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.

We are delighted to be a part of the #GeneralStrike 100 anniversary national partnership with other museums, libraries, archives and groups. Find out how you can support this partnership here: bit.ly/GeneralStrike100 #GeneralStrike100

Spring is finally here! We hope you're enjoying the blue skies and sunny weather this morning 🌷 Last Saturday, our Big Flame project group headed to Liverpool for our Spring social! 🧵

In this blog post, library volunteer Steph delves into some of the archive materials related to the 1984-1985 Miners' Strike to explore how it was perceived by the children of mining communities. Follow the link to check it out. wcml.org.uk/news/kids-of...

Join poet and activist @mattabbottpoet.com for a special workshop using a selection of poems from the 1984-85 miners' strike. Thursday 15th May, from 18:30PM at the Working Class Movement Library Follow the link to book your ticket! www.eventbrite.com/e/1268442919...

great to have you back Shirin!

really excited for this!

Another Big Flame update coming at you! ❤️‍🔥 Last Saturday, we started mapping out what the group will ask ex-members of Big Flame in their oral history interviews. #OralHistories #Interviews #Heritage #CommunityArchives #Archiving #BigFlame #PoliticalArchives

✊ Develop activists of the future by joining our #EducationFund! Our combination of online and residential courses provides the much-needed development and support to help the whole generation of new trade union activists. Read our press release here: gftu.org.uk/educationfun... #GFTUET

Big shout out to everyone who joined us on Saturday as we welcomed Yvette Taylor to the library to talk about Working Class Queers: Time, Place and Politics, our LGBT+ History Month event.

thanks for making the journey down!

Thanks to @wcmlibrary.bsky.social for the LGBTQ+ History Month invite! It was great to talk about Working-Class Queers, @plutopress.bsky.social

#BigFlame Project Updates!! ⬇️ Saturday 15 February marked our ninth Big Flame session 🔥 This session was all about answering the question, “What makes a good exhibition?”

📺Catch up on last night's excellent Anti-Fascism with Steve Silver and Meirian Jump Watch and share: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcFu... #GFTUET #GFTU #History #TradeUnions #Workers #LabourHistory @wcmlibrary.bsky.social

hear what our Library Manager, Belinda Scarlett, has to say about empowerment, representation and impact here!

Have you had a chance to explore our new exhibition, The Collectors, The Cameraman, The Poets, and the Pits? Our exhibition that marks the 40th anniversary of the Miners' Strike is open until July 2025. Wednesday to Friday from 1PM-4:30PM, follow the link for more info.

February is LGBT+ History Month and this year's theme is #activism and #socialchange. To celebrate the month, we are welcoming Yvette Taylor, author of Working-Class Queers: Time, Place and Politics to explore topics of queer life and class in contemporary Britain.

We’re excited to host our very first book sale to raise funds for the library! Featuring duplicate books from our collection, a wide range of working class history and other titles as well as duplicate badges, posters, our own pamphlets and merchandise all available for purchase.