Today, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) released the first episode of I AM Story, a new podcast chronicling the history and legacy of the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers’ strike.
The comprehensive series explores the origins of the strike and events leading up to the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was assassinated on this day 55 years ago, while in Memphis supporting this cause.
“The deaths of Robert Walker and Echol Cole in the back of a garbage truck on that cold, rainy day in 1968 set off a strike in Memphis like no other,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “Black sanitation workers took a courageous stand, a stand that drew the American labor movement and the civil rights movement together to change the course of our history.”
AFSCME’s I AM Story provides a front-row seat to the events that changed the fabric of America, featuring strikers who were involved, along with several icons of the civil rights movement. This podcast will guide listeners through history while also connecting the struggles of the past to the challenges facing working people now. Almost 60 years later, the struggle continues for fair wages, safe working conditions, collective bargaining rights and more.
“In order to move forward, we cannot forget what happened in Memphis,” Saunders said. “The sanitation strikers put their lives on the line for dignity and respect on the job – not just for themselves, but for everyone being mistreated and everyone whose rights were being denied. We will continue to educate our communities and organize around the strikers’ iconic slogan, ‘I AM A MAN,’ which still holds so much power after all these years.”
Listeners can find the podcast on all major platforms, including Spotify, Pandora, Apple, Amazon and Chartable.