Today in History: Paul Robeson

Today in History: Paul Robeson

Today in History–September 04–the Library of Congress features Paul Robeson, who sang at an outdoor concert near Peekskill, New York, to a mixed-race audience of more than 20,000 people on this date in 1949. Violence followed the performance. Learn more about the Peekskill Riots and this artist, activist, and polymath/polyglot by visiting the Today in History section and then clicking the…

Learning from the Source: Chicago Meatpackers & the Unions

Learning from the Source: Chicago Meatpackers & the Unions

The Chicago meatpacking industry began its rise to prominence in 1865 with the opening of the Union Stock Yard. Meatpacking unions had their ups and downs over the years and company antiunionism took two basic forms: repression and paternalism. Armour, for example, was a company that “provided individualized pay, insurance and promotion incentives (including stock…