The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Department of History will host the Southern Labor Studies Association (SLSA) conference Sept. 19-22 at various locations around campus, bringing together scholars, labor activists and community members to explore the rich history and evolving dynamics of labor in the southern United States.
The theme of this year’s bi-annual SLSA conference, “Crossroads of Resistance,” will explore the intersection of rising reactionary movements and opportunities for radical change in southern labor history. The event will include various activities such as breakout sessions, film screenings and performances, all aimed at fostering a deeper understanding of the historical and current struggles of southern working people.
“At our upcoming conference, over 100 historians, activists, journalists and scholars will gather to discuss the creative ways that working people have struggled to improve their lives and transform our society at large,” said University of New Orleans Professor of U.S. History Max Krochmal—who serves as president of the SLSA.
UC Foundation Associate Professor of American History Michael Thompson is the event’s local organizer.
“Hosting this conference at UTC provides an opportunity to showcase our beautiful campus and city while highlighting some of Chattanooga’s rich labor history,” Thompson said. “Chattanooga historically has been described as a borderland and at a crossroads of the upper and lower Souths—where ‘corn met cotton’ and enslavement gave way to freedom. It also was a great transportation hub where rail, river and road passengers crisscrossed the landscape.
“Working people in Chattanooga and throughout the South today remain at a crossroads as efforts to organize southern workspaces and improve labor and living conditions intensify.”
The conference will feature a variety of events, including several that are open to the public, including the Joe Hill Road Show—a musical history of the early labor movement. Performed by Nashville-based folk artists Michael & Nell, the multimedia presentation will take place at 11:15 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21, in the Guerry Center Reading Room on the UTC campus. The Guerry Center is located near the southeast corner of Chamberlain Field, and parking in UTC lots is free.
Presented by the Tennessee Arts Commission, the Joe Hill Road Show combines live music, historical storytelling and a slide show of 70 historical images to offer an engaging and educational experience that invites participation from all attendees.
The program pays tribute to Hill, a Swedish immigrant, activist, songwriter and member of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), also known as the Wobblies. Hill became a global labor icon after being falsely tried, convicted and executed in 1915 amidst the intense labor struggles of the time.
Hill’s story and songs, immortalized by Joan Baez at Woodstock in 1969, continue to inspire new generations of artists and activists.
The SLSA is dedicated to promoting the study, teaching and preservation of the history of southern labor. The organization encourages dialogue on key labor issues, enhances connections between academics and activists, and organizes conferences and sessions that explore working-class history.
The association supports graduate students by connecting them with advanced scholars and promotes the preservation of historical materials related to southern labor. The SLSA also provides resources for educators to enrich their teaching.
UTC sponsors include the Department of History, the College of Arts and Sciences, Academic Affairs and the Honors College.
Other conference sponsors include the University of Georgia, the University of New Orleans, the Labor and Working-Class History Association, Texas A&M University, Texas State University, and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
For more information about the conference, including a full schedule of events, visit the SLSA website.
