“Politics of the Pantry”; “We Just Come to Work Here”

<p>"This period of time in the Thirties struck me as a period of great innovation and resilience that women organized around the need to provide certain services. And I see that happening in my community today around the pandemic."  Emily Twarog, author of “Politics of the Pantry: Housewives, Food, and Consumer Protest in Twentieth Century America.” Her study of how women used institutions built on patriarchy and consumer capitalism to cultivate a political voice resonates strongly today in the midst of both the COVID-19 pandemic and an election year. Joyce McCawley talked with Twarog on the Heartland Labor Forum, the labor radio show airing weekly in Kansas City on KKFI. Plus: Ben Grosscup with a new version of “We Just Come to Work Here” and Joe Glazer on the Memorial Day Massacre. Produced by Chris Garlock with editing by Patrick Dixon; to contribute a labor history item, email <a href='mailto:laborhistorytoday@gmail.com'>laborhistorytoday@gmail.com</a></p> <p>Labor History Today is produced by the Metro Washington Council’s Union City Radio and the Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor at Georgetown University. Links: <a href='https://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/oso/9780190685591.001.0001/oso-9780190685591'>“Politics of the Pantry: Housewives, Food, and Consumer Protest in Twentieth Century America.”</a> <a href='https://kkfi.org/program/heartland-labor-forum/'>Heartland Labor Forum</a><a href='https://kkfi.org/program/heartland-labor-forum/'> </a><a href='https://youtu.be/6m-vqnyzRfE'>"We Just Come to Work Here,"</a> by Harry Stamper; new lyrics by <a href='http://paulmckennamusic.com/'>Paul McKenna</a> and <a href='https://www.youtube.com/c/BenGrosscup'>Ben Grosscup</a> May 2020; performed by Ben Grosscup.</p>