10 July 1949: Ben Fletcher dies
On this day, 10 July 1949, Black Industrial Workers of the World dockworker activist Ben Fletcher died at his home in Brooklyn, aged 59.
Fletcher was the leading organiser in Local 8 of the union, which organised the multiracial workforce on the Philadelphia docks in the early part of the 20th-century, and he was one of dozens of IWW members imprisoned during World War I.
His funeral was attended by old comrades who praised his lifetime of activism, his sense of humour, his effectiveness as a speaker and more. Sam Weiner said:
“Ben, we won’t forget the great part you played in the struggle to emancipate the workers, and we will carry on inspired by your example.”
Learn more about his life and activism in our podcast episodes 73-74: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e73-ben-fletcher/
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Speaker 1: On this day in working class History, the tenth of July.
On the tenth of July nineteen forty nine, Black Industrial
Workers of the World dock worker activist Ben Fletcher died
at his home in Brooklyn, aged fifty nine. Fletcher was
the leading organizer in Local eight of the Union, which
organized the multiracial workforce on the Philadelphia Docks in the
early part of the twentieth century, and he was one
of dozens of IWW members imprisoned during World War One.
His funeral was attended by old comrades who praised his
lifetime of activism, his sense of humor, his effectiveness as
a speaker, and more. Sam Wiener said, quote, Ben, we
won't forget the great part you played in the struggle
to emancipate the workers, and we will carry on inspired
by your example.
Speaker 2: End quote.
Speaker 1: Learn more about Fletcher's life and activism in episodes seventy
three to seventy four of the Work Class History podcast
Listen wherever you're listening to this podcast and.
Speaker 3: The sources maps and all of our anniversaries each day.
Check out the on this Day section of our stories
at at stories stopworkingclasshistory.
Speaker 1: Dot com and if you value our work.
Speaker 2: Support us at Patreon dot com slash working class history
links in the show
Speaker 1: Notes, the music by See You Tomorrow,