Working Class Movement Library
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wcmlibrary.bsky.social
Working Class Movement Library
@wcmlibrary.bsky.social
2.9K followers 67 following 130 posts
Putting class back on the agenda. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🍉
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wcmlibrary.bsky.social
Join us for an online People's Papers research project workshop to learn about the history of 1970s alternative newspapers, their archival preservation & their continued relevance for today. All welcome! Tickets: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/archiving-...
September 19, 2025 at 9:49 AM
wcmlibrary.bsky.social
Radical Readings 2025: An Afternoon of Inspiration & Resistance

Join us for an afternoon of powerful performances, traditional folk music, and bold storytelling that celebrate working class voices.
🗓️ Sunday 16th November, 2PM
📍 Maxwell Hall
🎟️ Follow the link wcml.org.uk/event/radica... to book
September 16, 2025 at 10:42 AM
wcmlibrary.bsky.social
Are you a young person aged 16-24 interested in working with archival material and co-curation?

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Grunwick Strike, we are collaborating with the University of Manchester on an exciting new project

For more info, visit the link wcml.org.uk/news/we-are-...
September 12, 2025 at 1:01 PM
wcmlibrary.bsky.social
Thank you to everyone who joined us last Thursday for Inksurgency: Radical Leftist Publishing, Then & Now. It was fantastic to see so many of you there, and a real pleasure to hear from our brilliant panel - Nick, Paula, Amy, and Chris. Thank you all for making the journey to Salford!
A photo from the back of the room as Amie, Project Coordinator of the Big Flame project, introduces the talk.
September 2, 2025 at 1:07 PM
wcmlibrary.bsky.social
As part of our Big Flame event series, join us for a panel discussion featuring activists past and present, who work across independent leftist publishing to hear insights about the power of print in our movements.

wcml.org.uk/event/inksur...
Black text on an orange background, 'Inksurgency: Radical Leftist Publishing Then and Now, with the Heritage Fund and library logos at the bottom of the image.
August 5, 2025 at 10:58 AM
wcmlibrary.bsky.social
#KeepTheFlameBurning #BigFlame #CommunityOrganising #YoungPeople #Cocuration #Activism #Archives

Thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for funding this fantastic work.
A group of young people and audience members talk in lively conversation. A close-up of the Little Flames banner, with a panel showcasing the names of everyone that worked on the project.
July 30, 2025 at 11:16 AM
wcmlibrary.bsky.social
If you've seen the exhibition, we'd love to know what you thought! 💭👇

And if you haven't... We're open Wednesday/Thursday/Friday 1pm - 4.30pm for you to take a look.
A group of ex Big Flame members and their friends talk, laughing with each other. Two men and a woman chat to each other in front of the banner.
July 30, 2025 at 11:16 AM
wcmlibrary.bsky.social
Front and centre was this wonderful banner, co-created by textiles artist Lou Miller and the Little Flames group.
A close-up of the Little Flames banner, which reads ‘we still have to fight!’ in the centre and has collaged fabric images around it. Poet Seni Seneviratne speaks to the Little Flames group.
July 30, 2025 at 11:16 AM
wcmlibrary.bsky.social
Then vs now: the night brought together activists across generations to talk about the power of Big Flame's organising and archival testimony.
A framed archival cover spread of ‘Out of Our Heads’, a student pamphlet. It features a comical drawing of Marx on the back. An ex Big Flame member speaks to two of the Little Flames group.
July 30, 2025 at 11:16 AM
wcmlibrary.bsky.social
Our sincere thanks to everybody who joined us to celebrate the exhibition's release and to Deli Llama for providing their signature fab spread.
Somebody, seated, interacts with the iPad that contains the oral histories of the exhibition. They wear headphones and touch the screen. Some of the Little Flames group chat to friends, smiling. A crowd of exhibition goers are seen in the background.
July 30, 2025 at 11:16 AM
wcmlibrary.bsky.social
We're still on a high from this wonderful night, which saw poets Griot Gabriel and Seni Seneviratne perform, speeches from the Little Flames, WCML team, and ex Big Flame members, and touching comments from exhibition-goers.
A collage displayed as part of collages made by the Little Flames group in response to the archive. In the centre is a panel that says ‘keep the flame burning’. The Little Flames group give their speeches to the audience on the Library’s staircase.
July 30, 2025 at 11:16 AM
wcmlibrary.bsky.social
Have you seen our brand new exhibition yet?

Here are some wonderful photos from the private view a couple of weeks ago, taken kindly by Little Flames group member Jack Clarke. 🧵
The back of somebody’s head reading the exhibition panels on the Little Flames group. Some of the Little Flames group smile and talk by the entrance to the exhibition.
July 30, 2025 at 11:16 AM
wcmlibrary.bsky.social
❤️‍🔥 KEEP THE FLAME BURNING ❤️‍🔥
The audience peruse the exhibition, which has four red cases in the centre of the room and panels around the outside.
July 30, 2025 at 11:16 AM
wcmlibrary.bsky.social
Excited for our Big Flame exhibition? Here's a post written by volunteers Ally, Lucy, and Jack to get you hyped!

Just in time for Wimbledon…🎾

This 1980 Brother Goose comic was part of a series that featured in the Big Flame newspapers.
A comic called Brother Goose which takes aim at Tory unemployment policy. The comic was produced in 1980 and features funny images with quotes about workers eg "work shy" and about state policy, eg "why when we can send men to the moon and kill 600,000 people with a single bomb".
July 10, 2025 at 11:30 AM
wcmlibrary.bsky.social
🔥 Join us for the Keep the Flame Burning Scanathon! 🔥

Get your hands on our Big Flame archive and help preserve radical history for future generations!

Follow the link for more info.

wcml.org.uk/whats-on/
Black text on a teal background. The name of the event, 'Keep the Flame Burning Scanathon' is at the top, followed by 'an open archive event led by the Bog Flame Group.' Saturday 26 July, with the scanathon from 2PM-4PM and the open archive open from 12PM-4PM. The logos of the project partners, the WCML, National Lottery Heritage Fund and Reclaim, are at the bottom of the image.
July 2, 2025 at 10:44 AM
wcmlibrary.bsky.social
‘KEEP THE FLAME BURNING’ OPENS AT THE WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY

The exhibition, that has been co-produced by a group of volunteers, all aged 16 - 25 and working class, opens on Friday 18th July!

Follow the link for more info

wcml.org.uk/event/keep-t...
June 30, 2025 at 10:44 AM
wcmlibrary.bsky.social
#OTD in 1905, the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) was founded in Chicago, USA. Known as the “One Big Union,” it was formed out of several smaller unions and would go on to become one of the most radical organisations within the labour movement.
A photo of four IWW pamphlets from the library's collection.
June 27, 2025 at 10:36 AM
wcmlibrary.bsky.social
Announcing a new research project! In partnership with the University of Manchester’s ‬ new PGR Placement scheme, we’ll be welcoming a PhD researcher, Arielle Lawson, to the Working Class Movement Library archives this summer.

bsky.app/profile/manc...

bsky.app/profile/uom-...
A background image is a photo of a range of front covers of Manchester newspapers. In the middle, it says, "The People's Papers, exploring Greater Manchester's activist newspapers from the 1970's." The WCML and University of Manchester logo sit at the top of the image.
June 24, 2025 at 3:09 PM
wcmlibrary.bsky.social
In the final of our blog posts to mark Refugee Week, library volunteer Steph explores how Britain’s Post-War immigration laws failed refugees of the Commonwealth.

Follow the link to read the blog post.

wcml.org.uk/news/how-bri...
White badge with black text that reads, "Repeal the Immigration Act" in the middle of the badge, with the name of the organisation, Campaign Against Immigration Laws around the edge of the badge.
June 20, 2025 at 7:01 AM
wcmlibrary.bsky.social
In our next blog post for Refugee Week, library volunteer Peter shares the story of the Basque children who fled the horrors of Franco’s regime during the Spanish Civil War and found refuge in Britain.

Follow the link to read the post.

wcml.org.uk/blog/basque-...
June 18, 2025 at 7:01 AM
wcmlibrary.bsky.social
A huge thanks as always to our funders @heritagefunduk.bsky.social for making this work possible. Stay tuned for exhibition updates!!

#BigFlame #CommunityOrganising #Archives #Heritage #RadicalArchives #YouthEngagement #YoungPeople
A picture of Aaron, Belinda (Library Manager), and some of our volunteers in the NALGO Room, talking about the exhibition. The caption reads: "Aaron from M3 Industries popped in to work on our 3D design and build!" Hear from our group! A speech bubble which says, "“It’s a really fascinating moment to be involved in the project. As someone that loves tottering around exhibitions wherever I find them, actually seeing the cogs turn to create them and how varied the work is really gives me a new respect for them!”, attributed to volunteer, Ley.
May 8, 2025 at 12:05 PM
wcmlibrary.bsky.social
We have another session this Saturday at the amazing Altogether Otherwise and we're very excited for it!

The chance to have an away day, refocus our minds for the exhibition, and get to know a great creative resource in the heart of Manchester is something we're very passionate to do!
A snapshot of a document which has a reading list from Big Flame, featuring the Working Class Movement Library. It is captioned with "STAR OBJECT" (in a yellow star), "A Big Flame reading list that mentions the Library and its old address!" A pink Big Flame discussion bulletin entitled "Children and Socialism", from 1980. The caption reads: "Our exhibition will be split into key themes for exploration. One of these is youth empowerment and education!" A group of volunteers sat around a table in the WCML reading room, looking at Big Flame material. The caption reads "We’ve been working hard to pull key objects to go on display!" A picture of Amrit, left, and two group members, right, looking at Big Flame material together. The caption reads: "We met with our graphic designer! We’re delighted to have Amrit Randhawa working with us."
May 8, 2025 at 12:05 PM
wcmlibrary.bsky.social
❤️‍🔥 BIG FLAME UPDATES ❤️‍🔥

We've been a little quiet over the past couple of weeks as we've been ticking away at exhibition prep - which is coming along brilliantly!

Here are some snapshots from the past few weeks.
Big Flame: Exhibition Updates. A large Big Flame logo with a red star in the centre. Text reads: Exhibition development is coming along brilliantly and we’re all really excited! Here’s some snapshots of recent sessions to give you an insight.
May 8, 2025 at 12:05 PM
wcmlibrary.bsky.social
Today is International Workers' Memorial Day, a time when trade unionists around the world come together to remember those who have lost their lives due to work, and to renew our commitment to fight for the living and ensure workplaces are safe for all.
"remember the dead, fight for the living, 28th April, International Workers' Memorial Day" in purple text on a white background, the WCML logo is in the bottom right of the image.
April 28, 2025 at 10:10 AM
wcmlibrary.bsky.social
‘Not Charity, but Justice for the Blind’

On this day in 1920, a group, led by the National League of the Blind, arrived in Trafalgar Square after having marched from the cities of Manchester, Leeds, and Newport. They were met with a crowd of around 10,000 people.
A black and white of a group of men marching, with the two men in the front holding a banner that says, "Justice not Charity" some of the letters are obscured by the fold of the banner material. All of the men are wearing hats and clothing of the period, they appear to be marching in a rural setting.
April 25, 2025 at 10:18 AM