And less important. They are being shut down. Washington is the key to unleash the 50 places to really produce the innovation. The past to start through filter down. Thank you. [applause] copies of his books are available for sale. Thank you for your attention we will see you soon in the future. [inaudible conversations] i am happy for this event tonight. One of the many aspects of our series to cover a lot of different topics some are more contemporary it is contemporaneously or to do stuff with that history we did a recent one on earth been agriculture and the spaces of nature. And real history in california is a fascinating topic. There are so many different threats but Upton Sinclair is so essentials and i have known laura for a while it has been my pleasure so here is another person doing history for a long time so i am honored to have heard tonight. I do want to read a brief introduction to hear it on dash to her. nr focusing on labor and the lookout and the author of three books as well as california a documentary history. She will tell you more about her views. I just read this book and i cannot recommend it highly enough. It is a new view of the character in our shared history and her a gold to feminism that could not have been told before. We needed to revolve to have a seminal character like sinclair not to criticize that he is the wimps that historians have done in the past. Take it away. Thank you very much. I will share the stage with my friend jay martin who will tell you more about his relationship to Upton Sinclair as i am talking. I am thrilled to be here. This is my first and perhaps only event in symphysis go. Telling you how i came to write it. But i will not read out loud because they hope you find yourself. I was a teacher of history for 35 years and retired a few years ago. When i started at the Junior College and 1975 there was no course as womens history. Me and other women invented the course. It was an open time so i did not even have a background in history. I was learning it myself. One of the most incredible things that happened was to learn of the women activists of names i had never heard even my students had not even 35 years later they still had not. Nothing had changed through Chartwell Education Group and the 35 years i had taught. Thought in mind how did i write the biography of a man . Men in my glasses enjoyed the class and they would say what about the guys . Werent there cool guys . In those that struggle for womens equality . I come from a background of Domestic Violence and i need role models so i started a battle for other men working for womens equality and if i found something i would put it in the folder. And then i was asked to substitute for Political Science and had a movie and wish i knew how i acquired it it was called we have a plan. And i filmmaker who has done incredible work of womens history made this film and they said why do i have that now . But i wanted to be real historian and i decided to write us pieces why there should be a biography of Upton Sinclair. He only had one and it was written 1975 and full of derision, sarcasm, he was made fun of. And called blue knows that is a derogatory term for may be a guy that was a little windy ole is the subtext he was not very sexual because he did not sleep around. There was something wrong. With this psychoanalytic stuff. I wrote my thesis about the stuff that i thought really should be in his biography. His activism, play writing, a journalism, food politics. The rightwing of oil that spectacular novel that told us where we were going in california and what that discovery meant in changed everything. Or the antifascist spy series how thousands of people learned history and more so why the u. S. Should enter world war ii it was a spy series deliberately written to bring people to fight against hitler. I am giving away all these copies by the way. All they knew was the jungle. After that he took the 30,000 to fund a utopian colony that we without kawakami in where they would live together to free women from housework and child care based on the idea is of the of women i talked about in history. I slowly started to see him as a feminist when i saw his friend said Upton Sinclair is a feminist. What . Really . They said that 1927 . But nobody said it sends. A couple of guys did to biographies and i was still working full time i did do a collection of writings in 2004 but although the books are admirable in many ways they miss the points i have been making. One of the reasons is i was teaching it for 30 years so i had the vantage point. In the 90s i got a fellowship to look at his letters in indiana. One of the most adventurous things i had ever done and in those days i had to use white gloves and xerox. I asked if i could see the letters that women wrote him. So i saw all these fascinating names in the list of items. I will just read you a few of the names because i decided to make an appendix of his women friends. He was no word tea that he defended these women and wrote to them for decades as a colleague and a comrade. He was not sleeping with any of them or was not trying. Had a stable marriage. Some were married but they were dedicated activist who needed them moral support and friendship or financial help or publicity that someone like Upton Sinclair could give. So his women friends in order as mentioned charlotte , kate, margaret, e dith, and julia, and then i discovered the secret love of his life, mary, alice life, mary, alice, agnes, he len keller, elizabeth and gertrude. If you know, even half of those names i would give you a plus with womens history because most people still dont. So in 2006 i thought i missed my chance but then i went back to the letters and then looked at the letters and thought how i will try. I have never done one if i had known how hard it was it would have stopped. The hardest piece of writing i have ever done. I struggled to find a publisher. It took me several years and i almost gave up. I was a Community College teacher with no connections i did not have the ph. D. Wrote to everyone i knew and roxanne helped me. She introduced me to university of nebraska and they took the book. I could not think her enough. I worked on this book for a few years and it is such a thrill i cannot believe i got it published. I am very proud of it. A few things to mention about Upton Sinclair there is no house or scholarly societies or scholars. As far as i know there is just me. That is shocking because it is up to you. I said really . Me . Upton sinclair is so famous. With that is where the story ends for most people. And also really where it began and how he became famous. A publisher used the term celebrity intellectual. That was not my idea but it is true he kind of invented the idea to be a celebrity like matt damon or Michael Moore who stands for something and says i am famous he will listen to me talk about this. He did that with the coal strike and invented the idea to pick it up the Corporate Headquarters with black armbands to protest the massacre at ludlow also had done investigative reporting in chicago with the jungle. There is so much more i would like to say. But i hope you will read my book can join me with the effort to have him not disappear from memory. He has a lot to teach us whether the politics of food a central issue of his life, temperance, a very ardent crusader because he was the child of the now kollek. Because we can only understand sinclair best knowing about the syndrome of children of alcoholics and how they feel. That was him. He made a movie that actually had a temperance agentni as a hero. As they would buctz up the belay liquor places. There was of a grand premiere at grummans chinese theater they would not lead to a man because he did not have a tuxedo. But to turn it over to jay and then you can ask questions. Is that okay . Thank you very much. Terrific. Can i . Thank you. 1933. 25 percent of people employed. Roosevelt began his presidency and Upton Sinclair was writing a book and was called the way out. I want to read a little bit. The government now buys boots for mins going in. That is the ccc is falling roosevelt is developing. Sending unemployed men out to plant forest that is used but when the government buys shoes for these men it is socially wasteful because the government should buy clothing factories and shoe factories. This is his critique. He doesnt want money to be given to people but he wants the way out of unemployment which is crushing the country. Some day in one state a radical government great governor will lay down the law of the factories have to open and will start commandeering those which did not open. But someone said how about you . Do you want to run for governor of california . This was a Democratic Committee in los angeles. There was not much of the Democratic Party at that time that roosevelt was enormously popular and the democrats had a chance it was likely the next governor of california would be a democrat. It was going to be exciting. Sinclair could not resist the chance to educate people by throwing himself into the campaign. He ran for governor it was 1926. So he wrote a book. And it says a peoples history 1933 through 1938 with what will happen if given the chance. To describe the conference where he meets with the committee and he is prepared a plan called end poverty in california. Everything had wonderful initials in those days. This plan was to have the state to buy land so for those who were farmers will have a place to go to have the state of california to have factories the idea was if you are producing the unemployed youre not getting money from other people to support them. He was against piling up he wanted to get out of the system for people to work at production for use. That is what he describes in his book such as removing the sales tax, bringing the of pension for widows nothing like social security. This book by the way but these are the thoughts of someone reading it from 1934. Upton sinclairs saying i tried to make epic plane in the book to answer all questions here but it is now but you. But then to go on to the campaign to stop from winning the election. He wrote the profits with every church is that not that he is against religion but the institutions and describes how all these things will help people and this will benefit 95 of the voters. To understand the true interest. That is another place where he underlines in the book. How . [laughter] but that was the number then. Is the true story it is the happy story one of the legislators begin to waver matt is the nickname for the governor because it is completely open in government. The public will have a stenographer take notes. Some of this imaginary member of the legislature would not vote as promised as being set down from Upton Sinclair. What has happened . To make you except to them and elected on that basis. Youre no longer a free man. But then youre at one of the rooms . Is that true . You cannot be aware of the reasons one is of the gas interests. They are bad poker players that they lose large sums of money and always to the legislature. There is some lindsay in the book is star today hardnosed plan that thing goes to a imaginary and he was accused of being a visionary which was not a pleasant word. It meant someone who saw things. At the end he himself says such a reader show i urge you to get busy to make it happen . That this is just one more candidate . That this is just number book number 47 . You will still be in poverty. This is your way out in you have to take it. The that is why i like him. He reads when he is toying in a way. There were people who were helping themselves. In oakland we had dead group called the Unemployed Exchange Association people trying to find a way to get by. Exchanging labor to harvest the crops for some of the crops soared do odd jobs for what people did not need and fix them up. People when there was no money finding ways to work. So when a candidate comes along about a plan and tries to say you can make this happen that is what starts to happen. And then the Campaign Manager says make this real. But there is a secretary in every city there are hundreds of clubs that form. Even the democrats now with those that mass things of the horrible things he has written everything he wrote was turned against him. Antidynamited churches is crazy. And to have the Peoples Campaign it became a campaign that people rand themselves and he won the democratic nomination. Added became established in california. This was a month before the election the money to defeat him was enormous but that in itself is not the story of sinclair. But they like to make fake newsreels. Then they come to get the free handouts that the people that they showboating for sinclair are not such pleasant people. He did not win the governorship of california. But the campaign itself is the thing to remember. I bought poster for the campaign because i had the no cowards special interest are not fooling me. That was it. Then he could go back to what he did best which was right books. In ned share is it was crushed however was candidate and got licked. This is captain print because it is such a good story. He also wroteo8gl . The novel about living together which was about the movement that continued in california as a response to the depression. Lij7 ozvc;joocowycntivz7ra z roosevelt did not endorse anybody running for office. It was an unusual but he was expecting him it and lead on that he would Say Something favorable about production for use and if roosevelt just said that and send the message that this program fit into the new deal then that might have been different. But officially he got 38 . One followers was so inconsolable sheet committed suicide when he lost. Another white tears of relief because she was convinced he would be assassinated and one near her body a baby after him. Chief. Even after of the Death Threats he finally agreed to get a job. He was a big comfort to him. I dont think he wanted to be governor as much as he felt he needed to put himself forward because the situation was desperate bin california. He was willing to be the founder but to inspire people. Further splinter parties on the left door the right competing for the remaining votes . There was another guy who was a republican who was the runner up and ran as a thirdparty drying would never interest was. No one it was like he was the Lieutenant Governor and the funny thing is the previous governor died then suddenly they were stuck with someone that was far from charming. But he leverage and self to get the nomination to me that candidate and the campaign was all against sinclair. The hope was that he may draw in the votes would go to raymond that had to be a acceptable republican. But sinclair would not withdraw land with the support and raymond would not withdraw. He was strung along because if nothing else he would give people a chance to vote for somebody besides sinclair. You cannot bring yourself to vote for the candidate at least he was absorbing votes to keep her from winning. [inaudible] he would run before and it would be very small. A stupid member why he landed you with the end my a to the campaign and would give a speech that he was not he had what was needed to be a candidate. Put one at they began to publish a weekly newspaper. He had the makings of a candidate but just did not realize he would be a candidate of a layup to election. Still ibises says jay fascinating history. I just want to make one observation about that one of the things i know is there was the unprecedented amount of propaganda for the governors race. The guy that was in charge every theater ben every movie for months, they were very sophisticated for the time but many catholic churches gave antiaids sinclair speeches at churches for months. They were really afraid he would win. He could have. But even raymond katz 34 said it and people believed it was purposeful and it was a crucial difference some people would claim he lost because that was crucial. Haiti was tricked but is there any relationship between the head. I dont know about the connection but i remember looking it up but for getting the answer. The epic ticklers the building still stands. Then after the campaign the movement was in effect they on a cooperative store on eighth street. So that the figures a lot. Whether or not those votes would have made the difference i dont know. I heard the other way they would have gone but you dont know it was a completely numbers game. So they have hundreds of thousands to register and for the first time being registered as democrat rather than a republican. That was the feeling if we just got more people we got some incredible work done to get people off the rolls. The republicans in various counties published the names of voters with the demand they show up and prove they were qualified to vote. Edits in conceivably dirty. But they make is a you cannot put. Remind ourselves that you can just swear to it and vote anyway. But that is where this street name comes from and he phaedo the plans. And it went to the state legislature would have been in then he vetoed it within its got delayed. Could you tell us more about the utopian society and why we would be interested to join that . Is there partners or how does a workout for the women . He wanted to do it because he just had a baby and were overwhelmed. He did not like living in isolation as a couple with of the beat a baby because one of them could not do their work. So he thought if they got together with other people with children then childcare could be shared. In my book i have discussions may be a can find it that it was with the commune or collective. [laughter] they have their own school and living quarters. The children acted in amateur theatricals. This is the one flaw. It was the mothers who took turns watching the children. Some got time off. They all did but they rotated. One went to medical school. In the l. A. Times shooting leaves and that was a boarding house in new jersey and it went down in a mysterious arson fire. Everything burned. The dream was over. Upton sinclair said i had to go back to reality. [laughter] and he was headed even the single tax colonies and one called fair hope there were experimented in subjects and he tried the mob was a huge believer not in the isolated Nuclear Family and loved to have people around him to eat together and talk together. There was no wife swapping. [laughter] but he talked about setting up forms is out communities are factories but to have meals. He could not have those ideas if he had not visited all these places but the fact he asked california to experiment is what they would drop. But it will have to help a little bit. That is the argument. Whatever help is that much the state does not have to pay for. Is not. But one other reasons the men did not do chao of caring is but based on the series and was about women sharing the work forever reason. This is the only cheers year so the cooperative child rearing was posing concerns about the harm it might cause the sinclair believes a Childrens Program was the most answer aspect. How vague eight in their own dining room with miniature chairs and tables and they and simple and discuss their problems what was right and wrong for them. But i think it was brilliant to tell you who actually owns the mass media . And getting you to ask what shape our reality . O c b cini may we noam chomsky but was anybody else doing work at the time . He wrote the first book that exposed the owners of newspapers with their ideology. Images. The he said a lot of journalists are prostitutes but line for many. Says you can imagine also part of the ways he was attacked later on. He wrote it 1920. One of the reasons that i think most people dont know but blackwell wrote was but if you go stand with someone no way. [laughter] she said this is what happened to the womens movement. The only child of lucy she was the first that would not change your name upon their urgent marriage. 50 years and their daughter was a very good friend. She sent him all her notes. I felt that was one of the inspiring moments to look at what happened. And Margaret Sanger had an experience to send a note out Birth Control was mischaracterized. She wrote him a beautiful letter that said here we are of french. Were still here. Arent we . It is a great letter. I was still solvent stunned that they had been in net for the long haul. Whats interesting is she was despised by those so the owners hated him but he was on and tear me but then editors, that is part of the character. He was likable. The reason he was able to write the book is he was given a lot of information and people piled up the information about what was happening. One of the reason his papers he kept all together he head even lower good material in his files he could not use in the book. People could give him things and it would not ruin their career but information he could include in the story he was telling. What about the long term plans for a bit . Will they turn the factories and farms. We have been known to and they would be financed by savings bonds people would buy a the way you do during war. Once the farms and factories were passed then they began to sell the things they were producing. But eventually they would be owned by the workers. That is where there were headed and why with the frightening idea that it was run democratically. You would not have the autocrat or work in a factory. It would have a democracy1 that was his vision and he saw it as the only way out. That was the plan but that is what makes him a socialist. Why you could say this is not a democrat. I can see in terms of practice but does he have ridings or theories . With his feelings at that time . But with the feminist topics reuss just published the ratings by him. It is about having the marriage and an equal marriage and the double standard. And where women are condemned for having sex outside of marriage but men are not. At that time syphilis was an issue as they ever getting infected. That is what he thought about talked about to get women added the individual kitchens. That it was a waste of energy to be stuck in her own kitchen why was there not one where everybody could go to be fed . That was the idea. You spoke earlier about working groups. Were there any other programs locally inspired by sinclair . There were a lot of coops and supported the campaign. But to continue to do for as much as i could. To run for the city council down in los angeles. But it was all about the plan. It went on for a long time there were four more years of clubs and the newspaper. It was extendable it ended poverty in california but it can be done anywhere. The you could say it is committed kit or kansas. I dont know what else around the bay area was that what did they do for the next four years . The question goes back to the explanation of the women who would write to Upton Sinclair and i am interested what was most interesting is how of some of the things if you can see any lines. The mill island was the greatest love of his life. Has anybody seen it . To remember mill hall and on the horse leading the suffrage parade through d. C. . This is the woman he fell in love with very passionately. There were both involved with other people. It did not last but i believe it really influenced both of them. She joined the naacp as well as the campaign for suffrage as well as against world war war i she died campaigning for suffrage. He on the hand other hand is picketing headquarters. Very but with the ada instead of going to the place in colorado where they could not see then he would go to new york. He would get arrested and get photographs and this is exactly what the whole movement was doing. Nonviolent civil disobedience to get suffrage that is where the influence is strongest. He was famously pro prohibition. Nowadays we recognize that is how organized crime got a boost. And did he ever show any signs to figure that out afterwards . Let he was a cold war liberal at that point and i suppose a socialist. To destroy the ability to organizing. When will an