For Jobs and Freedom

Race and Labor in America Since 1865

By: Robert H. Zieger

Narrated by: Wayne M. Lane

For Jobs and Freedom: Race and Labor in America since 1865 describes the African American struggle to obtain equal rights in the workplace and organized labor's response to their demands. Award-winning historian Robert H. Zieger asserts that the promise of jobs was similar to the 40-acres-and-a-mule restitution pledged to African Americans during the Reconstruction era. The inconsistencies between rhetoric and action encouraged workers, both men and women, to organize themselves into unions to fight against unfair hiring practices and workplace discrimination.

Though the path proved difficult, unions gradually obtained rights for African American workers with prominent leaders at their fore. In 1925, A. Philip Randolph formed the first Black union, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, to fight against injustices committed by the Pullman Company, an employer of significant numbers of African Americans. The Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) emerged in 1935, and its population quickly swelled to include over 500,000 African American workers.

Though racism and unfair hiring practices still exist today, motivated individuals and leaders of the labor movement in the 19th and 20th centuries laid the groundwork for better conditions and greater opportunities. Zieger's comprehensive and authoritative book will be standard reading on the subject for years to come.

The book is published by The University Press of Kentucky. The audiobook is published by University Press Audiobooks.

"Named a Choice Outstanding Academic Title." (Choice)

"An invaluable resource for the history of race and labor relations in the United States." (Tennessee Historical Commission)

"Essential reading not just for historians but also for all scholars, their students, and social activists interested in the intersection of race, class, and politics." (Journal of Economic History)

©2007 The University Press of Kentucky (P)2022 Redwood Audiobooks

A Sobering Account of Labor and Race in American

This is book is a great read. It is a sobering reality of the bigotry that attempted to exploit and disenfranchise African Americans. As an historical account of race and labor in America since 1865, it is a bitter sweet account of the subversiveness of bigotry and the resilience of the African American leaders. The resilience demonstrated then is much needed now as new generation emerges to take advantage of gains made on their behalf.

Narrator Wayne M. Lane does an exceptional job of keeping the listener’s attention as he captures the passion of the author’s intent for writing this work. As such it is a must read by all Americans today. It provides a look at where we have been and the direction we must take as a nation. For those who don’t study history are prone to repeat it.