All Articles
Lots of reaction to Labor History Bill enactment
Labor activists throughout the nation have looked with encouragement to Wisconsin after Gov. Jim Doyle signed into law the Labor History in the Schools bill. Numerous inquires have been made to the Society and others from unionists interested in enacting similar laws in their own states. The Wisconsin law calls for the State Superintendent of Public... »
Governor signs historic labor in the schools bill
Governor Jim Doyle made it official Thursday, Dec. 10: He signed into law AB 172, the Labor History in the Schools bill, culminating 12 years of efforts by key legislators, workers, unions and others to pass legislation to assure the teaching of labor history and collective bargaining. More than 50 persons crowded into the governor’s... »
UWM student with Zeidler award
Zachary Sell, a senior at University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, won the Frank P. Zeidler Scholarship for his essay, “Good Homes Make Good Workers: Migration, Housing, and the Making of Black Beloit.” He was given the award at the WLHS annual conference in May in Neenah. Sell commented it was an honor to receive an... »
Eight students win labor history Essay honors
Eight Wisconsin high school students were named cash prize winners in the Wisconsin Labor History Society’s annual Essay Contest for 2008-2009. The winners are to honored announced at the Society’s annual conference May 9, 2009 at the Neenah-Menasha Labor Temple, Neenah. They will receive awards ranging from $100 to $500. Students competed with a 750... »
Bay View Tragedy Event attracts crowd
The 123rd Anniversary Commemoration of the 1886 Bay View Tragedy was held on a sunny Sunday, May 3, 2009 at the Bay View Historical Marker Site at S. Superior St. and E. Russell Ave., on Milwaukee’s lakefront, before some 200 persons. Amy Stear, Wisconsin director for 9 to 5, addressed the event, linking the struggles... »
Texas Students Highlight Wisconsin WC Law
Wisconsin was one of the first states to initiate workers compensation, which became effective in 1911. That story is told on a video produced by students at Chester W. Nimitz High School in Houston TX. The project was done as an entry for National History Day and ended up as qualified for the national... »
28th Annual Conference looks at union’s and bad times
The 28th Annual Conference of the Wisconsin Labor History Society attracted 70 on Saturday, May 9, 2009 at the Neenah Menasha Labor Temple in Neenah. The topic was “Organizing in Hard Times: Unionization, De-unionziation and Re-unionization.” and the discussion will involve how unions handled the changing economic times from the 1930s to the present day. ... »
Labor History in Schools Proposal Resources
When the Labor History in the Schools Bill (SB 108) was discussed in the last session of the Wisconsin Legislature, it generated much attention. In the paragraphs below, you will find links to various sources of information from the discussion in 2007 that may help you in learning the background of this issue. There was a... »
Labor’s Role in U.S. Foreign Policy Affected Strength of Unions at Home
Speakers examine labor’s action from World War I to Iraq at 2007 WLHS meeting (Note: Complete summaries of the 2007 Conference are available in PDF format. Click on Morning Panel, for summary of morning events. Click on Grandin Address for summary of his keynote. Click on Afternoon Panel, for summary... »
“American Labor History Awards” at National History Day
The Wisconsin Labor History Society since 2006 has offered top prizes to students who use labor history themes to their National History Day projects. This has prompted a plethora of projects this year on labor topics by Wisconsin school kids. The Society offers special cash awards for the best student projects on American... »