OT Ep 72: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Pt 6 (Patreon)

By the time she was in her mid thirties, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn had been on a non-stop, nationwide tour of the class struggle in the United States, joining every fight she could. That work made her one of the most beloved organizers in US history, but also took a toll on her health. Joining the Communist Party in the late 30s following years of convalescence on the West Coast, Flynn spent much of her later years in leadership and mentoring the new generation of fighters for the working class. But her experience in workers legal defense became critical, as the Party faced a massive assault following World War 2, sending Flynn to prison at age 65. Throughout her life, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn never wavered for one moment in her total devotion to the working class and the struggle against oppression. She stands as an inspiration to everyone who fights for a better world, and her life story is full of rich lessons for organizers today.

Series Sources:

The Rebel Girl by Elizabeth Gurley Flynn

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn: Modern American Revolutionary by Lara Vapnek

Women and the American Labor Movement by Philip Foner

https://www.zinnedproject.org/materials/women-in-labor-history/

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Gurley_Flynn

https://www.cpusa.org/article/cpusa-statement-on-the-removal-of-elizabeth-gurley-flynns-historical-marker-in-new-hampshire/

https://libcom.org/article/1909-missoula-free-speech-fight 

https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/industrialworker/iub/v1n39-nov-23-1907-iub.pdf

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