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Radical History Blog
Glasgow at War: The Battle of George Square
On this day in 1919, 25,000 workers gathered in George Square, Glasgow to protest against the unemployment crisis. It was to become another example of state violence against the working class.
Breaking Ranks: The Story of Sir Francis Burdett
Born today in 1770, Sir Francis Burdett, 5th Baronet of Bramcote, was a radical you might not have expected. The decades either side of 1800 – the so-called 'Age of Revolutions' – were a time of closed ranks for the European aristocracy.
The Messenger: Samuel Worcester and the Fight for Cherokee Land
Born today in 1798 Samuel Worcester defended the sovereignty of the Cherokee and founded the first Native American newspaper.
Turning history on its head: The Legacy of CLR James
CLR James (1901-1989) was born today in 1901. His book, 'The Black Jacobins', remains one of the great monuments in the history of radical history. Illustration depicting combat between French and Haitian troops during the Haitian Revolution.
Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation
Today in 1863, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed emancipation.
2021: The Radical Year Ahead
The year 2021 fast approaches, and the fact it isn’t the year 2020 seems sufficient reason to welcome it! Image source: rawpixel This year really has been something of an annus horribilis on a global scale.
Only the Good Die Young: The Life and Death of John Cornford
Today, in 1936, John Cornford was killed near the town of Lopera in the south of Spain. Children preparing for evacuation from Spain, during the Spanish Civil War, some giving the Republican salute.
Five Radical Women You Should Know
Radical female activists have often been overlooked throughout history.
Declaring a Better World: Eleanor Roosevelt and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights…” The 'United Nations' started life in the hellfire of World War 2.
Peace in the East: How Russian Radicals Brought an End to WW1
In the Western World, the Great War ended in 1918. But over the other side of Europe it ended a whole year earlier... Across the Western world, the Great War is remembered as having come to an end in November 1918.