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Working Class Movement Library

@wcmlibrary.bsky.social

2.9K followers 66 following 120 posts

Putting class back on the agenda. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🍉

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Working Class Movement Library @wcmlibrary.bsky.social · Jun 30

‘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...

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Reposted by Working Class Movement Library

The People's Papers @peoplespapers.bsky.social · 2d

Save the date!

We'll have materials to share from @wcmlibrary.bsky.social and @aiucentre.bsky.social and a roundtable discussion with folks sharing their reflections and experiences from the time. Should be a lively and participatory discussion!

@cperguom.bsky.social @thejohnrylands.bsky.social

Manchester Histories @mcrhistories.bsky.social · 2d

The People’s Papers: Revisiting 1970s Manchester

Explore the activist & community print culture that helped shape Greater Manchester, with PhD researcher Arielle Lawson (@peoplespapers)

📅 Mon 4 Nov
🕕 6–8 PM
📍 Manchester Histories Hub, Central Library
Free & open to all! Book: bit.ly/PeoplesPapers

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Working Class Movement Library @wcmlibrary.bsky.social · 6d

Two of our Little Flames spoke to Yeliz Zaifoglu, archivist at the Museum Of Youth Culture, about their experiences working with the Big Flame archive and the importance of this work for future working class activists! 🔥

Read here: www.museumofyouthculture.com/working-clas...

Reposted by Working Class Movement Library

GFTU Educational Trust @gftuet.org.uk · 6d

👀 What can we do about the far right?

Join our Virtual Town Hall for updates on new courses + a live space to ask questions.

@gawainlittle.bsky.social & @sarahwoolley1.bsky.social

✊ Become a #Friend: gftuet.org.uk/friends

📌 Register: actionnetwork.org/events/frien...

#GFTUET #FriendsofET

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Reposted by Working Class Movement Library

GFTU Educational Trust @gftuet.org.uk · 12d

📺Catch up and share our first session of the #tradeunion and working-class #history series 2025-2026, featuring @katrinanavickas.bsky.social.

This series is delivered in partnership with Marx Memorial Library and @wcmlibrary.bsky.social.

youtu.be/BqKIXJS2u-E?...

#TUed #Education #GFTUET

Women in radical movements 1780-1850 with Prof. Katrina Navickas

YouTube video by GFTU Educational Trust

youtu.be

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Reposted by Working Class Movement Library

Feminist City @feministcity.bsky.social · 8d

Today's the day! Join us on Zoom at 3pm: peoplespapers.eventbrite.co.uk
@cperguom.bsky.social @wcmlibrary.bsky.social @rememberlop.bsky.social @writerlytone.bsky.social

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Working Class Movement Library @wcmlibrary.bsky.social · 13d

Please note that the library will be closed to the public tomorrow due to staff leave and illness.
We will reopen next week with our normal opening hours.

wcml.org.uk/visit/openin...

Working Class Movement Library @wcmlibrary.bsky.social · 19d

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-...

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Working Class Movement Library @wcmlibrary.bsky.social · 22d

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

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Working Class Movement Library @wcmlibrary.bsky.social · 26d

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-...

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Working Class Movement Library @wcmlibrary.bsky.social · Sep 2

A big well done as well to Little Flame, Ley, for doing such a great job chairing the discussion.

Keep your eyes peeled for the next event in our series, running alongside the Keep the Flame Burning exhibition, which runs until April.

Working Class Movement Library @wcmlibrary.bsky.social · Sep 2

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.

Reposted by Working Class Movement Library

Feminist City @feministcity.bsky.social · Aug 26

Save the date! Organizing an online “People’s Papers” workshop on Sept 30th to hear from projects in Leeds (@rememberlop.bsky.social), Liverpool and Birmingham: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/archiving-... @wcmlibrary.bsky.social

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Working Class Movement Library @wcmlibrary.bsky.social · Aug 22

Our exhibition, Keep The Flame Burning, will also be open for a couple of hours pre-event if you fancy looking at the amazing work our project group have pulled together.

Free tickets on Eventbrite

www.eventbrite.com/e/1556819742...

Inksurgency: Radical Leftist Publishing Then and Now

Join us for a lively panel discussion as we discuss the power of print in our movements.

www.eventbrite.com

Working Class Movement Library @wcmlibrary.bsky.social · Aug 22

This just in: our Inksurgency panel is under a week away!

Join us NEXT THURSDAY at 7pm for a lively discussion about the power of print in our movements, and how this has changed from Big Flame's backdrop to now.

Reposted by Working Class Movement Library

Working Class History @workingclasshistory.com · Aug 21

#OtD 21 Aug 1791 the Haitian revolution began as 100,000 enslaved people rose up and eventually overthrew both slavery and French rule, creating the world's first Black republic shop.workingclasshistory.com/products/a-h...

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Reposted by Working Class Movement Library

Feminist City @feministcity.bsky.social · Aug 14

New blog post with an update on the "People's Papers" archival research project up now on the @wcmlibrary.bsky.social website!

wcml.org.uk/blog/a-peek-...

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Working Class Movement Library @wcmlibrary.bsky.social · Aug 5

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.

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Reposted by Working Class Movement Library

sam @samoddie.bsky.social · Jul 31

The Working Class Movement Library’s exhibit on The Big Flame was so moving. Produced by 18-25 year olds who have managed to continue the spirit of the group, interviewing past members and creating their own banners. It is a youth led masterpiece!

If you’re based in Manchester it’s a must see.

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Working Class Movement Library @wcmlibrary.bsky.social · Jul 30

#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.

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Working Class Movement Library @wcmlibrary.bsky.social · Jul 30

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.

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Working Class Movement Library @wcmlibrary.bsky.social · Jul 30

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.

Working Class Movement Library @wcmlibrary.bsky.social · Jul 30

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.

Working Class Movement Library @wcmlibrary.bsky.social · Jul 30

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.

Working Class Movement Library @wcmlibrary.bsky.social · Jul 30

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.

Working Class Movement Library @wcmlibrary.bsky.social · Jul 30

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.