While not directly related to labor issues, I use the women’s role in the civil rights movement to discuss notions of leadership and why women continue to be absent from most histories. Fundi: the Ella Baker Story provides a vivid example of a major leader that most women are not familiar with and, like Rebel Girl, links personal decisions and consequences to larger political choices.

For their final oral presentations the students select either an individual, organization, or movement that was discussed in class; do further research; and make a presentation that they could imagine making to their union local for Women’s History Month, or select a labor history book to review for the class. In either case, the students work in small groups during the next two class sessions to help one another develop their individual presentations. There is also a take-home written final.