Tag: Little Red Songbook

WE NEVER FORGET: Joe Hill-Songs from the Little Red Songbook, Part Two

Janet RayeJoe Hill Rebel Songwriter
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Organize! Oh, toilers, come organize your might;
Then we’ll sing one song of the workers’ commonwealth,
Full of beauty, full of love and health.
-Joe Hill

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Joe Hill, cartoon, And stay off! See! Sept 1911
Cartoon drawing by Joe Hill, September 1911

Fellow Workers, sit back and relax. It’s time to honor the memory of Joe Hill by enjoying the songs that he left to us. For the second day, WE NEVER FORGET, The Labor Martyrs Project, features FW Hill’s musical and lyrical legacy. We are presenting his songs in the order in which they were first published in the Little Red Songbooks of the Industrial Workers of the World. Today we offer Part 2 of this series.

The Songs of Joe Hill, Published in the Little Red Songbook of 1913

The Industrial Worker of March 6, 1913 announced that the new edition of the Little Red Songbook would include eleven new songs. On the front cover, that issue of the songbook was designated as the Fifth Edition. Nine of the eleven new songs were by Joe Hill, and included: Continue reading “WE NEVER FORGET: Joe Hill-Songs from the Little Red Songbook, Part Two” →

WE NEVER FORGET: Joe Hill-Songs from the Little Red Songbook, Part One

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Then we’ll sing one song of the One Big Union Grand,
The hope of the toiler and slave,
It’s coming fast; it is sweeping sea and land,
To the terror of the grafter and the knave.
-Joe Hill
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The Songs of Joe Hill from the Little Red Songbook, Part 1.
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Joe Hill, Self-Portrait at San Pedro Sailors Mission
Joe Hill, Self-Portrait at Sailors’ Rest Mission in San Pedro, April 1911

Fellow Workers, sit back and relax. It’s time to honor the memory of Joe Hill by enjoying the songs that he left to us. Over the next few days, WE NEVER FORGET, The Labor Martyrs Project, will feature FW Hill’s musical and lyrical legacy by presenting his songs in the order in which they were first published in the Little Red Songbooks of the Industrial Workers of the World. Today we offer Part 1 of this series.

Continue reading “WE NEVER FORGET: Joe Hill-Songs from the Little Red Songbook, Part One” →

Hellraisers Journal: Joe Hill’s Body Arrives in Chicago, Will Be Cremated According to His Wishes

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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My body? Oh, if I could choose,
I would to ashes it reduce..
-Joe Hill

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Wednesday November 24, 1915
Chicago, Illinois-
Body of Fellow Worker Joe Hill Arrives on Train from Salt Lake City

Ralph Chaplin, Spartacus ed

The body of Joe Hill, accompanied by Fellow Worker Bert Lorton, arrived by train from Salt Lake City yesterday. On hand at the Northwestern Depot to take charge of the of the remains of the Rebel Songwriter was a committee from the national headquarters of the Industrial Workers of the World, which included another rebel poet and songwriter, Ralph Chaplin. Chaplin states that arrangements are underway for the funeral of Joe Hill and that his body will cremated according to Hill’s wishes as expressed in his “Last and Final Will.”

The will was written by FW Hill in the form of a poem, now being published in newspapers across the nation. The following is from a Kansas newspaper, The Salina Evening Journal, edition of November 22nd:

Joe Hill Last Will, The Salina (KS) Evening Jr, Nov 22, 1915

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Hellraisers Journal: President Wilson Again Asks Utah Governor to Reconsider Case of Joe Hill

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Don’t Mourn; Organize!
-Joe Hill

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Thursday November 18, 1915
Salt Lake City, Utah –
Joe Hill Remains Calm as President Requests Reconsideration of Case

Joe Hill arrest record, Salt Lake County Jail, ab Jan 14, 1915, smaller

Word from the Utah State Prison in Salt Lake City is that Fellow Worker Joe Hill continues calm and resolute on this, most likely, his last full day of life. Newspapers across the nation today carried the news of the request, made by President Wilson to Governor Spry, that the case be reconsidered. There is little hope that the Governor will honor this request.

Fellow Worker Hill awoke this morning and said to his deathwatch: “This is my busy day.” And indeed the day will be a busy one. He will receive a visit from Sheriff Corless who will explain the “procedures” planned for execution. Also visiting will be Hill’s lawyer, Soren X. Christensen. It is hoped that the prison authorities will allow a visit by local members of the Industrial Workers of the World, but this is, as yet, uncertain.

The four Salt Lake City daily newspapers plan to interview our Rebel Songwriter later this afternoon. The evening will be spent writing letters and telegrams of good-bye to friends and fellow workers across the nation.

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Hellraisers Journal: A. F. of L. Convention Passes Unanimous Resolutions on Behalf of FW Joe Hill

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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 Don’t Mourn; Organize!
-Joe Hill

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Wednesday November 17, 1915
From El Paso Herald:
-A. F. of L. Convention Pleads for Life of Fellow Worker Joe Hill

Resolutions on behalf of Joe Hill were passes unanimously yesterday by the thirty-fifth annual convention of American Federation now in session in San Francisco. Last evening’s El Paso Herald reported the news:

Labor Pleads For Murder Convict’s Life
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HILLSTROM IS TO DIE FRIDAY
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Federation Calls On Utah Governor To
Exercise Clemency for Swede.
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President Wilson and Swedish Legation
Are To Receive Appeal Also.
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Joe Hill wikiSAN FRANCISCO, Cal, Nov. 16.-Resolutions asking clemency for Joseph Hillstrom, member of the Industrial Workers of the World, sentenced to be shot at Salt Lake City Utah, Friday, were passed unanimously by the American Federation of Labor, meeting here in its 35th annual convention.

The resolutions were presented by the ways and means committee, to which the case was referred yesterday by president Samuel Gompers, after appeals for action in the case were made before the convention by Thomas Mooney, not a member of the convention, and delegate Camomile, both of Salt Lake City.

President to Receive Copy.

The resolutions authorized president Gompers to transmit immediately copies of the resolution to the governor of Utah, the board of pardons of Utah, the Swedish minister to the United States and president Wilson.

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Hellraisers Journal: American Federation of Labor Convention Takes Up Case of Fellow Worker Joe Hill

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Don’t Mourn; Organize!
-Joe Hill
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Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday November 16, 1915
San Francisco, California-
A. F. of L. Convention Takes Up Case of Fellow Worker Joe Hill

The American Federation of Labor has waited until the eleventh hour to address itself to frame-up, by the state of Utah, of Fellow Worker Joe Hill. Nevertheless, that body appears willing to act at last. At the thirty-fifth annual convention, now meeting in San Francisco, delegates were allowed to hear an address presented yesterday by Tom Mooney.

From The Oregon Daily Journal of November 15, 1915:

Labor Would Stay Death for I. W. W.
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Federation Will Ask President to Intervene to Prevent
Execution of Hillstrom Friday.

Tom Mooney, 1910

San Francisco, Nov. 15.-(U. P.)-The American Federation of Labor will appeal to President Wilson in an eleventh hour effort to save Joe Hillstrom, I. W. W., from the Utah firing squad.

Hillstrom is slated to die Friday for murders he committed at Salt Lake City a year since.

Thomas Mooney brought the issue before the convention today, declaring that the trial had been conducted to determine Hillstrom’s connection with the McNamara’s and other labor cases rather than to find if he were guilty of murder.

When the question was referred to the ways and means committee, it decided on an appeal to Wilson, asking that he intervene to get a writ of error from the Utah supreme court.

[Photograph of Tom Mooney added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Salt Lake County Sheriff Continues Preparations for Execution of FW Joe Hill

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Don’t Mourn; Organize!
-Joe Hill

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Hellraisers Journal, Monday November 15, 1915
From The Salt Lake Tribune:
Sheriff Corless Prepares for Execution of FW Joe Hill

At this time, the only man that stands between Fellow Worker Joe Hill and a Utah firing squad is Governor William Spry. Preparations by Sheriff Corless continue apace for the execution of our Rebel Songwriter who now has less than four days left to live. The Salt Lake Tribune reports:

GOVERNOR GETS MORE HILLSTROM LETTERS
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Preparations for Execution of Condemned Man
Continued by Sheriff.
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Sunset Magazine, Nov 1915, UT Gov Spry, Joe Hill, Hillstrom

Yesterday was devoid of occurrence of significance in the case of Joseph Hillstrom, condemned to be shot Friday morning for the murder of John G. Morrison, except in that its passing shortened the time allotted him for life from five to four days.

Several special delivery letters were received by Governor William Spry in relation to the execution, but the governor said last night that they were of the usual order. Other letters are probably among the accumulation that will be delivered at the governor’s office this morning. Governor Spry said that the situation was the same as it had been for some time past, no word having been received from any person of official standing with regard to the case. Oscar W. Carlson, Swedish vice consul in Salt Lake, said last night that he had received no further word from the Swedish minister or other officials with regard to Hillstrom. He said that so far as he knew at the time of speaking there remained nothing to do in behalf of the condemned man.

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Hellraisers Journal: Sketch of the Utah State Prison Yard Where Fellow Worker Joe Hill Will Be Shot In Five Days

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Now my friends know I am innocent
and I dont care what the rest think.
-Joe Hill

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Hellraisers Journal, Sunday November 14, 1915
Sketch of Utah State Prison Yard Where Joe Hill Will Be Shot

The execution of Fellow Worker Joe Hill is set for November 19th, five days from today. Yesterday, Parsons Daily Sun of Kansas published the following drawing of Utah State Prison showing, in detail, the exact “procedure” planned for the shooting down of our Rebel Songwriter:

Joe Hill execution , Diagram sketch of Utah state prison yard, Parsons (KS) Daily Sun, Nov 13, 1915

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Hellraisers Journal: I. W. W. Members Charge Mormons with Exerting Religious Prejudice against Joe Hill

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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To the scrap heap we are going
When we’re overworked and old
When our weary heads are showing
Silver threads among the gold.
-Joe Hill
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Saturday November 13, 1915
From The Salt Lake Tribune: I. W. W. Members “Declare Mormon’s Oppose Hillstrom”

The very same newspaper that was so scandalized by the lack of religious content for the funeral of Fellow Worker Horton, is now aghast that any member of Industrial Workers of the World would suggest that the Mormon church exerted religious prejudice against Fellow Worker Joe Hill during the trial which lead to his conviction. From the Tribune of November 12th:

DECLARE MORMONS OPPOSE HILLSTROM
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Latest Charge Is Church Influence Was
Used Against the Murderer.
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APPEAL TO PRESIDENT
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Mrs. J. Sergeant Cram and Elizabeth Gurley Flynn
Ask Wilson to Intervene.
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Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, Hutchinson (KS) News, Nov 12, 1915

Members of the I. W. W. are endeavoring to get members of congress to intercede for Joseph Hillstrom on the representation that he was condemned to die because the Mormon church exerted religious prejudice against him.

This was learned last night from dispatches from Washington. Mrs. J. Sergeant Cram and Mrs. Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, one a Socialist and the other an I. W. W., called upon President Wilson yesterday to plead for Hillstrom’s life. Dispatches said that the president had promised to investigate the case further and see if he could do anything.

At the governor’s office yesterday it was stated that no word had been received from President Wilson.

“I do not believe,” said Governor William Spry, “that President Wilson will ask another postponement of Hillstrom’s execution. There certainly has been no change of plans here. Hillstrom will be executed November 19.”

Protests against the execution of Hillstrom were received yesterday at the governor’s office, as every day for weeks, but there was none from Washington. The governor is ignoring threats and appeals alike.

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Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn & Mrs. Cram Meet with President Wilson on Behalf of FW Joe Hill

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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Don’t Mourn; Organize!
-Joe Hill

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Hellraisers Journal, Friday November 12, 1915
From The Washington Times: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn
-Pleads with President to Aid FW Joe Hill

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn and Mrs. J. Sargeant Cram were granted an interview with President Wilson yesterday in order to make a plea for his intervention to prevent the execution of Fellow Worker Joe Hill, scheduled to take place in Salt Lake City in seven days. The Times of November 11th gave the following report of the meeting:

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, smaller, Portrait

TWO WOMEN PLEAD FOR JOE HILLSTROM
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Mrs. J. Sargent Cram and
Elizabeth Gurley Flynn
see President.
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Personal appeals were made today to President Wilson by Mrs. J. Sargeant Cram, of New York City, and Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, I. W. W. organizer, to save the life of Joseph Hillstrom, sentenced to death in Salt Lake City for murder. The President listened to the women’s plea for ten minutes, after which, they said, he told them he would do everything he could to save the man.

Hillstrom is sentenced to die November 19. Every avenue of escape from death has been closed to him and the only one who can save him is the governor of Utah, who thus far has refused executive clemency except on the personal plea of President Wilson a month ago, when the execution was stayed to hear new evidence.

The women this morning told the President they were not asking a pardon, but only asking for a commutation of his sentence to life imprisonment in order that the case can be investigated.

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[Photograph added.]

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