193. Radical Connecticut: Labor Strikes!

Grating the Nutmeg

Author Steve Thornton asks “Who really makes history”?

In his new book, Radical Connecticut: People’s History in the Constitution State, co-authored by Andy Piascik, guest Steve Thornton tells the stories of everyday people and well-known figures whose work has often been obscured, denigrated, or dismissed. There are narratives of movements, strikes, popular organizations and people in Connecticut who changed the state and the country for the better.

Unlike a traditional history that focuses on the actions of politicians, generals, business moguls and other elites, Radical Connecticut is about workers, the poor, people of color, women, artists and others who engaged in the never-ending struggle for justice and freedom. In this episode, we’ll hear more about unions and labor strikes in Connecticut history including Thornton’s participation in the Colt Firearms strike of the 1980’s.

Historian, activist, and union organizer, Thornton was designated a Connecticut History Gamechanger by Connecticut Explored magazine in 2022 for his bottom-up approach to Connecticut history. He authors the website The Shoeleather History Project which documents and explores progressive organizing from Hartford’s grassroots. You can also hear more from Steve in our Grating the Nutmeg episode # 145. Activists Paul and Eslanda Robeson in Connecticut

The link to Steve’s Shoeleather History Project website and to purchase his new book is here: https://shoeleatherhistoryproject.com/

Read Dr. Cecelia Bucki’s feature article on labor history here: https://www.ctexplored.org/the-labor-movement-in-connecticut/

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This episode of Grating the Nutmeg was produced by Mary Donohue and engineered by Patrick O’Sullivan at www.highwattagemedia.com/ Follow GTN on our Facebook, Instagram and Threads pages.

This is Mary Donohue for Grating the Nutmeg. You can find me on Facebook and Instagram at WeHa Sidewalk Historian. Join us in two weeks for our next episode of Grating the Nutmeg, the podcast of Connecticut history.