The Voice of Southern Labor

The Voice of Southern Labor

Radio, Music, and Textile Strikes, 1929–1934

Vincent J. Roscigno and William F. Danaher

Table of Contents
National Public Radio interview with an author and photos
North Caroline Public Radio interview with an author

$20.00 paper
ISBN: 0-8166-4016-5
ISBN-13: 978-0-8166-4016-4

$60.00 cloth
ISBN: 0-8166-4015-7
ISBN-13: 978-0-8166-4015-7

Vividly shows how music united striking workers.

The 1934 strike of southern textile workers, involving nearly 400,000 mill hands, remains perhaps the largest collective mobilization of workers in U.S. history. How these workers came together in the face of the powerful and coercive opposition of management and the state is the remarkable story at the center of this book.

The Voice of Southern Labor chronicles the lives and experiences of southern textile workers and provides a unique perspective on the social, cultural, and historical forces that came into play when the group struck, first in 1929, and then on a massive scale in 1934. The workers’ grievances, solidarity, and native radicalism of the time were often reflected in the music they listened to and sang, and Vincent J. Roscigno and William F. Danaher offer an in-depth context for understanding this intersection of labor, politics, and culture.

The authors show how the message of the southern mill hands spread throughout the region with the advent of radio and the rise of ex–mill worker musicians, and how their sense of opportunity was further bolstered by Franklin D. Roosevelt’s radio speeches and policies.

“Music played an important role in mobilization. The authors’ account of the music and the musicians is rich in detail and provides exciting and interesting insight into the significance of music to social movements.” —Work and Occupations

“The Voice of Southern Labor is an important contribution that offers a highly engaging analysis of Depression-era mobilization in the textile mills of the southern United States. This compact and readable book connects micro-level processes of identity formation to the development of oppositional culture and collective action.” — International Review of Social History

“The 1934 strike of southern textile workers remains perhaps the largest collective mobilization of workers in U.S. history. How these workers came together in the face of the powerful and coercive opposition of management and the state is the remarkable story at the center of this book.” —The Birmingham Times

“The Voice of Southern Labor is an excellent book. Roscigno and Danaher write in clear and lively prose throughout, and their inclusion of quotations, lyrics, and pictures at various points in the book brings human faces and voices to their description and explanation.” —Mobilization

“Excellent, well-written sociological study. Highly recommended.” —Choice

“This book makes a real contribution to the fields of labor and working class studies and sociology. Understanding and organizing the South is critical for the revitalization and long term health of the labor movement.” —Labor Studies Journal

“The authors argue persuasively for the importance of cultural resources in the shaping of workers’ responses to working and living conditions.” —Labour/Le Travail

“A fascinating look at labor resistance. The Voice of Southern Labor makes a noteworthy contribution to understanding the evolution of the textile strikes of the Depression era. Specifically, it draws much needed attention to southern workers’ indigenous radicalism and class consciousness, rendering implausible analyses of low unionization in the south based on an absence of class consciousness.” —Labor History

Vincent J. Roscigno is associate professor of sociology at Ohio State University. William F. Danaher is associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the College of Charleston.

216 pages | 25 halftones, 2 line art, 1 graph, 4 tables | 5-7/8 x 9 | 2004
Social Movements, Protest, and Contention Series, volume 19

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface
Introduction

1. The World of the Southern Cotton Mill
2. Radio in the Textile South
3. The People's President
4. The Musicians
5. Music and the Mill Experience
6. Mill-Worker Consciousness, Music, and the Birth of Revolt
7. The General Textile Strike of 1934

Conclusion
Notes
Bibliography
Index



The Voice of Southern Labor *Radio, Music, and Textile Strikes, 1929–1934* Vincent J. Roscigno and William F. Danaher Table of Contents National Public Radio interview with an author and photos North Caroline Public Radio interview with an author		$20.00 paper ISBN: 0-8166-4016-5 ISBN-13: 978-0-8166-4016-4 $60.00 cloth ISBN: 0-8166-4015-7 ISBN-13: 978-0-8166-4015-7
Vividly shows how music united striking workers. The 1934 strike of southern textile workers, involving nearly 400,000 mill hands, remains perhaps the largest collective mobilization of workers in U.S. history. How these workers came together in the face of the powerful and coercive opposition of management and the state is the remarkable story at the center of this book. The Voice of Southern Labor chronicles the lives and experiences of southern textile workers and provides a unique perspective on the social, cultural, and historical forces that came into play when the group struck, first in 1929, and then on a massive scale in 1934. The workers’ grievances, solidarity, and native radicalism of the time were often reflected in the music they listened to and sang, and Vincent J. Roscigno and William F. Danaher offer an in-depth context for understanding this intersection of labor, politics, and culture. The authors show how the message of the southern mill hands spread throughout the region with the advent of radio and the rise of ex–mill worker musicians, and how their sense of opportunity was further bolstered by Franklin D. Roosevelt’s radio speeches and policies. “Music played an important role in mobilization. The authors’ account of the music and the musicians is rich in detail and provides exciting and interesting insight into the significance of music to social movements.” —Work and Occupations “The Voice of Southern Labor is an important contribution that offers a highly engaging analysis of Depression-era mobilization in the textile mills of the southern United States. This compact and readable book connects micro-level processes of identity formation to the development of oppositional culture and collective action.” — International Review of Social History “The 1934 strike of southern textile workers remains perhaps the largest collective mobilization of workers in U.S. history. How these workers came together in the face of the powerful and coercive opposition of management and the state is the remarkable story at the center of this book.” —The Birmingham Times “The Voice of Southern Labor is an excellent book. Roscigno and Danaher write in clear and lively prose throughout, and their inclusion of quotations, lyrics, and pictures at various points in the book brings human faces and voices to their description and explanation.” —Mobilization “Excellent, well-written sociological study. Highly recommended.” —Choice “This book makes a real contribution to the fields of labor and working class studies and sociology. Understanding and organizing the South is critical for the revitalization and long term health of the labor movement.” —Labor Studies Journal “The authors argue persuasively for the importance of cultural resources in the shaping of workers’ responses to working and living conditions.” —Labour/Le Travail “A fascinating look at labor resistance. The Voice of Southern Labor makes a noteworthy contribution to understanding the evolution of the textile strikes of the Depression era. Specifically, it draws much needed attention to southern workers’ indigenous radicalism and class consciousness, rendering implausible analyses of low unionization in the south based on an absence of class consciousness.” —Labor History Vincent J. Roscigno is associate professor of sociology at Ohio State University. William F. Danaher is associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the College of Charleston. 216 pages \| 25 halftones, 2 line art, 1 graph, 4 tables \| 5-7/8 x 9 \| 2004 Social Movements, Protest, and Contention Series, volume 19 TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface Introduction 1. The World of the Southern Cotton Mill 2. Radio in the Textile South 3. The People's President 4. The Musicians 5. Music and the Mill Experience 6. Mill-Worker Consciousness, Music, and the Birth of Revolt 7. The General Textile Strike of 1934 Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index