On This Day in Working Class History

On this day, 25 April 1945, some major cities in Italy were liberated from fascism following a working class uprising and general strike in what has since been immortalised as the country's annual Liberation Day. 
Other towns and cities were liberated before and afterwards. But on April 25, the cities of Milan and Genoa were liberated. Genoa was the only European city where Nazi forces surrendered to resistance partisans. At 7:30 PM, German general Günther Meinhold and communist factory worker Remo Scappini signed the Nazi surrender agreement.
The partisan resistance force in Genoa only consisted of around 5000 fighters, compared with over 10,000 Germans, with thousands more outside the city. The partisans controlled all the major roads going in and out of the city, and they were supported by an insurrection in the city. Some German officers resisted the order to surrender, but by 9 AM on April 26, the resistance announced that the insurrection had succeeded and Genoa had been liberated.
Learn more about the Italian resistance in our podcast episodes 77-80: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e77-80-italian-resistance/

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On this day, 24 April 1980, coalminers in Sabuk, South Korea, won all 11 of their demands from employers and authorities after a four-day insurrection. They had been demanding a 40% pay increase, and an amnesty for all protesters after miners, housewives and other local workers had risen up and expelled a column of armed police from the city. However the following month they were betrayed as the US-backed dictatorship tore up the amnesty and arrested and tortured 70 people, later jailing 30.
More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/9623/sabuk-coal-strike-wins

Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.
See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/today
Browse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/date
Check out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.com
Check out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com
If you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 23 April 1938, Robert Rumble's Poor Man's Improvement and Land Settlement Association sent a petition to the governor in Jamaica demanding a minimum wage for agricultural workers and peasants, and an end to exploitation by landlords: "We are the Sons of Slaves," they wrote, "who have been paying rent to the Landlords for fully many decades. [...] We want a Minimum Wage Law. We want freedom in this the hundredth year of our Emancipation. We are still economic slaves, burdened in paying rent to Landlords who are sucking out our vitalities." Rent strikes and land occupations began, and tenants seized lands and erected fences around them. Unrest on the island escalated until it was suppressed by British troops in June. 
More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/9533/rural-jamaicans-demand-minimum-wage

Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.
See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/today
Browse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/date
Check out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.com
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If you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 22 April 1944, 200 young Black people, mostly students at Howard University, held a sit-in demonstration at Thompson's, a segregated restaurant in Washington DC – where Jim Crow laws were not in effect but segregation by custom existed. After effectively slashing the number of paying customers, the restaurant was ordered by its headquarters to begin serving Black customers. 
The University, in fear of losing federal grants, subsequently directed its students to cease direct action and Thompson's promptly restored segregation. 
One of the key organisers of the action was Pauli Murray, pictured, a young student and activist, who identified as part male and part female, and whose romantic relationships were with women.
More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/9444/thompson's-cafeteria-sit-in

Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.
See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/today
Browse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/date
Check out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.com
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If you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History

On this day, 21 April 1894, a nationwide strike of coal miners in the US against pay cuts began. Despite the United Mine Workers union having only 20,000 members, 145,000 miners walked out, and despite violent repression and facing starvation they held out for weeks and won some concessions. Many miners even rejected the union’s settlement and held out for more but were eventually starved back to work. This is a history of the coal miners’ struggles that year: https://libcom.org/history/us-coal-miners-strikes-1894-jeremy-brecher

Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.
See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/today
Browse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/date
Check out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.com
Check out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com
If you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History