Introducing a brand-new daily podcast from the team at WCH. On This Day in Working Class History will be a brief reminder each morning of our collective struggles for a better world which have taken place on this date in history. Launching on 1 February on a trial basis, each episode will be just a couple of minutes long, highlighting one anniversary from our archive each day. It’s designed to fit into your morning schedule, alongside news headlines, and to be shared on social media with your...

Second in a double podcast about the Angry Brigade, Britain’s first home-grown urban guerrilla group, in the 1960s and 70s, in conversation with John Barker, who was put on trial as part of the group. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at...

Double podcast about the Angry Brigade, Britain’s first home-grown urban guerrilla group, in the 1960s and 70s, in conversation with John Barker, who was put on trial as part of the group. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistory Continuing our...

Podcast episode about the Workmates collective, a rank-and-file initiative on the London Underground using unofficial direct action and workplace assemblies to fight privatisation in the late-1990s/early 2000s. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Sign up and get access to exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory In this...

Podcast episode about strikes by miners in Britain in 1972 and 1974, in conversation with Dave Douglass. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Sign up and get access to exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory Continuing our intermittent series of podcast episodes about the...

The fourth and final episode of our podcast series on the Italian resistance to fascism in conversation with anti-fascist partisans themselves. In this episode, we look at the postwar anti-fascist resistance: from armed partisan rebellions and the so-called ‘Triangle of Death’ to the 1960 anti-Tambroni riots in Genoa, as well as how the resistance is (mis)remembered today. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early...

Part 3 of our four-part podcast series on the Italian resistance to fascism in conversation with anti-fascist partisans themselves. In this episode, we look at the question of 'the resistance betrayed': the Togliatti amnesty, what happened to fascists and anti-fascists immediately after the war, and how Italy's fascist movement was allowed to rebuild itself. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to...

Part 2 of our four-part podcast series on the Italian resistance to fascism in conversation with anti-fascist partisans themselves. In this episode, we discuss the participation of migrant partisans in the resistance, what the resistance looked like in the cities, the raid of the Jewish ghetto in Rome and, finally, liberation and the execution of Mussolini. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to...

The first of a four-part podcast series on the Italian resistance to fascism, both during World War Two and immediately after, in conversation with anti-fascist partisans themselves. In this episode, we look at the rise of fascism, the start of the resistance during World War Two, the partisan formations of the mountains and the participation of women in the resistance. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early...

Second of a double podcast episode about the Trinidad general strike of 1937, in conversation with Ryan Cecil Jobson. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistory Part 2 is about the general strike itself, the repression, the aftermath, its...

First in a double podcast episode about the Trinidad general strike of 1937, in conversation with Ryan Cecil Jobson. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistory Part 1 is about the background of British colonialism on the island, the conditions of...

Concluding part of a double podcast episode about Ben Fletcher, a very important but little-known dock worker and labour organiser in the US with the Industrial Workers of the World union. In these episodes, we speak with historian Peter Cole, author and editor of Ben Fletcher: The Life And Times Of A Black Wobbly. We also hear words written by Fletcher, voiced by fellow Wobbly, Alki. In part 2 we learn about Fletcher’s imprisonment, later life, and the demise of Local 8. Our podcast is...

First in a double podcast episode about Ben Fletcher, a very important but little-known dock worker and labour organiser in the US with the Industrial Workers of the World union. In these episodes, we speak with historian Peter Cole, author and editor of Ben Fletcher: The Life And Times Of A Black Wobbly. We also hear words written by Fletcher, voiced by fellow Wobbly, Alki. In part 1 we learn about his early life, as well as his union branch, Local 8, which in the early 20th-century...

Podcast episode about anti-fascist youth cultural movements in Nazi Germany before and during World War II. In particular we look at the German Edelweiss Pirates and Swing Kids, and in our patreon bonus episode we also speak about the French Zazous and the Austrian Schlurfs. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join...

We chat with Pearson from the Coffee with Comrades podcast about our new web apps: the Working Class History Map and Stories app. This episode has been timed to coincide with the public launch of our web apps on January 31. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at...

Concluding part of our double-episode in conversation with author, DD Johnston, about his new novel, Disnaeland. In this part, Darren discusses the novel’s relationship to the Scots language, the apocalyptic prophecies of radical, pre-Enlightenment Christianity, and his focus on mutual aid as a response to disaster. Darren also performs two further readings from the novel. Full information, sources, further reading, acknowledgements and eventually a transcript on the webpage for this...

The first of a two-part episode, Working Class Literature speak to DD Johnston about his new novel, Disnaeland, about a working-class Scottish community's response to societal collapse. We also discuss his previous novels and his participation in McDonald's Workers' Resistance, a radical collective of angry employees at the world's biggest fast food chain. Darren also reads passages from Disnaeland and his first novel, Peace, Love and Petrol Bombs. Full information, sources, further reading,...

Rerelease of our episode 49 about Anti-Racist Action in Minneapolis, because we are currently trying to co-publish a book, We Go Where They Go: The Story of Anti-Racist Action, which is the definitive history of the group across the US. To fund its publication, we are currently running a Kickstarter campaign so please do check it out here, and support it by pre-ordering your copy at a great discount with lots of other great rewards. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters....

Second in a double podcast episode about the life and work of Howard Zinn, historian, World War II veteran and activist, in his own words, 100 years since his birth. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistory You can listen to our podcast on the below links, or...

First in a double podcast episode about the life and work of Howard Zinn, historian, World War II veteran and activist, in his own words, 100 years since his birth. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistoryYou can listen to our podcast on the below links, or on...

Concluding part of our double podcast episode about the iconic strike of mostly East African Asian women workers at the Grunwick photo processing plant in London in 1976-8. Featuring Amrit Wilson, Jayaben Desai and Colum Maloney, who took part in the dispute, and Sujata, chair of the Grunwick 40 group. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted...

Double podcast episode about the iconic strike of mostly East African Asian women workers at the Grunwick photo processing plant in London in 1976-8. Featuring Amrit Wilson, Jayaben Desai and Colum Maloney, who took part in the dispute, and Sujata, chair of the Grunwick 40 group. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content....

Part 2 of our double-podcast episode to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1972 building workers' strike. In this episode, we speak to two participants in the strike - Tony O'Brien and the actor, Ricky Tomlinson - about how the strike ended, the framing of the Shrewsbury 24, Ricky’s experiences in prison, blacklisting, and the legacies of the 1972 strike. Full acknowledgements, photos, sources, more information and eventually a transcript on the homepage for this double episode:...

Part 1 of our double-podcast episode to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1972 building workers' strike. In this episode, we speak to two participants in the strike - Tony O'Brien and the actor, Ricky Tomlinson - who talk about conditions in the building industry, how the strike started, and the flying pickets organised by the rank and file that spread it across the country. Full acknowledgements, photos, sources, more information and eventually a transcript on the homepage for this...