Sugar Strike/Food Riots of 1917

Sugar Strike/Food Riots of 1917

Author: Gabe Christy and Young Sam James April 23, 2025 Duration: 1:07:09
In early 1917, workers at sugar refineries in South Philly went on strike for better hours, conditions, and pay. But after weeks of stalemate, poverty, and staggering inflation, the strike turned into a violent clash between workers’ families and police. Episodes 28-29 originally aired: June 26, 2022. Support the show www.laborjawn.com

There’s a particular rhythm to a city’s past, one often drowned out by the usual stories of founders and famous figures. Labor Jawn tunes into a different frequency, following the beat of everyday life and collective struggle that truly built Philadelphia. Hosted by historian Gabe Christy and musician Young Sam James, this podcast digs into the rich, gritty, and frequently overlooked working-class history of the city and the wider world it connects to. Each episode feels like a conversation you’d overhear in a neighborhood taproom, blending rigorous historical research with the cultural echoes found in music and art. You’ll hear about the factory floors and union halls, the dockyards and domestic spaces where ordinary people organized, created, and pushed for change. The dynamic between Christy’s expertise and James’s cultural insight makes the past feel immediate and surprisingly relevant, revealing how yesterday’s fights for dignity and a fair wage still resonate today. It’s a deep, engaging listen for anyone curious about the real foundations of a city, understanding that history is never just about dates, but about the sound of countless voices rising together. Find more from Labor Jawn wherever you get your podcasts.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Labor Jawn
Podcast Episodes
1987 NFL Strike [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:45
In September 1987, the Philadelphia Eagles and the National Football League Players Association walked off the field and onto the picket line, demanding better benefits, conditions, and wages. Over the next 5 weeks, the…
1913 Longshoremen Strike [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:57
After years of race baiting, lowering wages, grueling work, and horrendous conditions, the Deep Sea Longshoremen of Philadelphia set out to build a multi-ethnic, racially integrated, radical union. Originally aired: Marc…
Green 4 Falasteen - Interview with Kayla Hoskinson and Matteo Hintz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:56
In this special interview episode, Sam and Gabe sit down to talk with two of the organizers behind Green 4 Falasteen, a coalition of AFSCME members and staffers organizing for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and in solid…
1934 Campbell's Soup Strike [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:21
While Campbell's Soup profits were soaring, their workers wages had shrunk during the great depression. With help from local Socialist organizations, they fought back in 1934. Support the show www.laborjawn.com
Bootleg Coal Rebellion - Interview with Mitch Troutman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:20
Sam and Gabe sit down with Mitch Troutman, organizer and author of The Bootleg Coal Rebellion: The Pennsylvania Miners Who Seized an Industry, 1925–1942. Originally aired: December 12, 2022. Support the show www.laborjaw…
1912 Baseball Strike [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:58
In this special Sam-researched episode, we travel back to May 18, 1912 when the Detroit Tigers walked off the field in Philadelphia to protest teammate Ty Cobb's suspension and were replaced by the most unlikely group of…
Freeman's Challenge - Interview with Dr. Robin Bernstein [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:45
Sam and Gabe sit down with Dr. Robin Bernstein, Dillon Professor of American History at Harvard University, to discuss her new book 'Freeman's Challenge: The Murder that Shook America's Original Prison for Profit.' Suppo…
1877 Railroad Strike in Philadelphia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:51
While news of the violence in other cities poured in, Philadelphia sat poised for a revolution in the midst of the "Great Upheaval" of 1877. Support the show www.laborjawn.com
1935 AFL Convention [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:26
In the midst of the Depression, tensions were rising in the American Federation of Labor, and a new wave of industrial organizing was about to sweep the nation. Support the show www.laborjawn.com

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