Today, 30 July, anniversary of the first recorded strike in North American history, we are launching a new working class history page on Facebook and Twitter to celebrate our history: people's history.
History is not made by the actions of a few rich and powerful individuals, kings and queens and politicians, like so much of the history we learn in school.
History is made by the combined everyday actions of hundreds of millions of us: women, men, youth, people of colour, migrants, indigenous people, LGBT people, disabled people, workers, the unemployed, housewives - the working class.
It is our struggles which have shaped our world, and any improvement in our conditions has been won by years of (sometimes violent) conflict and sacrifice.
On this day in 1766, silver miners in Real Del Monte, Mexico, went on strike against a 25% pay cut. They faced down repression from the bosses' private army and held out until September, when the employers caved in.
Facebook.com/workingclasshistory and @wrkclasshistory are dedicated to all those - like the Real Del Monte miners - who have struggled in the past for a better world, and who continue to do so now. To help record and popularise our grassroots, people's history, as opposed to the top-down accounts of most history books.
Mostly we will post On This Day in History… content, a couple of items per day.
We know that Facebook has its problems, however one thing which can't be denied is its ability to share information virally, and to reach people who might otherwise never see a radical pamphlet, book or newspaper.
So please get involved: Like our page, Like and share our content, and invite any of your friends who may be interested to Like the page as well.
www.facebook.com/workingclasshistory
www.twitter.com/wrkclasshistory
Comments
Do you still need a hand with
Do you still need a hand with this? Unfortunately the next 2-3 weeks I cannot commit any time to anything at all but afterwards, if there's anything you think I might be able to lend a hand with, PM me and let me know.