• Bread and Roses is the universally recognized rallying cry of women in the American labor movement. In the late 19th & early 20th centuries, when immigration and industrial mechanization grew at a furious pace, the inhuman exploitation of cheap labor abounded. Women and children had the lowest pay and greatest abuses and were virtually ignored by early trade unions. They realized they must rely on themselves and unify to meet their own special needs. The historic Lawrence, Mass., textile strike of 1912 brought 10,000 men and women workers to the picket lines in an unprecedented show of unity. A contingent of women marched with their banner: “We want bread and roses too!”. The slogan caught on instantly and inspired the “Bread and Roses” marching song by James Oppenheim, which is still sung at women's and workers’ gatherings today.
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Bread & Roses composite postcard

From Women Making History: The Revolutionary Feminist Postcard Art of Helaine Victoria Press by Julia M. Allen and Jocelyn H. Cohen

  • Part of the Bread & Roses series, Women in the American Labor Movement, set of 9 postcards. The composite card caption explained the meaning of Bread & Roses, and the front showed thumbnails of each card with its title: Child Labor March, Auto Strikers, 1937, Railroad Workers, Spark Plug Factory, Crystal Lee Jordan, Lucy Parsons, Garment Organizers, Frances Perkins. Second printing letterpress in sepia with blue border and copper accent, 3 ½” x 5½”, with a special Bread & Roses emblem created as part of the design.
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  • HISTORY / Women
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