Join
us on the first floor at Central Library from April 29 to July 22 for the
Smithsonian Traveling exhibition, The Way We Worked.
Workers
are the backbone of American society. Known for their strong work ethic,
Americans invest themselves physically, emotionally, and intellectually in
their work.
American
jobs are as diverse as the American workforce. The opportunity provided by work
is central to the American dream and has attracted people to better lives in
America. With strength, ingenuity, creativity, thoughtfulness, and heroics,
American workers keep our economy and our society up and running.
The
Way We Worked, adapted from an original exhibition developed by
the National Archives, explores how work became such a central
element in American culture by tracing the many changes that affected the
workforce and work environments over the past 150 years. The exhibition
draws from the Archives’ rich collections to tell this compelling story.
Accompanying
the exhibit will be presentations by five local scholars, each addressing an
aspect of the panorama of American work. They are:
April 29 at 1:00 pm: Dr. Eric Rauchway, Distinguished Professor
of History at UC Davis presents “Why the New Deal Matters,” a
look at the legendary labor and public works projects that put New Deal
legislation into action.
May 6 at 1:00 pm: William Burg, historian and President
of Preservation Sacramento, presents a deep-dive into the Industrial
Workers of the World in Sacramento. Burg will also explore the 1894 Pullman
strike, Kelley's Army in 1913, the bombing of the Governor's Mansion and the
"Silent Defenders" in 1918-1919, and how official reaction to those
events led to the "Criminal Syndicalism" laws that ended up with
prosecution of Cannery and Agricultural Workers Industrial Union cannery
workers in the 1930s.
May 27 at 1:00 pm: Dr. Damany Fisher, principal historian
for the Sacramento African American Experience Project’s context statement,
presents the impacts of the Second Great Migration on Sacramento labor,
housing, and culture.
June 10 at 1:00 pm in the Sacramento Room: Phil Sexton,
natural and cultural history interpreter with the 1882 Foundation and Summit
Tunnel Conservation Association, presents “The Summit Tunnel: Diversity
and Pride in Building the American Nation,” a short video with an even
shorter slide presentation (45-50 min) about the history and legacy of the
thousands of unknown Chinese laborers who built the western portion of the
Pacific Railroad that continues to influence our lives today.
July 22 at 1:00 pm: Dr. Lorena Marquez, associate professor of Chicana/o studies at UC Davis presents “The Plight of the Cannery Workers Committee in Northern California,” the compelling story of how, in 1969, ethnic Mexican cannery workers at Libby, McNeil, and Libby came together to demand race and gender equality in one of the most labor exploitative industries in California by forming the CWC.