Today’s History Story: White Americans Kept Unions Exclusive – But Black Workers Still Triumphed

The right to earn a living wage under just and safe work conditions is as inalienable a right as our freedom of speech. Still, the history of Black people in the American labor movement is rooted in injustice. White supremacy has sought to keep Black workers from the best jobs, the most robust industries, and their sacred labor unions. However, today is a different day, as Black workers now occupy more seats at the labor union table than any other race or ethnicity in America.

Here to help us explore this dramatic change is Bianca Cunningham, campaign director at The Action Center on Race & the Economy (ACRE), a non-profit that directly takes on the financial institutions and anti-democratic actors that are responsible for pillaging communities of color and poor families, subverting voting rights, and destroying our environment. She’s also the co-founder of the AfroSocialists and Socialists of Color Caucus of the Democratic Socialists of America. Bianca will share her story of unionizing her retail job, taking that first step towards reconfiguring the makeup of labor unions everywhere.

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Black History Year (BHY) is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school and explore pathways to liberation with people who are leading the way. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work.

The BHY production team includes Tareq Alani, Brooke Brown, Tasha Taylor, and Lilly Workneh. Our producers are Cydney Smith, Len Webb for PushBlack, and Ronald Younger, who also edits the show. Black History Year’s executive producers are Mikel Elcessor for Limina House and Julian Walker for PushBlack.

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