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Finding Labor in the Archives

The History of Champaign County's Labor Movements

Join Dr. Stephanie Fortado as she explores the history of local labor movements through materials collected by the Champaign County Historical Archives

Did you know that nearly a hundred years ago there were many more local unions than there are today, including meat cutters, bakers, and phone operators, and they all marched in the Labor Day parade? The Champaign County Historical Archives has materials that tell these stories and many more. This informative session will feature archival material from more than a century of our county's labor movements. Join Dr. Stephanie Fortado in an exploration of the history of the working people who helped build our community, from laundry workers who were tear gassed in the 1930s, to striking nurses in 1970.

Dr. Stephanie Fortado is a Lecturer at the University of Illinois Labor Education Program, providing workshops and extension programming for unions and the general public on the Champaign-Urbana campus and throughout Illinois. As part of her job, Stephanie is the Co-Director of the annual Regina V. Polk Women's Labor Leadership Conference.  Before joining the University, Stephanie served as the Executive Director of the Illinois Labor History Society (ILHS), the oldest state-wide labor history organization in the United States. She is currently a board member for ILHS, as well as for the Mother Jones Heritage Project.  

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