LAbor and Civil Rights

https://democracynow.org - Prisoners across the country are set to launch a nationwide strike today to demand improved living conditions, greater access to resources and the “end of modern day slavery.” Prisoners in at least 17 states are expected to participate in the coordinated sit-ins, hunger strikes, work stoppages and commissary boycotts from today until September 9—the 47th anniversary of the Attica prison uprising. For more, we speak with Amani Sawari, a prison strike organizer working on behalf of Jailhouse Lawyers Speak, a network of prisoners who are helping organize the nationwide strike. We also speak with Cole Dorsey, a formerly incarcerated member of the IWW’s Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee who is helping coordinate with prisoners on the prison strike. Democracy Now! is an independent global news hour that airs weekdays on nearly 1,400 TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch our livestream 8-9AM ET: https://democracynow.org Please consider supporting independent media by making a donation to Democracy Now! today: https://democracynow.org/donate FOLLOW DEMOCRACY NOW! ONLINE: Facebook: http://facebook.com/democracynow Twitter: https://twitter.com/democracynow YouTube: http://youtube.com/democracynow SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/democracynow Daily Email: https://democracynow.org/subscribe Google+: https://plus.google.com/+DemocracyNow Instagram: http://instagram.com/democracynow Tumblr: http://democracynow.tumblr.com Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/democracynow iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/democracy-now!-audio/id73802554 TuneIn: http://tunein.com/radio/Democracy-Now-p90/ Stitcher Radio: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/democracy-now

Though he was sentenced to death, Nat Turner's resistance to slavery remains relevant to this day. ➡ Subscribe: http://bit.ly/NatGeoSubscribe ➡ Watch all clips of Explorer here: http://bit.ly/WatchExplorer ➡ Get More Explorer: https://on.natgeo.com/2kjK3ZO About Explorer: Explorer, the longest-running documentary series in cable television history, honored with nearly 60 Emmys and hundreds of other awards, continues as a series of major specials on the National Geographic Channel. In the course of more than two thousand films, Explorer has taken viewers to more than 120 countries, opening a window on hidden parts of the world, unlocking mysteries both ancient and modern, and investigating stories of science, nature, and culture. Get More National Geographic: Official Site: http://bit.ly/NatGeoOfficialSite Facebook: http://bit.ly/FBNatGeo Twitter: http://bit.ly/NatGeoTwitter Instagram: http://bit.ly/NatGeoInsta About National Geographic National Geographic is the world's premium destination for science, exploration, and adventure. Through their world-class scientists, photographers, journalists, and filmmakers, Nat Geo gets you closer to the stories that matter and past the edge of what's possible. Looking at Nat Turner's Legacy | Explorer https://youtu.be/ZrRBGGVTM38 National Geographic https://www.youtube.com/natgeo

As Black History Month comes to a close, it’s important to remember early African American pioneers in the labor movement. It’s also a great time to shed light on IAM’s march for racial equality.

Presented by the Social Action Commission of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and sponsored by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). Narrated by James Farmer, National Director of CORE and founder of the Freedom Rides, this film recounts the experiences of Freedom Riders shortly after the rides ended in December 1961. This film includes footage from the Freedom Rides, and testimony from Freedom Riders Jim Peck, Albert Bigelow, and Genevieve Hughes.

Digitized and edited for “For Liberty, Justice, and Equality: Unions Making History in America” www.lib.umd.edu/unions For the full length video, please go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpPZCn90w30&t=4s

Labor leader and social activist A. Philip Randolph was born on April 15, 1889 in Crescent City, Florida. During World War I, Randolph tried to unionize African-American shipyard workers and elevator operators, and co-launched a magazine designed to encourage demand for higher wages. He later founded the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, which by 1937 would become the first official African-American labor union. In the 1940s, Randolph's abilities as an organizer had grown to such lengths that he became the driving force in ending racial discrimination in government defense factories and desegregating the armed forces, both done via presidential decree. Becoming involved in additional civil rights work, he was a principal organizer of the 1963 March on Washington. Randolph died in New York City in 1979. #Biography Subscribe for more Biography: http://aetv.us/2AsWMPH Delve deeper into Biography on our site: http://www.biography.com Follow Biography for more surprising stories from fascinating lives: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Biography Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/biography Twitter - https://twitter.com/biography Biography.com captures the most gripping, surprising, and fascinating stories about famous people: The biggest break. The defining opportunity. The most shattering failure. The unexpected connection. The decision that changed everything. With over 7,000 biographies and daily features that highlight newsworthy and compelling points-of-view, we are the digital source for true stories about people that matter. A. Philip Randolph - Civil Rights Pioneer | Biography https://www.youtube.com/user/BiographyChannel

AT IMPORTANT MOMENTS IN OUR HISTORY, THE LABOR MOVEMENT AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT HAVE QUITE LITERALLY WALKED A COMMON PATH. AS A UNION, THE UAW, LEAD BY WALTER REUTHER, EMBRACED AND STRONGLY SUPPORTED THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT INCLUDING THE MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT IN 1955 AND MARCHED ALONGSIDE REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR AS HE SOUGHT TO MAKE AMERICA A MORE JUST NATION. IN 1963, THE UAW GAVE DR. KING OFFICE SPACE AT ITS HEADQUARTERS AT SOLIDARITY HOUSE IN DETROIT WHERE THE NOBEL PRIZE WINNER PENNED HIS "I HAVE A DREAM" SPEECH THAT WAS FIRST SPOKEN DURING DETROIT'S WALK TO FREEDOM MARCH. THE UAW PROVIDED FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND REUTHER STOOD BESIDE KING AGAIN TWO MONTHS LATER WHEN THE SPEECH MADE HISTORY IN WASHINGTON D.C. IT REMAINS FIRMLY ETCHED INTO OUR COLLECTIVE SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS A HALF CENTURY LATER. THE REASON WE SHARE SO MUCH HISTORY -- THE REASON WE HAVE, SO OFTEN, LITERALLY WALKED A COMMON PATH -- IS THAT WE SHARE A COMMON VISION. IT'S A VISION THAT'S GROUNDED IN THE DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES ON WHICH OUR COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED, BUT THAT ALSO RECOGNIZES THAT OUR DEMOCRACY ISN'T PERFECT. THE GREAT TASK OF AMERICAN HISTORY IS TO EXTEND DEMOCRACY'S PROMISE TO EXCLUDED GROUPS -- TO NON-PROPERTY OWNERS, TO WOMEN, TO AFRICAN-AMERICANS, TO IMMIGRANTS. THE UAW HAS MADE CIVIL RIGHTS A LABOR ISSUE, AND TODAY, THE EROSIONS OF UNIONS IS A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE. TODAY, WE ARE WORKING AGGRESSIVELY WITH THE NAACP AND OTHER ALLIES TO REPEAL VOTER SUPPRESSION LAWS AND ANTI-IMMIGRANT LAWS! THE UAW HAS BEEN A LEADER IN PAY EQUITY MEASURES LIKE THE LEDBETTER FAIR PAY ACT! WE CONTINUE IN THE STRUGGLE FOR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE FOR ALL PEOPLE... BECAUSE IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO! IN THE SPIRIT OF MARTIN LUTHER KING, MAHATMA GHANDI AND CESAR CHAVEZ, THE UAW IS JOINING FORCES WITH OTHERS WHO SHARE OUR VALUES IN THE STRUGGLE TO REBUILD A FAIR AMERICA FOR ALL. WE WILL NOT ACCEPT WORKERS BEING TOLD THAT WE CANNOT HAVE DECENT WAGES AND PENSIONS! WE WILL NOT ACCEPT UNCONSCIONABLE CUTS IN FUNDING FOR K-12! WE WILL NOT ACCEPT ONE IN FOUR AMERICAN CHILDREN LIVING IN POVERTY AND HUNGER! WE WILL NOT ACCEPT HOME FORECLOSURES ON HARD WORKING AMERICANS WHO ARE OUT OF WORK OR UNDERPAID! WE WILL NOT ACCEPT WORKERS BEING STRIPPED OF THEIR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS! WE MUST FIGHT AGAINST INJUSTICE BECAUSE WHAT'S AT STAKE IS THE RIGHT OF ALL WORKING MEN AND WOMEN TO DIGNITY AND FAIR TREATMENT ON THE JOB. WHAT'S AT STAKE IS OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE ALL OUR CHILDREN WITH A BETTER LIFE. WHAT'S AT STAKE IS OUR CONTINUING STRUGGLE TO OVERCOME THE LEGACY OF RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION. WHAT'S AT STAKE IS THE SOUL OF OUR DEMOCRACY. IN THIS NEW CENTURY, OUR TWO MOVEMENTS, LABOR AND CIVIL RIGHTS, WILL RISE AND FALL TOGETHER. WE MUST CONTINUE TO WALK A COMMON PATH.