Labor Day, the first Monday in September, was designated to celebrate the
achievements of organized labor unions in protecting workers' rights. Labor Day is about more than just
BBQs and the last summer holiday. Here are educational movies on labor unions
to watch for Labor Day or May Day on May 1.
May Day is the actual Labor Day that unions recognize.
May Day commemorates the May 4, 1886 Haymarket Riot (also called Haymarket
affair) in Haymarket Square in Chicago. Use the educational movies for May
Day American
history lessons and to celebrate Worker
Memorial Day on April 28.
When
organized labor unions win a victory it helps everyone. You can thank organized
labor unions and collective bargaining for better healthcare benefits,
unemployment benefits, safer working conditions, women's rights, racial
equality in the workplace, overtime pay, paid holidays and sick days, child
labor laws and many other benefits that workers now take for granted. Watch
these educational movies for more balanced American history lessons and to help
students understand how organized labor unions have impacted our lives.
"Matewan"
(1987-James Earl Jones, Chris Cooper, Mary McDonnell, Kevin Tighe) This is one
of the most beautifully portrayed educational movies about coal miners in rural
1930s Matewan, in Mingo County, West Virginia. It shows a how different races,
genders and ethnic backgrounds came together to strike against the coal
company's unfair, unsafe, unhealthy and discriminatory labor practices. The
music is haunting and lovely. Chris Cooper's character of Joe Kenehan is loosed
based on Joe Hill.
"Reds"
(1981-Warren Beatty, Diane Keaton, Jack Nicholson) Reds chronicles an American
journalist's involvement in the Communist Revolution in Russia. Explores the
progressive movement in literature, politics, art and education. Nice expose on
the fight for equal rights for women.
"F.I.S.T"
(1978-Sylvester Stallone, Kevin Conway, Rod Steiger, Peter Boyle) This is one
of the educational movies loosely based on the Teamster Union and Jimmy Hoffa.
"Norma
Rae" (1979, Sally Field, Beau Bridges) Norma Rae is the story of one
woman's fight to bring better working conditions to the factory where she is
employed. Like many educational movies about organized labor unions, it takes a
critical look at women's rights, also.
"North
Country" (2005-Charlize Theron, Frances McDormand, Sissy Spacek) North
Country retells the story of the first successful court case on sexual
harassment against women miners.
"Newsies"
(1992-Christian Bale, Bill Pullman, Robert Duvall) While Newsies is a musical
for kids, it's also interesting look at the newsboys' strike against media
barons Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst. It's one of the few
educational movies about children's strikes, although child labor drove big
cities in the 1800s and early 1900s. Newsies explores dangers of child labor
and should be included in American history lessons.
"Hoffa"
(1992-Jack Nicholson, Danny Devito) is the story of James R. 'Jimmy' Hoffa,
legendary founder and leader of the Teamsters labor union. The films covers the
radical leader's rise to power and his mysterious disappearance in Detroit in
1975.
"The
Molly Maguires" (1970-Sean Connery, Richard Harris) The 'Molly Maguires'
were a group of Irish miners who rebelled against injustices in the mines of
Pennsylvania in 1876.
"The
Grapes of Wrath" (1940-Henry Fonda, John Carradine) An ex-convict returns
to find his family turned out the home in the depression era dust bowl
Oklahoma. He befriends a former preacher turned communist and heads the family
to California, following crop pickers. Based on progressive author John
Steinbeck's epic novel, this film is perfect for American history lessons.
For
more educational movies for Labor Day or May Day American history lessons,
visit Free Lesson Plans 4u. Many of these are literature based movies
too.
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