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Category: Video

November 12, 2018November 7, 2018 Working Class History Video

5 times Oswald Mosley got his arse handed to him

Five occasions when anti-Semitic aristocrat Oswald Mosley and his British Union of Fascists got turned over by the British working class in the 1960s. Continue reading “5 times Oswald Mosley got his arse handed to him” →

November 10, 2018July 16, 2019 Working Class History Video

The Spanish civil war and revolution, 1936-9

A short video history of the Spanish civil war and revolution, which broke out against the right-wing military coup of general Franco. Continue reading “The Spanish civil war and revolution, 1936-9” →

November 7, 2018November 7, 2018 Working Class History Video

The Kenya “Mau Mau” rebellion, 1952-6

A short video history of the uprising of the Kenya Land and Freedom Army against British colonialism, commonly known as the Mau Mau revolt, which was brutally suppressed by the British military. Continue reading “The Kenya “Mau Mau” rebellion, 1952-6″ →

May 1, 2018November 7, 2018 Working Class History Video

A short history of May Day

A short video history of May Day – International Workers’ Day – celebrated worldwide on 1 May in remembrance of the eight anarchist workers sentenced to death in Chicago in 1886 for fighting for the 8-hour day. Continue reading “A short history of May Day” →

April 25, 2018April 25, 2018 Working Class History Video

GI resistance to the Vietnam war

A short video history of resistance to the Vietnam war by US troops, 1000 of whom return to their combat medals to the government in protest at the war in April 1971.

Continue reading “GI resistance to the Vietnam war” →

March 30, 2018April 4, 2018 Working Class History Video

The UK miners’ strike, 1984-5

A short video history of the great UK miners’ strike, which began this month, March in 1984, and ended in March 1985. Continue reading “The UK miners’ strike, 1984-5” →

February 17, 2018February 17, 2018 Working Class History Video

The Memphis sanitation strike, 1968

For Black History Month we have created a short video history of the strike of African-American refuse workers in Memphis, during which Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated, and which began exactly 50 years ago this month . Continue reading “The Memphis sanitation strike, 1968” →

February 2, 2018February 17, 2018 Working Class History Video

The Grunwick strike, 1976-8

We have produced a new video about the seminal strike of East African Asian women in north-west London, in part to promote our forthcoming podcast, the first episode of which will be about the Grunwick strike. Follow us on Soundcloud here to get first listen! Continue reading “The Grunwick strike, 1976-8” →

December 24, 2017February 17, 2018 Working Class History Video

The Christmas truce, 1914

We are very happy to publish our first video today, commemorating the Christmas truce: a mass mutiny of soldiers on the Western front during World War I. Continue reading “The Christmas truce, 1914” →

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On this day, 8 March 1917, thousands of housewives and women workers in St Petersburg, Russia defied union leaders' appeals for calm and took to the streets against high prices and hunger, thus igniting the February revolution (so-called because of the different calendar in use in Russia at the time). The following day, 200,000 workers joined them by striking, shouting slogans against the tsar and the war. Some military units began to join the workers, and by 15 March, tsar Nicholas II was forced to abdicate.
On this day, 7 March 1942, Lucy Parsons, anarchist, co-founder of the revolutionary Industrial Workers of the World union and lifelong advocate for working people, the homeless, women, and African-Americans, died in a house fire.
On this day, 7 March 1860, up to 1000 striking women shoe workers took part in a Great Ladies Procession in Lynn, Massachusetts, amidst a blizzard and thick snow drifts. They were accompanied by 5000 striking men, who had walked out 2 weeks before demanding pay increases, and were joined a few days later by the women. Despite women's involvement in a dispute garnering it national publicity, and the support of Abraham Lincoln, the men failed to support the women's pay demands. They feared that the employers might not listen to them if they added women's demands as well. So the women ended up returning to work, and while some men did end up winning a 10% pay increase, for most workers the strike petered out and ended in defeat.
On this day, 6 March 1922, a wave of rent strikes in Veracruz, Mexico, was triggered when sex workers barricaded a street with their rented mattresses, chairs and other furniture, with the intention of starting a giant bonfire. Police quelled the action at the last minute, but news of the plan spread and sparked tenant organisation across the city.
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