Labor Struggles in the Deep South & Other Writings

In the half-century since it was written, Hall’s Labor Struggles In The Deep South, published here for the first time, has become an underground classic among activist historians writing on the South and on working people. Hall - journalist, organizer, rebel, professor and poet - brings to life the dramatic early 20th century struggles of the waterfront workers of New Orleans and the militant timber workers of Louisiana and East Texas. Writing about events in which he played a central role and about the broader history of Southern labor, Hall describes many of the finest hours of integrated industrial unionism in the US and the role of the IWW in creating fragile unity across racial lines. The always lively narrative is heightened by dozens of rare IWW cartoons and other period illustrations. Also included is a sampling of Hall’s articles on labor history and education as well as his editorial opinions, poems and ‘factful fables’, revealing other aspects of Hall’s remarkable creativity, humor, imagination, and lifelong dedication to libertarian socialism. David Roediger’s introduction expands our knowledge of Hall and his influence and assesses his legacy in the light of current-day struggles against white supremacy and wage-slavery.