Labor history Nov 19 Joe Hill, labor leader and song writer, executed in Utah with video & more

[Omaha Steve]

November 19


Joe Hill, labor leader and song writer, executed in Utah on what many believe was a framed charge of murder. Before he died he declared: “Don’t waste any time mourning. Organize.” - 1915

And this: November 19, 1915 - Joe Hill, a Swedish immigrant organizer and songwriter, was executed by a Utah firing squad after being convicted of murder on trumped-up charges. His last message from prison was “Don’t mourn for me . . organize.”

For more on Joe Hill, see www.joehill.org and http://www.aflcio.org/aboutus/history/history/hill.cfm and the Wobblies' website, www.iww.org

View a video of Joan Baez performing the song, "Joe Hill," http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/08/25/1716207

The nation’s first automatic toll collection machine is used at the Union Toll Plaza on New Jersey's Garden State Parkway - 1954

The National Writers Union is founded, representing freelance and contract writers and others in the trade. In 1992 it was to merge into and become a local of the United Auto Workers - 1981

Labor history found here: http://www.unionist.com/big-labor/today-in-labor-history & here: http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?history_9_11_19_2011

[Brickbat]

1. Joe Hill's ashes were sent to all the states to be scattered, except in Utah.

I wonder if people remember where, exactly, he was scattered. I know where they scattered his ashes in Minnesota, but that's it.

[jwirr]

3. Where in MN?

[Brickbat]

4. At the Work People's College near Duluth, Minnesota.

The building is still there; it is now an apartment building.

[jwirr]

5. Thank you. I will have to go see it the next time I am in Duluth. And

we are still union strong up here.

[Brickbat]

6. Damn straight we are. :)

I'm up the shore. PM me if you want more info on the WPC -- it's not terribly well known.

[Ken Burch]

2. Tributes to Joe Hill in song

Paul Robeson(song by Earl Robinson)singing to workers at the Sydney Opera House(Robeson sings sings "Old Man River" first, then "Joe Hill" at about 1:44 in the clip)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg7bPgrosAE

Phil Ochs(on Swedish Television, summer 1968)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5THFsE7Kjo

[limpyhobbler]

7. One more version

Thanks for that. I never knew that Billy Bragg got his version from Phil Ochs.

The version of it I knew was performed by Billy Bragg.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdSbKSQYXgo