Arts nonprofit Bread and Roses Missouri hopes to connect with St. Louis pride through its new play, 1877, which premieres November 16 at the Missouri History Museum. It’s the highly relevant true story of the general strike of 1877, a significant event in the labor movement that took place in the city of St. Louis.
Written by longtime writer, actor and historian Colin McLaughlin, 1877 depicts the story of Jonah, a longshoreman faced with whether to join his fellow workers in a strike advocating for higher wages and better working conditions or to stay back in an effort to protect his job and his younger sister, Eleanor. Jonah’s decision comes at a time when railroad workers in St. Louis stopped all inbound and outbound freight trains passing through, ultimately taking complete control of the city.
The worker strike, which included more than 1,500 people, only lasted about a week. However, it marked the first general strike in United States history and served as a stark reminder of the importance of class politics. McLaughlin shares this story not only to inform the people of St. Louis of this history, but also to provide a relevant framework for workers to regain a sense of empowerment, camaraderie and unity in their lives.
When the general strike of 1877 occurred, the country faced a severe economic depression, and workers bore the brunt of the suffering through low wages, poor working conditions and widening income inequality. The executive director of Bread and Roses Missouri, Emily Kohring, feels as though workers face similar issues today.
“Everything comes around again. You can turn the news on, and you’ll see the top stories will be about labor,” she states. Kohring sees workers today taking a similar approach to their working conditions as those in 1877, saying, “There has been a resurgence of interest and participation in the labor movement.”
Organizations like Bread and Roses and shows like 1877 aim to connect this history with the issues working people face today.
“This play is about people power,” Kohring says, noting that a panel discussion will be held after the final performance to emphasize the community, storytelling and unification of working-class people in St. Louis.
Since 2015, Bread and Roses has brought arts and culture to communities who may not have the access and resources to participate in theater or who may not feel they are welcomed in the arts world. By lowering barriers in participation and getting more people involved in the arts, Bread and Roses hopes to tell stories that are written about, for, and to, the working-class people of St. Louis. (Even its principals have that background: Kohring herself grew up in a working-class household and was a worker herself, while McLaughlin is a working-class historian who continues to be an advocate for workers’ rights.)
They hope that through the play, just like the general strike of 1877, the people of St. Louis can unite to overcome their shared obstacles through empowering and uplifting stories. As Kohring put it, “Social justice is sometimes just bringing joy to people.”
1877 runs November 16 through 19 at the Missouri History Museum’s Lee Auditorium, Reserve your tickets here.
Subscribe to Riverfront Times newsletters.Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
