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Research Guides

GMM Labor Exhibit Logo

In honor of the Seattle General Strike and the Centralia Tragedy of 1919, the Labor Archives of Washington and UW Libraries Special Collections (in partnership with a series of statewide programs) spearheaded the Solidarity Centennial: The Legacy of the Seattle General Strike and the Centralia Tragedy of 1919 exhibit commemorating the 100th anniversary of the two events. In cooperation with their efforts, the Government Publications, Maps, Microforms & Newspapers (GMM) unit presents the Working for a Living exhibit and this research guide.

Working for a Living: Solidarity Centennial exhibit

Location: Government Publications, Maps, Microforms & Newspapers (GMM)
Dates: February 18, 2019 through June 2, 2019

This student curated display created in conjunction with the centennial of the Seattle General Strike illustrates the history and contemporary experience of working for a living.  It celebrates the contributions of all workers and the dignity of all work. From those in the forests and the fields to those in shipyards and canneries, whether we spend our time in front of a computer screen or on the stage, we are all working for a living.

Seattle's long history of labor activism from the International Workers of the World (IWW or Wobblies) to advocates that pushed the city's $15 an hour minimum wage is highlighted in posters detailing efforts to unionize and to strike for better working conditions and a living wage. 

Labor history is brought into the present with examples covering current agricultural laborers, teachers, and tech workers. The display is rounded out with a set of posters outlining labor-related laws and worker's rights.

Start Your Research: Newspapers

The UW Libraries has an extensive historical newspapers collection. To find more articles like the ones we feature throughout the exhibit, here are some suggested starting points: