Ben Fletcher: The Life and Times of a Black Wobbly
Oakland, CA: PM Press, 2021. Second edition. Paperback. 323pp. Octavo [23 cm] Yellow, green and black printed wraps. New. Item #62210
ISBN: 9781629638324
In the early twentieth century, when many US unions disgracefully excluded black and Asian workers, the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) warmly welcomed people of color, in keeping with their emphasis on class solidarity and their bold motto: “An Injury to One Is an Injury to All!”
A brilliant union organizer and a humorous orator, Benjamin Fletcher (1890–1949) was a tremendously important and well-loved African American member of the IWW during its heyday. Fletcher helped found and lead Local 8 of the IWW’s Marine Transport Workers Industrial Union, unquestionably the most powerful interracial union of its era, taking a principled stand against all forms of xenophobia and exclusion.
Price: $24.95