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DC LABORFEST: HISTORY

Celebrating Labor Arts

DC LaborFest: HISTORY Events

​Organized and presented by the Metropolitan Washington Council of the AFL-CIO, the DC LaborFest features a wide-ranging selection of events about work, workers and workers’ issues. 
AFL-CIO HEADQUARTERS TOUR: Fri, May 3, 12p 
DC LABOR HISTORY WALKING TOUR: Sat, May 11, 11a
FDR AND LABOR: Sun, May 5, 6p
THE INCREDIBLE LIFE AND DEATH OF IBEW FOUNDER HENRY MILLER (NEW): Sat, June 1, 11a
MWC labor archives project: Thursday, May 16, 11:00am – 1:00pm: RESCHEDULED TO June 11!
LABOR AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY: Wed, May 22, 12p
LABOR HISTORY TODAY PODCAST: KEEP MAKING HISTORY! (NEW): FRI, May 17, 12p
SAM GOMPERS MEMORIAL/AFL HQ (NEW!): Sat, May 4, 11a
TAKOMA TRIVIA: THE LABOR EDITION: Mon, May 20, 7:30p

MOST EVENTS ARE FREE; See below for detailed event write-ups and links to purchase tickets or RSVP. 

AFL-CIO HEADQUARTERS TOUR 

Fri, May 3, 12p – 1p; AFL-CIO, 815 16th Street NW, Washington DC
FREE but you must RSVP online here
This guided tour features stunning mosaics of marble, glass and gold that pay tribute to America's working families at the headquarters of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, or AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 56 national and international unions. Also included in the tour: a historic Ralph Fasanella painting, lobby artwork and displays honoring key figures in American labor history.
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DC LABOR HISTORY WALKING TOUR

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Sat, May 11, 11:00a; meet at AFL-CIO, 815 16th Street NW, Washington
$15 per person donation benefits WPFW 89.3FM, celebrating "Jazz and Justice" for 41 years, and home of Union City Radio (weekdays 7:15am) and Your Rights At Work (Thursdays 1-3pm).  
Tickets available here
​

From the Labor Hall of Fame to Joe Hill’s ashes, worker’s history is around just about every corner in our nation’s capital, if you know where to look. This 3-hour walking tour of downtown DC reveals labor’s often-untold story of protest and resistance. Led by DC LaborFest Director – and Union City Radio/Your Rights At Work host -- Chris Garlock. NOTE: it's an easy 2.5-mile walk but wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather.
Tour highlights: AFL-CIO lobby murals; 1953 CIO headquarters; The Real Roosevelt Memorial; Joe Hill’s ashes; Bas relief depictions of labor & trade; 1895 Knights of Labor HQ; Bonus Expeditionary Force & more.

FDR AND LABOR 

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NEW DATE! Sun, May 12, 5pm; FDR Memorial 1850 West Basin Dr SW, Washington, DC 20242
FREE but you must RSVP online here

U.S. Park Ranger Mike Balis leads a special tour of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial through the lens of FDR’s long and complex history with the American labor movement and the nation’s workers. 

THE INCREDIBLE LIFE AND DEATH OF IBEW FOUNDER HENRY MILLER (NEW)

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Sat, June 1, 11 am, Glenwood Cemetery, 2219 Lincoln Rd NE, Washington, DC
FREE; RSVP here: bit.ly/dclf-miller2019

​Discover the fascinating and colorful story of how a St. Louis lineman wound up organizing, founding and leading what would become the international Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and how he came to be buried in a cemetery in Northeast DC. Led by IBEW museum curator Curtis Bateman. 

LABOR AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY

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Wed, May 22, 12:00pm-2pm; 14th St and Constitution Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20001
FREE but space is limited and you must RSVP online here

​Division of Work and Industry Curator Peter Liebhold leads a very special guided labor tour of the National Museum of American History, including the American Enterprise exhibition and behind the scenes at the SC Johnson Conference Center for a look at some interesting objects in storage and  a discussion of the challenges and opportunities of presenting working class history at the Smithsonian.

LABOR HISTORY TODAY PODCAST: KEEP MAKING HISTORY! (NEW)

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FRI, May 17, 12:00p
AFL-CIO, 815 16th Street NW, Washington DC 20006
FREE but space is limited and you must RSVP online here
Co-sponsored by the UMD Meany Labor Archives and Georgetown University’s Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor

If you’re interested in labor history, you’ll be fascinated by this behind-the-scenes look at the team that produces the award-winning Labor History Today podcast! Join the Meany Labor Archives’ Ben Blake, Alan Wierdak and Chloe Danyo, along with Labor History Today host Chris Garlock and producer Patrick Dixon as they discuss what goes into putting together the LHT podcast, and show some of the treasures from the Meany Archives. Participants will even get a chance to record a labor history segment for the show!
“The history of America has been largely created by the deeds of its working people and their organizations--there is scarcely an issue that is not influenced by labor’s organized efforts or lack of them.” — William Cahn, Labor historian

​Recognize any of these folks?

NEW DATE! Tuesday, June 11, 11am, Meany Labor Archives (UMD)
RSVP: [email protected], or call 202-262-0773
​

Retirees: test your facial recognition skills and contribute to labor's local story! That’s the call and challenge from Kathleen McKirchy, the retired Executive Director of the Community Services Agency. “The Metro Washington DC labor council has donated its historical archives to the University of Maryland and they’re in the process of scanning, sorting, and digitizing everything,” McKirchy explains. “Included in the materials we sent are a lot of old photos from the 1940's through the 1970's, and we need some help identifying folks in these photos.” McKirchy, in conjunction with the Archives and the DC LaborFest, is organizing a meeting at the Archives on Thursday, May 16 at 11am to start going through the photos. “We’re looking for volunteers who were around ‘back in the day’ who might know some of these folks,” says McKirchy. “Because this is the DC labor council, many of the photos include national and international union folks and politicians, so we’re not just looking for people with a local labor council familiarity.” For more details or to RSVP; contact [email protected], or call 202-262-0773.
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SAM GOMPERS MEMORIAL/AFL HQ (NEW!)

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Sat, May 4, 11 am, 10th & Massachusetts Ave NW
FREE; RSVP here
​
In a city full of memorials and monuments to political power, here’s a hidden gem honoring one of the giants of labor, Samuel Gompers (1850-1924) . Learn more about the memorial to the founder of the American Federation of Labor as well as details about Sam Gompers the man from Library of Congress chief steward and librarian David Fernández-Barrial, of AFSCME Local 2910. Then take a short 1-block walk to visit the site of the home of the AFL from 1916 to 1956, now part of the unionized Marriott Marquis.

TAKOMA TRIVIA: THE LABOR EDITION  ​

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Mon, May 20, 7:30p; Busboys and Poets Takoma, 235 Carrol St NW, Washington, DC 20012
$10 Suggested donation benefits DC Jobs with Justice; RSVP here
bit.ly/dclf-trivia2019

​Join us for this special labor edition of the popular weekly competition, hosted by Max Johansen. Test your knowledge of the labor movement, have fun with friends and enjoy Busboys’ terrific food and drink. No team minimum: play by yourself or grab some friends. Prizes for the top teams!

Click below for the DC LaborFest YouTube channel, Twitter Feed and Facebook page
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Just click on the story ​and then click on the  social media icon!
COPYRIGHT METRO WASHINGTON LABOR COUNCIL AFL-CIO 2023
202-974-8150; [email protected]
  • Home
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