#OTD in 1891, Antonio Gramsci was born – one of the most original political thinkers of the twentieth century and a founder of the Italian Communist Party. Gramsci became a Marxist and a leading figure in the working-class movement in Turin, a rapidly industrialising city after World War 1.

#OTD in 1893, the Independent Labour Party (ILP) was founded at a conference in Bradford. Most of the 120 delegates were young, working-class males from the industrial north of England and Scotland, but it represented all working people.

100 Days to Go until Salford turns 100! 🎉 On 21 April 2026, Salford will mark 100 years since being granted city status by a Royal Charter by King George V - and the countdown starts now! Let’s make it a year to remember! #Salford100 #SalfordCentenary @SalfordCouncil

#OTD in 1901, CLR James was born, a Trinidadian historian and Trotskyist activist whose writings shaped the fundamentals of Pan-Africanism, and bridged a new connection between Marxism and Black politics, inspired by his time spent in the Lancashire town of Nelson.

#OTD The Moss Side People’s Centre was the centre of community operations for the Abasindi Black Women’s Co-operative that was established by Kath Locke, Elouise Edwards and other Moss Side activists on 1st January 1980.

Merry Christmas to all our users and supporters! We have had a fantastic year here at the Working Class Movement Library, celebrating working class history and inspiring the next generation of class activists. None of this would be possible without our amazing volunteers and supporters. Thank you!

The library will be closed to the public, staff, and volunteers from Wednesday 24th December to Tuesday 6th January. From everyone at the library, we hope you all enjoy a wonderful end to the year and a joyful festive season.

Join us tomorrow from 11am for the Engels Memorial Lecture, which is this year being delivered by Dr. Manfred Sohn. The event is online, follow the link to book your spot. wcml.org.uk/event/engels...

📺Catch up and share our third session of the #tradeunion and working-class #history series 2025-2026, featuring @louiseraw.bsky.social and Bob Kelly. This series is delivered in partnership with Marx Memorial Library & @wcmlibrary.bsky.social. youtu.be/5pBcng9BTjM?... #TUed #TradeUnionEducation

just over a week away until our annual fundraiser, Radical Readings. Follow the link to book your ticket and help us put class back on the agenda! wcml.org.uk/event/radica...

thank you so much for joining us!

📺Catch up and share our second session of the #tradeunion and working-class #history series 2025-2026, featuring Dana Mills. This series is delivered in partnership with Marx Memorial Library and @wcmlibrary.bsky.social. www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dOG... #WorkersHistory #EleanorMarx #NewUnionism

Save the date! We'll have materials to share from @wcmlibrary.bsky.social and @aiucentre.bsky.social and a roundtable discussion with folks sharing their reflections and experiences from the time. Should be a lively and participatory discussion! @cperguom.bsky.social @thejohnrylands.bsky.social

Two of our Little Flames spoke to Yeliz Zaifoglu, archivist at the Museum Of Youth Culture, about their experiences working with the Big Flame archive and the importance of this work for future working class activists! 🔥 Read here: www.museumofyouthculture.com/working-clas...

👀 What can we do about the far right? Join our Virtual Town Hall for updates on new courses + a live space to ask questions. @gawainlittle.bsky.social & @sarahwoolley1.bsky.social ✊ Become a #Friend: gftuet.org.uk/friends 📌 Register: actionnetwork.org/events/frien... #GFTUET #FriendsofET

📺Catch up and share our first session of the #tradeunion and working-class #history series 2025-2026, featuring @katrinanavickas.bsky.social. This series is delivered in partnership with Marx Memorial Library and @wcmlibrary.bsky.social. youtu.be/BqKIXJS2u-E?... #TUed #Education #GFTUET

Today's the day! Join us on Zoom at 3pm: peoplespapers.eventbrite.co.uk @cperguom.bsky.social @wcmlibrary.bsky.social @rememberlop.bsky.social @writerlytone.bsky.social

Please note that the library will be closed to the public tomorrow due to staff leave and illness. We will reopen next week with our normal opening hours. wcml.org.uk/visit/openin...

Join us for an online People's Papers research project workshop to learn about the history of 1970s alternative newspapers, their archival preservation & their continued relevance for today. All welcome! Tickets: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/archiving-...

Radical Readings 2025: An Afternoon of Inspiration & Resistance Join us for an afternoon of powerful performances, traditional folk music, and bold storytelling that celebrate working class voices. 🗓️ Sunday 16th November, 2PM 📍 Maxwell Hall 🎟️ Follow the link wcml.org.uk/event/radica... to book

Are you a young person aged 16-24 interested in working with archival material and co-curation? To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Grunwick Strike, we are collaborating with the University of Manchester on an exciting new project For more info, visit the link wcml.org.uk/news/we-are-...

Thank you to everyone who joined us last Thursday for Inksurgency: Radical Leftist Publishing, Then & Now. It was fantastic to see so many of you there, and a real pleasure to hear from our brilliant panel - Nick, Paula, Amy, and Chris. Thank you all for making the journey to Salford!

Save the date! Organizing an online “People’s Papers” workshop on Sept 30th to hear from projects in Leeds (@rememberlop.bsky.social), Liverpool and Birmingham: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/archiving-... @wcmlibrary.bsky.social

This just in: our Inksurgency panel is under a week away! Join us NEXT THURSDAY at 7pm for a lively discussion about the power of print in our movements, and how this has changed from Big Flame's backdrop to now.

#OtD 21 Aug 1791 the Haitian revolution began as 100,000 enslaved people rose up and eventually overthrew both slavery and French rule, creating the world's first Black republic shop.workingclasshistory.com/products/a-h...

New blog post with an update on the "People's Papers" archival research project up now on the @wcmlibrary.bsky.social website! wcml.org.uk/blog/a-peek-...

As part of our Big Flame event series, join us for a panel discussion featuring activists past and present, who work across independent leftist publishing to hear insights about the power of print in our movements. wcml.org.uk/event/inksur...

The Working Class Movement Library’s exhibit on The Big Flame was so moving. Produced by 18-25 year olds who have managed to continue the spirit of the group, interviewing past members and creating their own banners. It is a youth led masterpiece! If you’re based in Manchester it’s a must see.

❤️‍🔥 KEEP THE FLAME BURNING ❤️‍🔥

A Blast from the Stacks! Read the latest update from The People's Papers as Arielle Lawson, a PhD student participating in the University of Manchester's Humanities PGR Placement Scheme at the library, interviews Bob Dickinson, author of Imprinting the Sticks. wcml.org.uk/blog/a-blast...

Excited for our Big Flame exhibition? Here's a post written by volunteers Ally, Lucy, and Jack to get you hyped! Just in time for Wimbledon…🎾 This 1980 Brother Goose comic was part of a series that featured in the Big Flame newspapers.

🔥 Join us for the Keep the Flame Burning Scanathon! 🔥 Get your hands on our Big Flame archive and help preserve radical history for future generations! Follow the link for more info. wcml.org.uk/whats-on/

‘KEEP THE FLAME BURNING’ OPENS AT THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY The exhibition, that has been co-produced by a group of volunteers, all aged 16 - 25 and working class, opens on Friday 18th July! Follow the link for more info wcml.org.uk/event/keep-t...

#OTD in 1905, the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) was founded in Chicago, USA. Known as the “One Big Union,” it was formed out of several smaller unions and would go on to become one of the most radical organisations within the labour movement.

Announcing a new research project! In partnership with the University of Manchester’s ‬ new PGR Placement scheme, we’ll be welcoming a PhD researcher, Arielle Lawson, to the Working Class Movement Library archives this summer. bsky.app/profile/manc... bsky.app/profile/uom-...

📺Watch and share last night's Trade Union and Working Class History series session with Wilf Sullivan and Nathan Godfrey at @wcmlibrary.bsky.social: youtu.be/fr-vOcsEMIQ?... #History #ImperialTypewriters #GFTUET #GFTU #TradeUnions #Workers #Organising #TUed

In the final of our blog posts to mark Refugee Week, library volunteer Steph explores how Britain’s Post-War immigration laws failed refugees of the Commonwealth. Follow the link to read the blog post. wcml.org.uk/news/how-bri...

In our next blog post for Refugee Week, library volunteer Peter shares the story of the Basque children who fled the horrors of Franco’s regime during the Spanish Civil War and found refuge in Britain. Follow the link to read the post. wcml.org.uk/blog/basque-...

join us for a six-part course on trade union history, which covers the start of the Industrial Revolution to the industrial militancy of the 1970s.

We're really excited to be teaming up with the AIU Race Centre, North West Film Archive and People's History Museum to bring Legacy of Unity: Archival Insights from the Pan African Congress 1945. Thursday 12th June from 4:30pm at Manchester Central Library www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/legacy-of-...

❤️‍🔥 BIG FLAME UPDATES ❤️‍🔥 We've been a little quiet over the past couple of weeks as we've been ticking away at exhibition prep - which is coming along brilliantly! Here are some snapshots from the past few weeks.

Today is International Workers' Memorial Day, a time when trade unionists around the world come together to remember those who have lost their lives due to work, and to renew our commitment to fight for the living and ensure workplaces are safe for all.

‘Not Charity, but Justice for the Blind’ On this day in 1920, a group, led by the National League of the Blind, arrived in Trafalgar Square after having marched from the cities of Manchester, Leeds, and Newport. They were met with a crowd of around 10,000 people.

#OTD in 1916, the Easter Rising began as Irish republicans seized key sites in Dublin. Though short-lived, it marked the start of Ireland’s path to freedom, won in 1922.

We're aware that our online catalogue is currently unavailable, and we've notified our software provider to resolve the issue. We hope to have everything back up and running soon. Sorry for the inconvenience.

we're excited to have partnered up with Greater Manchester Hazards Centre for an event to mark International Workers' Memorial Day. Do Workers Need Protecting from AI? takes place on Wednesday 30th April from 7pm, follow the link to book your ticket! www.eventbrite.com/e/1292964474...

great idea this!

Happy birthday to the legendary labour agitator and organiser Tom Mann - 1856-1941 @sslh.bsky.social @buiraonline.bsky.social @strikemap.bsky.social @mrcwarwick.bsky.social @keithbeard.bsky.social @jirjournal.bsky.social @iassc.bsky.social @redhen90.bsky.social

🌷 "I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept." - Angela Davis 🌷 The above quote was referenced powerfully in Saturday's Big Flame session! This one was a two-parter! #BigFlame #YouthActivism #YouthEmpowerment

This Thursday evening at the Working Class Movement Library we are hosting an event with the North West Labour History Society, The Shrewsbury 24 and the Campaign for Justice, a talk by Eileen Turnbull. The event is free and open to all from 6.30pm.