Category Archives: education

Working Class Life: written by working class activists. Read “A Bolton Childhood” by Alice Foley

Posted on March 15, 2018 by lipstick socialist

In this occasional series I want to rediscover the autobiographies of working class people that have been forgotten or marginalised. They are important in understanding how and why people become activists. They are important in asking questions as to why … Continue reading →

Posted in biography, book review, Catholicism, Communism, education, feminism, human rights, labour history, political women, Socialism, Socialist Feminism, trade unions, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Following in Sylvia’s footsteps; from 1918 to 2018. Meet Charlotte, Josephine, Eden and Lauren.

Posted on March 1, 2018 by lipstick socialist

Sylvia Pankhurst’s  response to the 1918 Representation of the People Act reflected her politics. She had opposed the First World War from the start and  spent the war years defending the rights of poor women and children in the East … Continue reading →

Posted in anti-cuts, Communism, education, feminism, human rights, International Women's Day, labour history, political women, Socialist Feminism, Tameside, trade unions, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

My review of “Freedom Song” by Mary King (1987)

Posted on January 6, 2018 by lipstick socialist

In 1962 white, preacher’s daughter, Mary King, graduated from college, and decided to give up her cosy middle class lifestyle and head south to work for the Student Nonviolent Co-ordinating Committee (SNCC). This memoir is the story of her four … Continue reading →

Posted in biography, book review, education, feminism, human rights, political women, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

My review of “Gender is Not an Identity;It is a Tool of Patriarchy” by Green Goude

Posted on December 15, 2017 by lipstick socialist

There is something wrong when respected members of the Left feel the need to adopt pseudonyms to write  a pamphlet about gender identity politics. But if you read the Morning Star, or were at the London Anarchist Bookfair, or go … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, education, feminism, human rights, interesting blog, political women, Socialist Feminism, Uncategorized, women, working class history | Tagged , | 1 Comment

My review of “Revolutionary Women”

Posted on December 9, 2017 by lipstick socialist

  I love this pamphlet. It is a fascinating subject; 13 unknown revolutionary women, their story of how they not only fought for their own emancipation but led other revolutionary struggles. Revolutionary Women was produced by the Anarchist Federation who … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, Communism, education, feminism, human rights, labour history, political women, Socialist Feminism, trade unions, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

“…the point is to change it”: Remembering Ruth and Eddie Frow and the WCML

Posted on November 13, 2017 by lipstick socialist

  Last Saturday’s event commemorated the lives of the  Frows,  showing  how their belief in communism was about grassroots activity which included the creation of the Working Class Movement Library in the 1950s. They wanted  to encourage  future generations to … Continue reading →

Posted in anti-cuts, Communism, drama, education, feminism, human rights, labour history, music, political women, Salford, Socialism, trade unions, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

My review of “Workers’ Playtime”, edited by Doug Nicholls

Posted on October 12, 2017 by lipstick socialist

In this new book Workers’ Play Time  seven scripts written about the struggle for workers and trade union rights are published.  The editor Doug Nicholls reminds us of the importance of culture to the struggle for trade union freedom. “Cultural … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, Communism, drama, education, feminism, human rights, labour history, political women, Socialism, Socialist Feminism, trade unions, Uncategorized, women | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Letter from Another America……

Posted on August 31, 2017 by lipstick socialist

  Jane Latour is a freelance writer and author of Sisters in the Brotherhoods Working Women Organizing for Equality in New York City. I asked her to give an activist’s view, both personal and political, on the impact of the … Continue reading →

Posted in anti-cuts, education, human rights, labour history, political women, Socialism, trade unions, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

My review of Lovers & Strangers An Immigrant History of Post-War Britain Clair Wills

Posted on August 27, 2017 by lipstick socialist

      Clair Wills has written a fascinating and insightful book  about the role of immigrants in Britain between 1940s and 1960s. Popular history and culture frames post war migration  around the images of the West Indian community and … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, education, feminism, human rights, Ireland, Irish second generation, labour history, Manchester, NHS, North of Ireland, political women, trade unions, Uncategorized, women | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

My review of “Why We March: Signs of Protest and Hope”.

Posted on August 6, 2017 by lipstick socialist

    On 21 January 2017 several hundred women (and  some men) gathered in Albert Square in Manchester in support of women’s rights,  and in solidarity with similar events taking place in Washington DC on Trump’s first full day as … Continue reading →

Posted in anti-cuts, book review, education, feminism, human rights, labour history, Manchester, political women, Socialist Feminism, trade unions, Uncategorized, women, working class history | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments