5 Stories for Children to Celebrate the Diverse American Labor Force
These days, when we think of Labor Day we think of time off of work or school, the end of summer barbecues, and sales at our favorite shops. However, the original purpose of Labor Day is to honor the contributions and achievements of American workers that sprung from one of the most difficult times in American history.
Officially a federal holiday since 1894, this year was during the height of the US Industrial Revolution when most workers were clocking 12 hour days for seven days a week just to make ends meet. After being put through dangerous working conditions without fresh air, bathroom facilities, or consistent breaks many workers throughout the country began organizing strikes and rallies against this treatment.
Stemming from the progress those activists made, Labor Day is an annual holiday to honor the hard work of the US labor force. The tireless dedication and often underappreciated contribution of labor workers to society is also being examined today—with many Americans and migrants juggling multiple jobs or countless hours a week in order to afford the cost of living. Oftentimes we drive past beautiful buildings or use items that make our lives easier without thinking about those who have built them.
If you’re interested in teaching your children about some of the efforts and contributions of workers of color across the US these are some great books featuring some important stories to reflect on for Labor Day:
The story of Martin Luther King Jr. as the integral civil rights leader has been told in many ways, Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop: The Sanitation Strike of 1968 recounts his contribution to improving labor conditions in the US. This children's picture book is written in poetry and prose by writer Alice Faye Duncan with illustrations by R. Gregory Christie.
In February 1968, two African American sanitation workers were killed by unsafe machinery in Memphis, Tennessee. For two months, local sanitation workers went on strike along side the support and voice of Dr. King to protest the city’s refusal to recognize a labor union that would fight for higher pay and safer working conditions.
Inspired by the experience of a teacher who participated in the strike as a child, young readers get to view the 1968 Memphis sanitation strike through a nine-year-old girl as her father takes part in the protest. The Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book and School Library Journal Best Book of the Year highlights one of the last acts of justice Dr. King participated in before his assassination.
Me and Momma and Big John, with words by Mara Rockliff and illustrated by William Low, tells the story of New York’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine’s first woman of color stone cutter who joins an apprenticeship program and cuts her first stone for the cathedral’s construction.
In the book her oldest son shares how his mother arrives home from her first day of work, exhausted and covered in stone dust. Despite the long commute and strenuous work she loves her job and that she’s taking part in crafting such a grand building. Even though there’s nothing distinct on the building that will credit her for assembling it stone by stone, his mom proudly takes her son to see how the cathedral is progressing.
Shining a light on a happy African American family led by a hardworking single mother, the proud words are complimented by light-filled illustrations showcasing the labor poured into what would become a stunning structure. One image in particular illuminates the pride of all the stone cutters as they stand in front of the cathedral. This story emphasized the tireless work, personal fulfillment, and timeless architecture resulting from the American labor force.
The bilingual picture book Side by Side, Lado a Lado is a celebration of two iconic figures in activism Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez. Their stories are told by Monica Brown and illustrated by Joe Cepeda. Still active in activism at the vibrant age of 91, Huerta has worked tirelessly for decades advocating on behalf of the working class, women, and children. In 1962 she launched the National Farm Workers Association alongside another iconic civil rights and labor activist Chavez, a child of migrant farm workers.
Both Huerta and Chavez witnessed first-hand the poor working conditions of farm workers not limited to long hours, bad pay, no restrooms, and no housing accommodations. With their encouragement and organizing the two worked together to convinced farm workers to mobilize and demand better working conditions.
Eventually the National Farm Workers Association later merged with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee and ended up become the United Farm Workers labor union. Thanks to the fruit of the labor of Huerta and Chavez the United Farm Workers organization continues to advocate on behalf of America’s farm workforce that helps provide the food that fuels the country.
The White House is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. Brick by Brick is a picture book that honors the enslaved Black people that constructed the building by hand. Their tale is told by Charles R. Smith and illustrated by Floyd Cooper.
On top of facing long days of hard and brutal labor, the profit of their labor was solely paid to their masters. However, many of those workers were able to purchase their freedom after earning money from learning a trade stemming from building the White House. The pain and inhumane working conditions Black people were subjected to and the exploitative system they were forced to take part in are expressly illustrated through words and images.
As each President has moved in over the years and every tourists has walked by, its important to remember the hands of the enslaved Black people who constructed the White House—brick by brick. The telling of this integral story of American labor history won the Coretta Scott King Award.
While many of the stories about the labor workforce centers on the time during and shortly after the US Industrial Revolution, the contributions of laborers and creators are timeless. In the book Dream Builder: The Story of Architect Philip Freelon Kelly Starling Lyons tells the story of the architect of one of Washington DC’s most unique and iconic buildings, complimented by illustrations by Laura Freeman.
In 2009, Freelon and his team won an international competition to work on the eye-catching Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Freelon’s vision for the building incorporated his personal journey and values. After completing architecture school he wanted to focus on African American and Islamic designers and dedicated himself to creating buildings that connect people with heritage like school, libraries, and museum and steering clear of projects that involve casinos or prisons.
Working alongside lead designer David Adjaye they combined distinctive elements from Africa and the Americas into the building’s structure of three intricate tiers of metallic facade. During his career, not only was Freelon a leading designer for African American museums he was also a role model for the Black STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) field.
Like the contributions of the entire American workforce, their efforts leave behind timeless, memorable architecture and helps enrich our daily lives. Hopefully these stories will inspire young minds to dream big and leave behind their own legacies in the labor workforce.