{
"type": "rich",
"version": "1.0",
"provider_name": "Action Network",
"provider_url": "https://actionnetwork.org",
"html": "",
"author_name": "Scontras Center",
"author_url": "https://actionnetwork.org/groups/scontras-center",
"title": "Celebrate People’s History Exhibit and Events Series",
"thumbnail_url": "https://can2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/events/photos/001/491/927/normal/MacPhee_NewCPH_cover1500.jpg",
"description": "Join the Scontras Center for Labor and Community Education as we Celebrate People's History for an exhibit and events series during January and February of 2024 to be held at the Lewiston-Auburn Campus of the University of Southern Maine. Visit our exhibit in the Atrium Gallery at Lewiston-Auburn Campus to view 180 posters from the Celebrate People's History Series as well as a new poster celebrating the Paperworkers' strike that took place in Jay, Maine in 1987-1988. Artifacts from the strike—including buttons, t-shirts, posters, books, and ephemera—will be displayed as well. Exhibit runs from January 11th to February 20th 2024, weekdays from 8:00AM to 4:30PM. All events are free and open to the public. Special events and more information on the exhibit below. Sneak Peek for the Maine AFL-CIO Convention Wednesday, January 10th, 5:00-7:00PM Union members, leaders, and delegates to the Maine AFL-CIO Convention in Lewiston are invited to join us for a "sneak peek" of the exhibit and tour by the organizers. Opening Reception Friday, January 19th, 6:00-8:00PM Join us for an opening reception on Friday, January 19th with Elizabeth Jabar, printmaker and artist who created a new poster specifically for the exhibit, Michael Hillard, USM labor historian and author of Shredding Paper: The Rise and Fall of Maine's Mighty Paper Industry, union leaders from the United Paperworkers' International Union strike, and other special guests. Snacks and wine served. For more information and to register here. of pirates, witches, and workers: 500-years of labor history Thursday, february 15th, 12:00-1:00PM For 500-years, “the cause of labor is the hope of the world.” Our stories reverberate throughout labor history, across the planet, and in our working lives. Join Scontras Center teaching fellow Kevin Van Meter for a lively labor history talk. For more information and to register here. "create your own poster" event date/time to be announced shortly Join Celebrate People's History curator and world-renowned designer, artist, and archivist Josh MacPhee for a participatory event where you get to "create your own poster." To be held at USM-Lewiston and USM-Gorham. For more information and to register here. exhibit tours Tours will be offered weekdays between 8:00AM and 4:30PM between January 11th and February 20th 2024. If you would like to organize a tour for your community group, union, or class email scontrascenter@maine.edu. About the Exhibit About the Celebrate People's History Poster Series The Celebrate People’s History posters are rooted in the do-it-yourself tradition of mass-produced and distributed political propaganda, but detourned to embody principles of democracy, inclusion, and group participation in the writing and interpretation of history. Since 1998 over 165 posters by 150 artists, with nearly half a million in print, have hung in class rooms, dorm rooms, union halls, community centers, and city streets. And now the halls of USM! About the Artist Elizabeth Jabar Elizabeth A. Jabar is a feminist printmaker who explores a range of personal-political issues in her work including cultural identity, representation, equity and maternal ethics. Her practice is located in the studio, the classroom and the community where she co-creates collaborative and participatory projects with students, colleagues and community members. Elizabeth has generously worked with the exhibit organizers, union members, and paperworkers' to create a new Celebrate People's History poster. About the Jay, Maine Paperworkers' Strike After the final shift on Monday June 15th, 1987, twelve hundred members of the United Paperworkers International Union Local 14 at the Androscoggin Mill in Jay, Maine went out on strike against the largest private landowner in the US and richest paper company in the world. After decades of forcing workers to work 60-hour weeks and most Sundays, International Paper Company tried to eliminate Sunday premium pay, take away Christmas as a holiday, subcontract out maintenance work at the mills, and launched “Project: Productivity” to restructure the workplace entirely in management’s favor. The union workers said this far and no further. The community supported them as they fought for their livelihoods, for environmental protections, and for their dignity. The overwhelming majority of workers held the line. The strike continued, militantly, for seventeen months, during which time the company replaced nearly the entire workforce. Then the International Union “betrayed” the Local 14. On the strike line, at mass meetings, in Jay and across the planet they chanted: “Scabs Out, Union In!” Scabs are ostracized in Jay to this very day. For more about the strike, books on the subject have been placed on reserve at the USM-Lewiston campus library for students and the public.",
"url": "https://actionnetwork.org/events/celebrate-peoples-history-exhibit-and-events-series"
}