Today in labor history Nov 19 Executed in Utah on what many believe was a framed charge of murder

[Omaha Steve]

November 19



November 19, 1915 - Joe Hill, a Swedish immigrant organizer and songwriter, was executed by a Utah firing squad after being convicted of murder on trumped-up charges. His last message from prison was “Don’t mourn for me . . organize.”

For more on Joe Hill, see www.joehill.org and http://www.aflcio.org/aboutus/history/history/hill.cfm and the Wobblies' website, www.iww.org

View a video of Joan Baez performing the song, "Joe Hill," http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/08/25/1716207

[marybourg]

1. In 1990 I attended a 75th anniversary commemoration of the execution

on the grounds of the now-destroyed jail in Salt Lake City where the execution took place. Utah Phillips and Bill Robinson (now both gone) sang old labor songs, including "I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night" and "What is America to Me". Pete Seeger was there in the audience and, I believe, Noel Paul Stukey. And a bunch of old lefties. It was great! :patriot: