This section of my web site contains archives of writings, recordings, drawings, and speeches from various historical figures and organizations that have inspired me throughout my lifetime. This section is, and likely will always be, a work in progress, so check back often!
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Judi Bari Archives
Judi Bari was an Earth First! activist and a union organizer. She belonged to a number of unions, including the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). A great deal of her story is described in my (online) book, Redwood Uprising which is featured on this site.
In 1989, Judi Bari, Darryl Cherney, a handful of timber workers and several other Earth First!ers chartered the Humboldt and Mendocino counties general membership branch of the IWW, colloquially known as "Earth First - IWW Local #1", which was an example of green syndicalism in both theory and praxis.
Judi was not only a talented organizer, she was also a skilled artist and an excellent writer as well. Here are some of her writings, including those featured in her 1993 anthology, Timber Wars.
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(Extended) Earth First!-IWW Local #1 Archives
Earth First! - IWW Local #1 was the unofficial name of the Humboldt-Mendocino County General Membership Branch of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), cofounded by Judi Bari, Darryl Cherney, as well as a handful of timber workers and Earth First! activists. It was short-lived (approximately five years, from November 1989 - late 1994, but very active in Redwood Summer, Redwood Summer 2, and the Albion Uprising. It was an example of green syndicalism in praxis.
This archive includes a collection of many of the writings of its members and allies (other than Judi Bari, who has her own separate, distinct archive section) and Darryl Cherney's hundreds of songs and song lyrics (which may be added later).
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Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) Archives
The IWW was founded in 1905. The opening lines to the Preamble to the IWW Constitution reads,
"The working class and the employing class have nothing in common. There can be no peace so long as hunger and want are found among millions of the working people and the few, who make up the employing class, have all the good things of life. Between these two classes a struggle must go on until the workers of the world organize as a class, take possession of the means of production, abolish the wage system, and live in harmony with the Earth."
Here are some of the many early documents from the organizations formative years, as well as some more recent significant documents.
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Eugene V Debs Archives
Eugene Victor Debs (November 5, 1855 – October 20, 1926) was an American socialist, political activist, trade unionist, one of the founding members of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), and five-time candidate of the Socialist Party of America for President of the United States. His writings on socialism and industrial unionism were very influential on the IWW's early organizing and are still inspirational to socialists a century later.
"The issue is Socialism versus Capitalism. I am for Socialism because I am for humanity. We have been cursed with the reign of gold long enough. Money constitutes no proper basis of civilisation. The time has come to regenerate society—we are on the eve of a universal change."
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Sam Dolgoff Archives
Sam Dolgoff was an anarcho-syndicalist who was born in Russia on October 10, 1902. His family emigrated to the United States in his youth (ca 1905-06) settling in the Bronx. He was a house painter by trade (as was his father). He joined the IWW in 1922 and remained a dues paying member until his death on October 15, 1990. He was an active and avid anarcho-syndicalist who cofounded Libertarian Labor Review (which was renamed Anarcho-Syndicalist Review following his passing).
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José Peirats Archives
José Peirats aka José Peirats Valls (1908-1989) was a Spanish anarcho-syndicalist, militant member of the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo (CNT), brick maker, activist, journalist, and historian. His magnum opus, La CNT en la Revolución Española (translated into English as The CNT in the Spanish Revolution) is considered the definitive history of that organization and the Spanish Revolution of 1936. While he was a revolutionary, he was also a product of his time (the early 20th Century) and as such, held somewhat parochial views on gender and gender roles. On the other hand, he was an early critic of the CNT-FAI leadership's collaboration with the Spanish "Generalidad" (the provisional government during the revolution). He was an unflinching champion of rank and file worker militancy.