Radical History Blog

This year we're celebrating the 4th of July by giving away tea towels honoring some of our favorite American radicals. Enter your email address in the widget below to join the contest!

Father's Day is coming up on June 21st. Let's take a look at a few examples of role model Dads - radical not just because of their life's work, but because of fatherhood itself. We all need role models in life.

82 years ago today, ten striking steelworkers were shot dead on Memorial Day by police acting on the orders of a Chicago steel manufacturer. They also deserve a place in our memory.

Angelou is one of the artistic legends of American civil rights activism. Her international legacy is equally important.

In early 1944, the French Resistance staged an uprising against Nazi rule on the Glières plateau, high up in the Alps. Though defeated, it remains one of the great moments in the history of rebellion against Hitler in occupied Europe.

The late Professor Stephen Hawking, a committed Leftist, often intervened in political debates. His approach to Brexit is an excellent compass for guiding progressives through the post-referendum world.

In the 17th century, the preacher-poet John Donne wrote a short poem which has since become the reference-point of choice for those wanting to promote internationalist values, from Ernest Hemingway to the Radical Tea Towel Company.

In 1789, the abolitionist leader William Wilberforce struck upon a vital truth of global economics – the West became developed by under-developing everywhere else.

In 1935, Mussolini's fascist forces invaded Ethiopia. Sylvia Pankhurst led the international protests which followed, forging a lifelong bond in the process.

In the 1880s, the US labor movement was doing battle for a shorter, eight-hour working day. Out of this struggle came May Day – the worldwide celebration of workers' rights and resistance to the greed of the 1%.