule - when demanding change from a government, success is reached when 3.5% or more of a population join together to strike.
About Sam and Gabe + Labor Jawn
Historian Gabe Christy and musician Young Sam James explore the who, what, when, where, and whys of the labor movement of Philadelphia and the surrounding world.
Labor Jawn is a podcast and research project covering the working class history of Philadelphia and the surrounding world.
Co-hosted by longtime friends, Gabe Christy and Sam James, Labor Jawn has recorded over 100 podcast episodes, hosted several live events, and disseminated working class history and music to tens of thousands of listeners since 2021.
In November 2022, Labor Jawn hosted In Story & Song at the Philadelphia Folksong Society. The event also featured the release of Labor Jawn, an album of music that Sam recorded for the podcast.
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