William Z. Foster, center, with Paul Robeson and New York Councilman Benjamin J. Davis. | CPUSA Archives
Editor’s Note: Feb. 25, 2021, marks the 140th anniversary of the birth of William Z. Foster. One of the most well-known figures of early 20th century labor history, Foster spearheaded the drive to organize the packinghouse industry during World War I and led the Great Steel Strike of 1919. He later joined the Communist Party and rose to leadership in its ranks. As the party’s presidential candidate alongside Black leader James W. Ford in 1932, Foster tallied over 100,000 votes. He was also a pioneer in the fight against racism in organized labor and to integrate trade unions, which for so long persisted in downgrading or ignoring the struggles of Black workers. In this article, biographer Arthur Zipser discusses Foster’s role in the fight to bring full equality for Black workers in the U.S. labor movement. It is excerpted from his 1981 book,
Letter: SB 61: Right to Work bill is wrong for New Hampshire
Portsmouth Herald
SB 61, the so-called Right To Work bill, is bad for New Hampshire and bad for America.
My grandfather led Lodge 461 of the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen in Mart, Texas, from its creation in 1907 until its demise after the National Railroad Strike of 1922. He fought hard for an 8-hour work day, compensation for injuries on the job, and for worker pensions.
Many people have forgotten the history of the early 20th Century, when the United States went through an earlier period of economic disruption, which was also a time of great concentration of wealth. My grandfather believed that labor unions could help build a strong middle class, which made for a strong society, where opportunity would abound.