“This book is destined to be a classic of labor history." —MICHAEL E. TIGAR, Washington College of Law
“A narrative of profound significance for the labor movement. " —CLAYOLA BROWN, President, A. Philip Randolph Institute
“It's a story that demonstrates how race still matters in parts of our country and how circumstances propel ordinary people to do extraordinary things.” —U.S. Rep. JAMES E. CLYBURN, (D-South Carolina)
On the Global Waterfront: The Struggle to Free the Charleston 5 tells the story of how longshoremen in Charleston, South Carolina confronted efforts to wipe out their union, the state’s most powerful black organization, ILA Local 1422. This compelling narrative of a local struggle, a transformed union leader, and a newly energized workers’ movement highlights the resounding importance of an international labor movement that is not only still vital, but still capable of stopping global commerce on a dime.
Suzan Erem is a freelance writer and a former union organizer. E. Paul Durrenberger is a professor of anthropology at Pennsylvania State University. Together they recently wrote Class Acts: An Anthropology of Service Workers.