A Salute to the Bicentennial of the Keystone State

Posted by Philip Klein on Nov 29, 2013 in | Comments Off on A Salute to the Bicentennial of the Keystone State The current Bicentennial celebration commemorates not the birth of the United States, but the proclama­tion of thirteen British-American colonies that were “free and independent states” as of July 4, 17.76. When they formed a loose compact in 1761, their articles of confederation declared that “each state retains its sover­eignty, freedom and independence.” The...
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Blacks and the Labor Movement in Pennsylvania: The Beginnings

Posted by Philip Foner on Nov 29, 2013 in | Comments Off on Blacks and the Labor Movement in Pennsylvania: The Beginnings I It is important to understand the relationship be­ tween Black and white labor from the time of slavery to the Civil War in order to understand the position of Blacks in the early labor movement. Since the early trade unions were primarily for skilled workers, the elimination of Blacks from the skilled trades helps explain their absence from the unions. In addition, the conflict between white...
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