Free Women, Wobblies and Brown Berets – Fall 2012 Discussion Series on the History of Radical Urban Politics in the Midwest!

Every Other Thurs. Sept. 6^th – Dec. 20th 7:00 pm  Rainbow Bookstore (426 W. Gilman)

In this free community discussion series, co-hosted by Rainbow Bookstore and the Madison Infoshop, we’ll explore historic episodes of radical urban political protest in the Midwest.  What were the conditions that led poor tenants, workers, immigrants, and urban youth to challenge ruling elites in such ways?  Which strategies were successful?  How can we draw upon this legacy and build more effective grassroots coalitions for our organizing today?

This is meant to be an interactive participatory discussion, so the topics are open to change.  People are also welcome to join the series whenever, though each session will certainly build upon prior discussions.  Below is a tentative schedule:

Thurs. Sept.  6th – Introduction and Overview

Thurs. Sept. 20th  – 1886 Hay Market Riot in Chicago, Milwaukee’s Bay View Massacre

Thurs. Oct. 4^th –  Birth of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) in Chicago 1905

Thurs. Oct. 18^th –  Jane Addams, Lucy Parsons, Emma Goldman & Friends

Thurs. Nov. 1^st –  1934 Minneapolis Teamsters Strike vs Right Wing Citizen’s Alliance

Thurs. Nov. 15^th –  Father Groppi, Civil Rights, and the 1967 “Race Riot” in Milwaukee

Thurs. Nov. 29^th – Young Lords, American Indian Movement (AIM), Black Panthers

Thurs. Dec. 6^th –  “Urban Renewal,” Tenant Rights, and Isaiah 5:8 Committee in Madison

Thurs. Dec. 20^th – Wrap-up and Conclusion

Suggested short readings will be made available the week before each topic.  A more detailed bibliography is also available upon request.

Questions?  jepeck@wisc.edu  #262-9036

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