1 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie and Samantha. 2 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 2: I'm welcome to Stephan never told you a protection of iHeartRadio, 3 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:21,480 Speaker 2: and this time for another edition of Female First, which 4 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:24,119 Speaker 2: means we are once again joined by the wonderful, the 5 00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:25,639 Speaker 2: fantastic Eves. 6 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:26,640 Speaker 1: Welcome Eves. 7 00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 3: Hi. 8 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:30,800 Speaker 2: Yes, we are so glad to have you. You've had 9 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:35,440 Speaker 2: a couple of obstacles that you have joined us. Anyway. 10 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 1: Yes, I am here and I'm glad to be here. 11 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:42,240 Speaker 2: Yes, and we are always glad to have you, Eves. 12 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:46,519 Speaker 2: I guess a blanket question, how are you? 13 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 1: I am doing okay today? 14 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:53,479 Speaker 3: Yeah, I don't know if I can say I'm anywhere 15 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:57,200 Speaker 3: above that or below that. Like, I am grateful to 16 00:00:57,240 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 3: be here. I'm excited to share this female for today. 17 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:07,680 Speaker 3: I physically am doing okay. But I've been able to 18 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 3: sit out in the sunlight and work outside. You know, 19 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 3: I'm still drinking water, so I'm still sustaining my actual life, 20 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:16,759 Speaker 3: and I think that's important. 21 00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:18,319 Speaker 1: It counts for. 22 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 3: Something, at least it does. But yes, I think the 23 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 3: challenges have been many. They've been abundant. Is what was 24 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 3: how I'll put that? 25 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 1: Yes? 26 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 2: Yes, do you have anything like a silver lining that 27 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:37,280 Speaker 2: you're looking forward? To in the future. 28 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 1: Yes. 29 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 3: Actually, so I actually have some travel coming up that 30 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 3: I'm pretty excited about. I'm going to a spiritual retreat 31 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 3: and I am going to Jamaica. So even though I 32 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 3: will probably have some work to do while I'm away 33 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 3: in both of those places, I am looking forward to 34 00:01:56,480 --> 00:02:00,080 Speaker 3: getting a little relaxing time, a little reset, and and 35 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:02,160 Speaker 3: enjoying being outdoors. 36 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 1: Yes. 37 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 2: Absolutely. And you know, that's kind of a good segue 38 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 2: into who we're talking about today, because before we got 39 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 2: a mic, we were discussing our difficulties when it comes 40 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 2: to taking time off of work, perhaps work boundaries, and 41 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 2: so hearing you talk about yes, I'll be doing a reset, 42 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 2: taking a vacation, but I'll probably still be doing work. 43 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 2: This is something a lot of us feel and a 44 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:34,919 Speaker 2: lot of us relate to, I believe, and it does 45 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 2: relate to who we're talking about today. 46 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, I do. 47 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 3: That actually is a very astute of you, I mean, 48 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:43,239 Speaker 3: because I wouldn't have even thought about it that way. 49 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 3: I think it does because we're talking about today Sarah Bagley, 50 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 3: who was a labor activist, so she did a lot 51 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 3: of work around working conditions and about being able to 52 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 3: have some time for herself, you know, because her life 53 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 3: didn't revolve I mean, it had to revolve around work 54 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:02,800 Speaker 3: because of her situtuation. But you know, she wanted less 55 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:05,360 Speaker 3: time working and for herself and for all of the 56 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:08,800 Speaker 3: other women who were working in textile meals at the time. 57 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 3: So yeah, I too have a very hard time setting 58 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:17,000 Speaker 3: boundaries around work. It is very different today in twenty 59 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:19,240 Speaker 3: twenty four than it was for Sarah Bagley who was 60 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 3: alive in the eighteen hundreds. But we are and yes, 61 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:26,119 Speaker 3: I think this is a good way to start this 62 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 3: is that these issues that Sarah Bagley was dealing with, 63 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:32,840 Speaker 3: although it was about her going to a specific industrial site, 64 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 3: this was during the Industrial Revolution, which we'll get into, 65 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 3: it's still relevant to what we're talking about today. The 66 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 3: ways that companies intrude on our time and pretend that 67 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 3: the work our live shait revolve around the work rather 68 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:48,920 Speaker 3: than the work supporting our ability to live in a 69 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:50,400 Speaker 3: healthy and sustainable way. 70 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 1: Putting profits over people still a thing. 71 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 3: I mean, it's not funny, but the fact that we're 72 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:01,240 Speaker 3: still dealing with it is like, is pretty wild to 73 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 3: see when you realize that, like we seemed so distanced 74 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 3: from the Industrial Revolution, I mean, we're all holding these 75 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 3: insane computers in our hands every day to do everything, 76 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 3: but it. 77 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:21,239 Speaker 1: It spiritually, we're not that distant from that time, sadly. 78 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 1: That's one way to put it. 79 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:36,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, So should we get into Sarah's story now? 80 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 1: Yeah? Okay. 81 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 3: So Sarah was born in April of eighteen oh six 82 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 3: and her parents were Nathan and Rhoda are Rada not 83 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 3: sure how to pronounce it, but Widham Bagley, and they 84 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:52,440 Speaker 3: were raised in Well. Sarah was raised in New Hampshire 85 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:55,760 Speaker 3: and she had a few siblings, Thomas, Henry and Mary Jane. 86 00:04:56,480 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 3: And her parents they farmed, they sold a land and 87 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:02,400 Speaker 3: they had a small mill, and they later moved to 88 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:08,120 Speaker 3: other places, including meredith Bridge. It seems like there's I mean, 89 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 3: there's a little bit of information about her early life, 90 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:15,440 Speaker 3: but not an overwhelming amount of information about her early life. 91 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:18,240 Speaker 3: But the meat of her story, where we get to 92 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:22,280 Speaker 3: is in starts in the eighteen thirties and that's where 93 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:30,600 Speaker 3: her work in labor activism begins. So to put some 94 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 3: context around this, this is the time of the industrial Revolution, 95 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:42,560 Speaker 3: you know insert you know, rainbows and progress to a measure, 96 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 3: we have all of these technological development, all of these 97 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 3: factories popping up. People are moving in droves from the 98 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 3: countryside to the city. You know, I'm just imagining. You know, 99 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:02,280 Speaker 3: this is when the black and white turns to color. 100 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:05,040 Speaker 1: This is how you can think about that. 101 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 3: And that quickly changes back to great scale because the 102 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:13,720 Speaker 3: city populations, they're growing and they're getting denser. Just imagine 103 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 3: all of the other issues that come along with that. 104 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:20,120 Speaker 3: One of the issues is that people are working in 105 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:24,000 Speaker 3: these factories and a lot of those people are women 106 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 3: and children. So the children thing is a whole other story. 107 00:06:28,279 --> 00:06:31,599 Speaker 3: We're not really going to get into that today. We're 108 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 3: talking about women labor today. But in terms of the 109 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:40,040 Speaker 3: women labor, women are enticed by this idea of getting 110 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:44,920 Speaker 3: cash and having boarding houses to stay in when they 111 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:47,840 Speaker 3: move from their rural locations and they go to these 112 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:51,640 Speaker 3: urban areas where the mills and the factories are. 113 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:53,839 Speaker 1: So people want. 114 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:55,920 Speaker 3: Them because the men are away and the women are 115 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:58,160 Speaker 3: there and they're like, well, we need to make money, 116 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 3: like this is an easy way to do it. So 117 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 3: it's similar to work that they're already doing. Like some 118 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 3: of these women are and girls I should say it's 119 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:10,280 Speaker 3: girls and women. Some of them are actually doing work 120 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 3: in smaller mills, but these larger mills, they have these 121 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:19,240 Speaker 3: large boarding houses and they're able to pay a little 122 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 3: bit higher wages. 123 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 1: And that's the case in Lowell. 124 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 3: So women are recruited from rural towns in New England 125 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 3: to work at the textile mills in Lowell. So Lowell 126 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:35,440 Speaker 3: is this town where that has grown up around the 127 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:39,560 Speaker 3: textile factories. The guy who opened those textile factories name 128 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 3: was Francis Cabot Lowell, and that's where that name Lowell 129 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 3: comes from. The town after he died, was named for 130 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:49,760 Speaker 3: him and was developed up around this factory situation. So 131 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:54,120 Speaker 3: the women who work in the mills are referred to 132 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:55,280 Speaker 3: as mill girls. 133 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 1: I'm not really going to call them that. 134 00:07:56,920 --> 00:07:59,760 Speaker 3: Because that feels a little infantilizing that they weren't all 135 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:03,840 Speaker 3: girls girls. They ranged from eighteen to like thirty was 136 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 3: the typical age, so they weren't girls. I mean, I 137 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:13,840 Speaker 3: think on the lower end, you know, yeah, you know, 138 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:16,400 Speaker 3: if to not make somebody older than they actually are, 139 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 3: but I mean they were old, or they were older 140 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 3: than to call girls. It feels like so to put 141 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:30,680 Speaker 3: yourself in the shoes of these women in these factory locations, 142 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:32,840 Speaker 3: think of all the noises that are being made by 143 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:36,240 Speaker 3: the machines. They have bills that are summoning them to 144 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:39,440 Speaker 3: and from work. So it's not just women there. There 145 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:43,640 Speaker 3: are also men who are working in the factories, but 146 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:49,160 Speaker 3: women are together often housed with like more than one 147 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:51,720 Speaker 3: woman to a room when they're living in the boarding houses. 148 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:55,640 Speaker 3: Their living situations in the boarding houses are also kind 149 00:08:55,679 --> 00:08:58,920 Speaker 3: of controlled, so they can get things like curfews, and 150 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:02,200 Speaker 3: they have codes of cond and the conditions and the 151 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:06,400 Speaker 3: mills as well can be pretty strict with how people 152 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 3: are overseeing them. Also, the actual conditions of like air 153 00:09:10,600 --> 00:09:13,520 Speaker 3: quality in the mills, the factories and the minds, all 154 00:09:13,520 --> 00:09:16,840 Speaker 3: these kinds of places can be horrendous. The working hours 155 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 3: are long, they're hazardous conditions. The mills are closed on 156 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:26,559 Speaker 3: Sundays because there's still this religious tenor that's hanging over everything. 157 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:30,920 Speaker 3: They have to observe the Sabbath, you know, they talk 158 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:32,960 Speaker 3: about religious instruction at the time. 159 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:34,400 Speaker 1: So that is like the. 160 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 3: Very culti sounding situation actually now that I describe it. 161 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:44,120 Speaker 3: But that just comes from the control that the control 162 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:47,640 Speaker 3: and the regiment that is structured around the work that 163 00:09:47,679 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 3: they do, and that they're always there together. Basically they 164 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 3: don't leave, although during the summers sometimes the women will 165 00:09:55,520 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 3: go back home. So at the time, there are people 166 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:04,920 Speaker 3: who are starting to organize to advocate for themselves around 167 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:08,120 Speaker 3: their working conditions and their labor to be able to 168 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:13,240 Speaker 3: help attain better conditions for everyone. But the manufacturers end 169 00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:16,080 Speaker 3: up crushing these strikes, as you would imagine, they have 170 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 3: quite a bit of power, and they have other people 171 00:10:18,120 --> 00:10:20,200 Speaker 3: who will come in and work in the stead of 172 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:24,480 Speaker 3: people who are advocating for themselves. And this is where 173 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:26,920 Speaker 3: we get to Sarah. So by eighteen thirty seven, Sarah's 174 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:30,640 Speaker 3: in Lowell, Massachusetts, and she's making money to support herself 175 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:33,840 Speaker 3: and her family because I think what we do know 176 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:36,320 Speaker 3: a little bit about in her earlier life is that 177 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:41,440 Speaker 3: her family they were having some money struggles. So Sarah's 178 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:45,320 Speaker 3: supporting herself and she's supporting her family. And this wasn't 179 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:48,319 Speaker 3: unusual for women who were going to work in the mills, 180 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 3: like they were making money to help their families because 181 00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:54,480 Speaker 3: their families didn't have that much money. And at this time, 182 00:10:54,520 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 3: working in the factory was a good way to help 183 00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:00,119 Speaker 3: enhance your economic means. 184 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:01,400 Speaker 1: Working as a weaver. 185 00:11:01,679 --> 00:11:05,480 Speaker 3: At the Hamilton Manufacturing company, and she's in her late 186 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:08,200 Speaker 3: twenties at this point, so she is a little bit 187 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 3: older than I guess the majority of the women who 188 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:13,760 Speaker 3: were there working at those mills. 189 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 1: And the money is alright. 190 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:21,720 Speaker 3: She it's better than you know, what other people are 191 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:24,480 Speaker 3: making and other mills, but the money's all right. She 192 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:27,840 Speaker 3: gets eleven dollars and seventy two cents for her first 193 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:31,520 Speaker 3: twenty four days of work, and then by her second 194 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 3: year she's earning almost a dollar per day in the 195 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:38,600 Speaker 3: weave room. So that round about twelve dollars that she 196 00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:42,560 Speaker 3: was making is about three hundred and ninety dollars in 197 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 3: today's money, and that's for a twenty four days worth 198 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 3: of work. But the thing is the workers are supervised 199 00:11:50,640 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 3: very closely and they work long hours. So yes, they're 200 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:55,480 Speaker 3: making money, but this is the trade off. And this 201 00:11:55,679 --> 00:11:59,400 Speaker 3: is what we were talking about earlier. That's still happening 202 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:03,400 Speaker 3: to this day. But some of the workers are at 203 00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:07,040 Speaker 3: the mills in Lowell publish a magazine called The Lowell Offering. 204 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:11,240 Speaker 3: So this is written by the workers but is managed 205 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 3: and partly funded by the mill corporations. 206 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:15,120 Speaker 1: This goes into one of those things. 207 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:17,440 Speaker 3: You got to see who's publishing the publications as well, 208 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:21,240 Speaker 3: but Bagley contributes to it, and one of her first 209 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:24,720 Speaker 3: articles for the offering is called Pleasures of Factory Life. 210 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:27,920 Speaker 3: That's published in eighteen forty, and anyone who's listening can 211 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:30,520 Speaker 3: go online and access that very easily. You can read 212 00:12:30,559 --> 00:12:33,240 Speaker 3: it online. But i'll give you a quote from it. 213 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:37,559 Speaker 3: In the mills, we are not so far from God 214 00:12:37,679 --> 00:12:41,840 Speaker 3: and nature as many persons might suppose. We cultivate and 215 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:46,760 Speaker 3: enjoy much pleasure in cultivating flowers and plants. A large 216 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:50,240 Speaker 3: and beautiful variety of plants is placed around the walls 217 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:53,320 Speaker 3: of the rooms, giving them more the appearance of a 218 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 3: flower garden than a workshop. So that's the end of 219 00:12:56,920 --> 00:13:00,200 Speaker 3: the quote. And in that article she also talks about 220 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:03,839 Speaker 3: how in the job there is time for contemplation. She 221 00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:06,920 Speaker 3: says that they get to help elderly people, and she 222 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:09,000 Speaker 3: also said that they get to have time for a 223 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:15,280 Speaker 3: religious instruction. So this is early on. As we tease 224 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:19,200 Speaker 3: in the beginning, Sarah is a labor activist. Right now, 225 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:21,960 Speaker 3: it sounds like she's doing a lot to show how 226 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:25,240 Speaker 3: good the conditions in the factory are. But there are 227 00:13:26,559 --> 00:13:31,280 Speaker 3: asterisks because there is like a despite in that article 228 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:33,560 Speaker 3: Sarah does talk about how the factory girls are not 229 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:40,880 Speaker 3: without guardian kind of loosely implying that they are closely watched, 230 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 3: but she also says that they are placed in the 231 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:47,760 Speaker 3: care of overseers who feel under moral obligations to look 232 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:50,559 Speaker 3: after our interest. That's a lot of words to say 233 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 3: that they are on our butts. Okay, Like it's clear that, 234 00:13:57,520 --> 00:14:01,120 Speaker 3: like it really seems like this article is in it 235 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:05,000 Speaker 3: she's just making the best of a situation that now 236 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:07,680 Speaker 3: we know is bad, which is not a bad. 237 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:08,040 Speaker 1: Thing to do. 238 00:14:08,160 --> 00:14:11,640 Speaker 3: Like why wouldn't we cope in that way, you know, 239 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:14,400 Speaker 3: not taking away her agency and like actually knowing that 240 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:16,679 Speaker 3: these are good things. I'm not saying that, you know, 241 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:20,080 Speaker 3: these aren't good things to have around you, but knowing 242 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:23,320 Speaker 3: how the tables turn very quickly, and how she feels 243 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 3: about the conditions at the mills, it's like it feels 244 00:14:28,280 --> 00:14:31,480 Speaker 3: in a way, you know, kind of sad to me 245 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:35,320 Speaker 3: with this hindsight that I have, because she's like really 246 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 3: aching for something that feels bright in dark times. So yeah, 247 00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:45,840 Speaker 3: that's you can read that article. It's not that long, 248 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:48,760 Speaker 3: but she talks about it, so it doesn't take long 249 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:52,840 Speaker 3: for those tables to turn. Sarah tires of her work 250 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:56,960 Speaker 3: as a weaver, she's pressured to produce more cloth. She 251 00:14:57,160 --> 00:14:59,920 Speaker 3: ends up becoming a dresser where she helps prepare warp 252 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 3: threads for weaving. But of course that work has its 253 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:08,200 Speaker 3: own pressures and hours are still long. And on top 254 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:11,040 Speaker 3: of all of that, the mills themselves are starting to 255 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:16,960 Speaker 3: make changes. So these mills are booming. Everywhere there are prices, 256 00:15:17,120 --> 00:15:19,280 Speaker 3: and that's including the lowl mill. So all of the 257 00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:22,240 Speaker 3: low mills we have, all of these popping up, and 258 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:28,520 Speaker 3: prices for cotton goods are going down. But the mills 259 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:31,160 Speaker 3: they have to keep production costs down too, and they 260 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:33,280 Speaker 3: want to keep their profits up because that's what they're 261 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:37,840 Speaker 3: in this for. So they start cutting wages and they 262 00:15:37,880 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 3: increase the amount of looms that weavers are responsible for. 263 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:45,520 Speaker 1: Okay, so pay is raised for men and not for women. 264 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:50,240 Speaker 3: So if we at a certain point when it pays 265 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:52,720 Speaker 3: for at first is lower for everyone, and then when 266 00:15:52,760 --> 00:15:55,440 Speaker 3: pay is raised again, it's for the men and not 267 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 3: for the women. Now plots here for us to take 268 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:00,920 Speaker 3: a moment and realize that this is like the exact 269 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:04,360 Speaker 3: same thing that we still go through today, where wages 270 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:10,160 Speaker 3: are cut and the expectations of productivity increase. Our wages 271 00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:13,680 Speaker 3: don't change at all in expectations of productivity increase. I mean, 272 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:17,360 Speaker 3: you know, this is the United States, you know, but 273 00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:20,880 Speaker 3: you know in other places around the world too, And 274 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:23,240 Speaker 3: so of course people are like, this is not okay. 275 00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:27,520 Speaker 3: We have to do something about this. I am unhappy, 276 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 3: I am unsafe. We can't go on living like this. 277 00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:36,600 Speaker 3: So there is a lot of labor activism that pops up, 278 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:40,400 Speaker 3: and that includes the women workers. They go on strikes 279 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:46,200 Speaker 3: in eighteen forty two women at the Middlesex Manufacturing Company mills. 280 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 3: They are wanting the women to do more work for 281 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:55,320 Speaker 3: less pay, so seventy women walk out and they're all 282 00:16:55,360 --> 00:17:00,560 Speaker 3: fired and blacklisted. And Sarah's consciousness that continues to evolve 283 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:02,600 Speaker 3: as all of this stuff is going on. She writes 284 00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:06,800 Speaker 3: articles in the Lull Offering criticizing the poor conditions in 285 00:17:06,840 --> 00:17:11,359 Speaker 3: the mill and how those conditions are that way while 286 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:14,679 Speaker 3: the company is steadily continuing to profit from this. 287 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:16,720 Speaker 1: So the paper doesn't really. 288 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:20,439 Speaker 3: Want anything to do with that kind of rhetoric, stops 289 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:23,639 Speaker 3: taking some of her work, and Sarah soon leaves the 290 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:27,399 Speaker 3: Hamilton Mills and goes to work at the Middlesex mills, 291 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:34,520 Speaker 3: and over time, Sarah begins to become more radical. Women 292 00:17:34,560 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 3: in the mills they're working these twelve to fourteen hour days. 293 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:41,360 Speaker 3: They're still living in these boarding houses that are crowded 294 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:45,960 Speaker 3: and don't have great air circulation. So in eighteen forty four, 295 00:17:46,160 --> 00:17:50,439 Speaker 3: Sarah and some other women meet in downtown Lowell and 296 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:55,600 Speaker 3: they form the lull Female Labor Reform Association. Sarah is 297 00:17:55,720 --> 00:17:59,199 Speaker 3: voted in as the president of the association and the 298 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:04,480 Speaker 3: association rows. It gains several hundred members and it collaborates 299 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:07,960 Speaker 3: with other labor groups in the area, like the New 300 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:12,520 Speaker 3: England Workingmen's Association and the New England Labor Reform League, 301 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:16,879 Speaker 3: and it begins publishing this newspaper called The Voice of 302 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:21,199 Speaker 3: the Industry, and Sarah contributes articles to the paper and 303 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:24,119 Speaker 3: edits a column in it, and they use the paper 304 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:28,199 Speaker 3: as this vehicle to advocate for shorter working days. In 305 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:32,200 Speaker 3: eighteen forty five, there is this other publication that also 306 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:35,400 Speaker 3: advocates for this ten hour work day. It's what they're 307 00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:38,600 Speaker 3: looking for. It's called Factory Tracks. I do have a 308 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:43,080 Speaker 3: quote from this publication that I like to share. When 309 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:46,560 Speaker 3: the whole system is exhausted by unremitting labor during twelve 310 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 3: and thirteen hours per day. Can any reasonable being expect 311 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:55,240 Speaker 3: that the mind will retain its vigor and energy? Impossible. 312 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:59,680 Speaker 3: Common sense will teach everyone the utter impossibility of improving 313 00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:03,600 Speaker 3: the mind under these circumstances, however great the desire may 314 00:19:03,640 --> 00:19:08,080 Speaker 3: be for knowledge. And I just think that that quote 315 00:19:08,119 --> 00:19:12,399 Speaker 3: is interesting from that article just because of how different 316 00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 3: that is from Sarah's earlier quote from the other article 317 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:18,639 Speaker 3: that I was telling y'all about, where she's talking about 318 00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:21,199 Speaker 3: all of these other ways that she's able to be 319 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 3: stimulated during a work day even though she's surrounded by 320 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 3: these loud machines and for working conditions. 321 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:30,520 Speaker 1: A big part of what Sarah. 322 00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:32,520 Speaker 3: Was saying in that early eighteen forty article was that 323 00:19:32,560 --> 00:19:35,639 Speaker 3: she had time for contemplation while she was working. So 324 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 3: while she was doing these other tasks or this other 325 00:19:38,119 --> 00:19:40,800 Speaker 3: stuff was going around, she had great time for contemplation. 326 00:19:41,280 --> 00:19:44,080 Speaker 3: So there was some intellectual stimulation that she was able 327 00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:47,400 Speaker 3: to have while she was working. Versus, if you look 328 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:50,040 Speaker 3: at this quote that came from Factory Tracks, we see, 329 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:53,440 Speaker 3: how is my mind going to be able to have 330 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:57,000 Speaker 3: any vigor and energy while I'm doing this work? So 331 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 3: definitely a switch between those two. Also, the time was 332 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:06,600 Speaker 3: the time, so people were involved in other social pursuits, 333 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:10,280 Speaker 3: so there were other people who were anti slavery advocates 334 00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:14,199 Speaker 3: and then there were people who weren't anti slavery advocates. 335 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:18,280 Speaker 3: And one thing that's also interesting to me about this article. 336 00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:20,159 Speaker 3: It's not that interesting because it's not like it's not 337 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:24,000 Speaker 3: a rhetoric that people didn't often use. It is just 338 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 3: another example of that. And in this article they use 339 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:31,640 Speaker 3: the term slaves. They refer to themselves as slaves at 340 00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:34,200 Speaker 3: a time when they are not at all removed from slavery, 341 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:37,680 Speaker 3: like it literally is right there, and they are referring 342 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:40,000 Speaker 3: to themselves as slaves in terms of like this is 343 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:40,720 Speaker 3: the work we're doing. 344 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 1: We're confined to this work. 345 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:46,720 Speaker 3: They are not slaves, they are being paid, their conditions 346 00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:49,760 Speaker 3: are not good. They should be advocating for themselves. However, 347 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:54,400 Speaker 3: they are not slaves, but they continuously call themselves that. 348 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:58,359 Speaker 3: In this they say that it's lowell slavery. So I 349 00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:00,440 Speaker 3: just want to point out stuff like that because I 350 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:02,399 Speaker 3: think when we read this kind of stuff is easy 351 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:05,960 Speaker 3: to just I don't want it to just be like, oh, 352 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:07,880 Speaker 3: she was this great advocate. A lot of times there 353 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:12,640 Speaker 3: are complexities and a person's own ethos in the rhetoric 354 00:21:12,680 --> 00:21:15,000 Speaker 3: that they use. And also, we are living in twenty 355 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:17,080 Speaker 3: twenty four and this was eighteen hundred. 356 00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:19,840 Speaker 1: So they knew what they were doing. 357 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:23,120 Speaker 3: They knew what slave meant, they knew what that work meant, 358 00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:26,399 Speaker 3: they knew what the institution of chattel slavery was because 359 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:27,880 Speaker 3: they were surrounded by it. 360 00:21:28,240 --> 00:21:29,880 Speaker 1: They got news of it they could read. 361 00:21:30,600 --> 00:21:34,280 Speaker 3: So, you know, just when you read stuff like that, 362 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:36,959 Speaker 3: and if you if anybody listening goes and looks at 363 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:40,440 Speaker 3: that article and sees that, just you know, calling attention 364 00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:43,320 Speaker 3: to it. I'm sure when y'all are reading, when y'all 365 00:21:43,359 --> 00:21:46,240 Speaker 3: are doing research for other episodes, y'all probably also come 366 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:48,800 Speaker 3: across stuff when you're like, we were, I was rocking 367 00:21:48,880 --> 00:21:51,399 Speaker 3: with you for a while until we got. 368 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:55,400 Speaker 4: Here, Like that was too often when they're like, why 369 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:58,520 Speaker 4: why would you say this? You ruined it? 370 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:00,240 Speaker 1: Yeah. 371 00:22:01,560 --> 00:22:06,199 Speaker 3: So in eighteen forty five, Sarah and others petition the 372 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:10,520 Speaker 3: Massachusetts legislature and they're looking for that ten hour workday, 373 00:22:11,320 --> 00:22:16,119 Speaker 3: and a committee determines that the legislature doesn't have power 374 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:19,960 Speaker 3: to determine hours of work and setting a ten hour 375 00:22:20,040 --> 00:22:22,600 Speaker 3: day is something that they're like, y'all got to handle 376 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:25,320 Speaker 3: that between it's between y'all two, it's the companies and 377 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:26,400 Speaker 3: the textile workers. 378 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:28,159 Speaker 1: Y'all can figure that out your own. 379 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:31,560 Speaker 3: But obviously that's not good enough for all the labor 380 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:36,199 Speaker 3: activists and Sarah, and they keep getting signatures and sending 381 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:40,160 Speaker 3: petitions to the legislature to get that ten hour day, 382 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:44,440 Speaker 3: and that once again results in in action from the legislature, 383 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:49,800 Speaker 3: and in June of eighteen forty six, Voice of Industry 384 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:54,399 Speaker 3: shifts because John Allen becomes the editor and John Allen 385 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:57,520 Speaker 3: does not want Sarah involved in the Voice. 386 00:22:57,280 --> 00:22:58,560 Speaker 1: Of the Industry anymore. 387 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:02,679 Speaker 3: You know, he feels like she's a troublemaker and he 388 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:06,840 Speaker 3: thinks it won't be dignified if there is a female 389 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 3: department at the Voice of Industry. 390 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:11,320 Speaker 1: And it's just clear that he. 391 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:15,440 Speaker 3: Doesn't want her speaking on her advocacy for this ten 392 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:16,000 Speaker 3: hour day. 393 00:23:16,080 --> 00:23:17,280 Speaker 1: He's like she's doing too much. 394 00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:23,800 Speaker 3: So this is something that Sarah ends up saying in 395 00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:28,520 Speaker 3: eighteen forty eight to another women's rights advocate named Angelique Martin. 396 00:23:29,359 --> 00:23:31,879 Speaker 3: She says, I regret to say to you that the 397 00:23:31,960 --> 00:23:35,359 Speaker 3: Voice of industry is quite conservative and must be with 398 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:39,560 Speaker 3: this present conductor. The present editor thinks that a middle 399 00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:42,960 Speaker 3: ground or half in half in our opinions is good policy. 400 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:45,680 Speaker 3: He thinks that truth ought to be spoken in such 401 00:23:45,720 --> 00:23:48,840 Speaker 3: honeyed words that if it hits anyone, it shall not 402 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:52,040 Speaker 3: affect him unfavorably. And that's the end of the quote. 403 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:57,240 Speaker 3: So she's clearly saying that John Allen is he is 404 00:23:57,640 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 3: a moderate. I don't know what his I don't I 405 00:24:00,520 --> 00:24:03,119 Speaker 3: don't know much more about John Allen. I don't know 406 00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:05,640 Speaker 3: what his actual leanings were, but he clearly didn't want 407 00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:09,000 Speaker 3: these things said in the paper. 408 00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:11,920 Speaker 1: So Sarah looks for another job. 409 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:16,480 Speaker 3: She finds out that the telegraph office has just open 410 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:19,840 Speaker 3: and Lowell and in eighteen forty six, here's her first. 411 00:24:20,119 --> 00:24:24,720 Speaker 3: She becomes the first female telegraph operator in the United States. 412 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:27,879 Speaker 3: She taps out messages. Oh, and I'm musa say that 413 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:30,720 Speaker 3: first is probably not when people would have seen coming, 414 00:24:30,760 --> 00:24:35,760 Speaker 3: considering we've been talking about for activism this whole time. Yeah, 415 00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:40,400 Speaker 3: not part of her trajectory that I would have imagined 416 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:42,840 Speaker 3: would become the thing that would be her first, But 417 00:24:43,080 --> 00:24:46,439 Speaker 3: that is it. She taps out these messages and she 418 00:24:46,560 --> 00:24:51,520 Speaker 3: helps people write their messages and letters, and there's not 419 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:55,560 Speaker 3: much movement on the whole ten hour workday thing. But 420 00:24:56,080 --> 00:24:59,960 Speaker 3: in eighteen forty seven, the mills do shorten the work 421 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:04,880 Speaker 3: day by thirty minutes. Thirty whole minutes. Fifteen minutes were 422 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:09,639 Speaker 3: added to breakfast and lunch, so they got longer breaks, 423 00:25:10,119 --> 00:25:11,879 Speaker 3: and that's where that thirty minutes came in. 424 00:25:12,040 --> 00:25:14,520 Speaker 4: I think I've seen too many memes because between like 425 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:18,320 Speaker 4: that quote to him, she's pretty much telling y'all, you know, 426 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:21,680 Speaker 4: to like you don't know the truth, you don't want 427 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:23,080 Speaker 4: to talk about the truth, like type of thing, and 428 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:25,679 Speaker 4: then this being like a win's a win. I guess 429 00:25:25,840 --> 00:25:29,000 Speaker 4: like it's kind of one of those things like fifteen minutes. 430 00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:31,080 Speaker 1: Okay, well, yeah, how's that? 431 00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:35,360 Speaker 3: There's that it's still not good enough though, there's still 432 00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:38,680 Speaker 3: not good enough. And the other still not good enough 433 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:41,760 Speaker 3: thing is that that same year, eighteen forty seven, New 434 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:44,400 Speaker 3: Hampshire becomes the first state to pass a ten hour 435 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:49,520 Speaker 3: workday law, but workers can still voluntarily agree to a 436 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:53,760 Speaker 3: longer workday, and Lowell is in Massachusetts, so this doesn't 437 00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:56,560 Speaker 3: even apply to Massachusetts there. I think Pennsylvania the next 438 00:25:56,640 --> 00:26:00,560 Speaker 3: year ends up coming up with a similar law for workday. 439 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:04,199 Speaker 3: But you know it is still not happening for the 440 00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:08,760 Speaker 3: Lowell girls and for Sarah. But in eighteen forty eight, 441 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:10,639 Speaker 3: you know, the money still has to be made. You 442 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:13,320 Speaker 3: still got to put food on the table. For a 443 00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:16,800 Speaker 3: short period, Sarah works again at the Hamilton Mill in Lowell. 444 00:26:17,320 --> 00:26:21,280 Speaker 3: She works in the weave room for five months. But 445 00:26:21,480 --> 00:26:23,560 Speaker 3: you know she's still having a hard time making money, 446 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:28,040 Speaker 3: and her labor activism requires it, her sustenance requires it. 447 00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:31,120 Speaker 3: But at the same time, she's still writing about healthcare, 448 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:34,880 Speaker 3: prison reform, working conditions, women's rights, those kinds of things. 449 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:38,520 Speaker 3: And she's writing letters like to people like Angelique Martin 450 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:41,119 Speaker 3: where that quote came from that I was just reading 451 00:26:41,119 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 3: to y'all. So after leaving Lowell, Sarah teaches women how 452 00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:51,080 Speaker 3: to cut dresses in Philadelphia, and in November of eighteen 453 00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:55,600 Speaker 3: fifty she marries James Durno, who is a homeopathic doctor 454 00:26:56,119 --> 00:27:01,159 Speaker 3: who sells medicines. I will add a side note about 455 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:06,080 Speaker 3: her marriage to James Durno. It's around this time, you know, 456 00:27:06,119 --> 00:27:08,920 Speaker 3: when the researchers are digging looking for more information about her. 457 00:27:09,359 --> 00:27:10,520 Speaker 1: They kind of lost track of her. 458 00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:14,879 Speaker 3: When she became Sarah Durnel when her last name changed, 459 00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:18,119 Speaker 3: because as we know, a lot of the times women 460 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:21,720 Speaker 3: will become the man, they will be subsumed, eaten by 461 00:27:21,720 --> 00:27:26,160 Speaker 3: the man, And she became missus James Durno at the time. 462 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:28,479 Speaker 3: But once they figured out that was her name, they 463 00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:33,040 Speaker 3: could start researching her again and documenting her history, and 464 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:36,760 Speaker 3: she and James in the eighteen fifties moved to Brooklyn, 465 00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:41,639 Speaker 3: and they make this remedy used for things. The uses 466 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:44,639 Speaker 3: seem pretty nebulous to me. They say it's like for 467 00:27:44,760 --> 00:27:48,200 Speaker 3: throw and long diseases. I think I've saw an advertisement 468 00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:51,119 Speaker 3: that it could be for like head things too, so 469 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:56,439 Speaker 3: maybe that's like cold. So it's called snuff for Qatar. 470 00:27:57,359 --> 00:28:01,080 Speaker 3: So it seems pretty bad, y'all, it does. I think 471 00:28:01,119 --> 00:28:03,480 Speaker 3: you like it. Sniffed it and inhaled it to be 472 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:06,480 Speaker 3: able for it to be able to work. But hey, 473 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:09,840 Speaker 3: you know, this is a direction that Sarah chose to 474 00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:13,960 Speaker 3: go in. It was in eighteen fifty three when Lowell 475 00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:18,040 Speaker 3: ended up making the working day eleven hours, so still 476 00:28:18,080 --> 00:28:22,320 Speaker 3: not ten, but they made it eleven hours. And by 477 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:26,320 Speaker 3: the eighteen fifties, immigrants were replacing the girls and women 478 00:28:26,359 --> 00:28:29,600 Speaker 3: who came from the farms to work in the factories. 479 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:35,119 Speaker 3: Soon Sarah's husband dies and she travels goes back to 480 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:39,760 Speaker 3: Philly and in eighteen eighty nine that's when Sarah dies. 481 00:28:40,040 --> 00:28:44,920 Speaker 3: And Yeah, during over those last decades of her life 482 00:28:45,240 --> 00:28:49,880 Speaker 3: and continuing on, you know, labor organizing becomes a more 483 00:28:50,080 --> 00:28:54,040 Speaker 3: prevalent thing. Labor unions are able to form and advocate 484 00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:57,360 Speaker 3: for better working conditions. But that period of the loll 485 00:28:58,080 --> 00:29:03,000 Speaker 3: women workers who were organizing for better working conditions kind 486 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:06,240 Speaker 3: of like they got a little bit of movement, but 487 00:29:06,360 --> 00:29:09,560 Speaker 3: they weren't able to get that full, that ten hour 488 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:11,720 Speaker 3: workday like they were looking for. 489 00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:21,480 Speaker 1: That's the story of Starah Bagley. 490 00:29:24,080 --> 00:29:26,200 Speaker 2: It is a really interesting one because, as you said, 491 00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:29,520 Speaker 2: the lead is kind of buried in her first and 492 00:29:29,760 --> 00:29:34,080 Speaker 2: we're like, oh, okay, but it's all It is fascinating 493 00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:38,600 Speaker 2: to looking back at this because as we started this 494 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:44,040 Speaker 2: episode off with, we are still grappling with this. We 495 00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:51,120 Speaker 2: are still fighting for work life balance, work rights. Like 496 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:55,560 Speaker 2: there's so many things that we're still doing. And I 497 00:29:56,080 --> 00:29:58,280 Speaker 2: feel like I talked about this a lot, but in America, 498 00:29:58,480 --> 00:30:03,560 Speaker 2: I think that we've really moralized work and that can 499 00:30:03,600 --> 00:30:09,520 Speaker 2: be a really messy thing where we've moralized productivity in 500 00:30:09,560 --> 00:30:10,120 Speaker 2: a way. 501 00:30:09,920 --> 00:30:11,840 Speaker 1: That is not helpful. 502 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:14,400 Speaker 2: And so when you look back at something like yes, 503 00:30:14,440 --> 00:30:18,840 Speaker 2: the Industrial Revolution, which is when like so many things 504 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:26,320 Speaker 2: did change, it comes up all the time and people seeing, Okay, wait, 505 00:30:27,200 --> 00:30:31,040 Speaker 2: I don't want to work thirteen hours a day to 506 00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:34,920 Speaker 2: make this small amount of money. And I think it's 507 00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:39,280 Speaker 2: also interesting because recently we did an episode on May 508 00:30:39,360 --> 00:30:44,000 Speaker 2: Day and I didn't know this. I didn't know about 509 00:30:44,040 --> 00:30:46,320 Speaker 2: the whole kind of labor implications of May Day. But 510 00:30:46,360 --> 00:30:50,120 Speaker 2: a part of it was that kind of well off 511 00:30:50,160 --> 00:30:57,320 Speaker 2: white people were like, no one has time to think anymore, 512 00:30:57,320 --> 00:31:02,160 Speaker 2: like let's bring back May Day holiday. But then other 513 00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:08,600 Speaker 2: people were like, actually, let's just get workers, right Yeah. 514 00:31:08,640 --> 00:31:11,920 Speaker 2: So it's just the history of it, the legacy of 515 00:31:11,960 --> 00:31:17,480 Speaker 2: it is still around today, and I think it's worth 516 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:22,160 Speaker 2: thinking about why that is and why the fight is 517 00:31:22,200 --> 00:31:25,400 Speaker 2: so hard to get what like thinking about eleven hours 518 00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:32,240 Speaker 2: to me sounds ridiculous, but at the time that was 519 00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:36,880 Speaker 2: an improvement, right, Yeah. 520 00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:38,240 Speaker 4: And not to like jump into the other thing that 521 00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:39,440 Speaker 4: we said we weren't going to talk to you, but 522 00:31:39,480 --> 00:31:42,800 Speaker 4: we're going backwards on the child labor laws as well. 523 00:31:42,840 --> 00:31:44,680 Speaker 1: It's kind of like what. 524 00:31:45,040 --> 00:31:47,000 Speaker 4: Are we doing here? What year is this? 525 00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:50,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, we really are. 526 00:31:51,240 --> 00:31:53,800 Speaker 2: And again I think a part of it is because 527 00:31:53,840 --> 00:31:57,360 Speaker 2: we because we're like such a capitalist society, or like 528 00:31:58,280 --> 00:32:02,680 Speaker 2: that's your works, that's your activity, Go make that money. 529 00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:07,960 Speaker 2: So yeah, this is This was a story I'd never heard, 530 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:11,600 Speaker 2: and it resonated with me pretty hard, honestly because I 531 00:32:11,680 --> 00:32:17,640 Speaker 2: also struggle so much to not work. 532 00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:19,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's just not yes. 533 00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:24,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, And I think it's even hard to feel like 534 00:32:24,880 --> 00:32:27,400 Speaker 3: any measure of progress has been made since this time 535 00:32:27,400 --> 00:32:31,200 Speaker 3: that we're talking about today, just because the boundaries between 536 00:32:31,360 --> 00:32:37,400 Speaker 3: work and personal life are so much more unclear today 537 00:32:37,560 --> 00:32:39,600 Speaker 3: where it's actually went into they went into the well. 538 00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:41,240 Speaker 1: To be fair, they also lived in. 539 00:32:41,200 --> 00:32:45,600 Speaker 3: Boarding houses, so there is that very specific situation. But 540 00:32:45,880 --> 00:32:48,600 Speaker 3: just like, okay, we're advocating for a four day work week, 541 00:32:48,680 --> 00:32:50,880 Speaker 3: per se, and I know this is something that is 542 00:32:50,920 --> 00:32:53,520 Speaker 3: often very I want to be mindful that something is 543 00:32:53,560 --> 00:32:57,360 Speaker 3: often very limited to people who work in like online. 544 00:32:57,520 --> 00:32:59,480 Speaker 3: They work, they use their computer, they're able to work 545 00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:01,400 Speaker 3: from home. So this does not apply to everybody, But 546 00:33:01,440 --> 00:33:04,280 Speaker 3: I'm just speaking for the people who do advocate for 547 00:33:04,360 --> 00:33:07,760 Speaker 3: something like that. It's still like okay, but there still 548 00:33:07,760 --> 00:33:09,640 Speaker 3: may be an expectation for you to be able to 549 00:33:09,680 --> 00:33:11,520 Speaker 3: pick up and work on a different day. 550 00:33:11,720 --> 00:33:15,360 Speaker 1: I mean, and I know, I'm sure, y'all, I know, 551 00:33:15,480 --> 00:33:16,040 Speaker 1: y'all know nothing. 552 00:33:16,120 --> 00:33:22,880 Speaker 3: I'm sure I know people who feel that compelled and 553 00:33:22,920 --> 00:33:25,520 Speaker 3: not just compelled, I mean they really have to work 554 00:33:25,560 --> 00:33:27,960 Speaker 3: on other days to be able to fulfill their duties. 555 00:33:28,920 --> 00:33:33,960 Speaker 1: And yeah, so it's hard to disentangle now. 556 00:33:34,240 --> 00:33:37,520 Speaker 3: It's like, now the question is now we have really 557 00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:42,000 Speaker 3: fully I mean, we've stepped into that place where we 558 00:33:42,080 --> 00:33:46,920 Speaker 3: do associate our value with the amount and quality of 559 00:33:47,080 --> 00:33:50,000 Speaker 3: the work that we do. And it's really hard to 560 00:33:50,040 --> 00:33:54,959 Speaker 3: disentangle from that when you are barely trying to make 561 00:33:55,080 --> 00:33:58,520 Speaker 3: ends meet, as most people are in the United States, right. 562 00:33:59,400 --> 00:34:03,640 Speaker 4: And a whole like turn and flipping of language when 563 00:34:03,680 --> 00:34:06,320 Speaker 4: it comes to workplaces to do that whole like, we're family, 564 00:34:06,760 --> 00:34:08,360 Speaker 4: You're not doing this for work. It's not just a 565 00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:10,759 Speaker 4: job for you. This is about us, you know, helping 566 00:34:10,800 --> 00:34:15,480 Speaker 4: each other and realizing we've really been brainwashed and making 567 00:34:15,560 --> 00:34:18,600 Speaker 4: money for people like one percent of the people while 568 00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:21,160 Speaker 4: the rest of us are told and guilted that if 569 00:34:21,160 --> 00:34:24,200 Speaker 4: we don't do these certain amount of things and create 570 00:34:24,239 --> 00:34:27,480 Speaker 4: a certain amount of profit, then we have let other 571 00:34:27,520 --> 00:34:31,520 Speaker 4: people down, Like it's such a weird gaslighting guilt trip 572 00:34:31,760 --> 00:34:34,280 Speaker 4: that has happened, as well as a whole like bringing 573 00:34:34,320 --> 00:34:36,640 Speaker 4: back kids back in the workplace, but the whole idea 574 00:34:36,640 --> 00:34:40,399 Speaker 4: of like it's teaching ethics, but it's really not. It's 575 00:34:40,400 --> 00:34:43,600 Speaker 4: once again just creating profit. Like there's this level of 576 00:34:43,640 --> 00:34:48,680 Speaker 4: like conversation and I think we finally come to the 577 00:34:48,680 --> 00:34:52,319 Speaker 4: point like, wait, this is this is not right. 578 00:34:52,360 --> 00:34:53,080 Speaker 1: What is happening. 579 00:34:53,120 --> 00:34:56,600 Speaker 4: I feel like you're lying to me and yet you're 580 00:34:56,640 --> 00:35:01,080 Speaker 4: getting rich and I'm suffering. Whether it's I'm anxious because 581 00:35:01,120 --> 00:35:03,440 Speaker 4: you're telling me I'm not doing enough when I'm working 582 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:06,600 Speaker 4: sixty hours a week. This is not corrupt somehow, but 583 00:35:06,680 --> 00:35:08,000 Speaker 4: obviously Yeah. 584 00:35:08,120 --> 00:35:10,840 Speaker 3: I also love that you brought up the word ethic, 585 00:35:11,200 --> 00:35:13,640 Speaker 3: because I think that's a whole other can of worms. 586 00:35:14,200 --> 00:35:18,120 Speaker 3: I think a lot of times we praise and uplift 587 00:35:18,160 --> 00:35:20,919 Speaker 3: the idea of somebody having a quote unquote good work 588 00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:25,480 Speaker 3: ethic without interrogating all that that means. Because the question 589 00:35:25,640 --> 00:35:27,360 Speaker 3: is at the end of that work ethic, like what 590 00:35:27,520 --> 00:35:32,160 Speaker 3: is the purpose and during the duration of you having 591 00:35:32,239 --> 00:35:36,640 Speaker 3: this work ethic or this good work ethic, what am 592 00:35:36,640 --> 00:35:40,680 Speaker 3: I doing to myself and my body, and we look 593 00:35:40,760 --> 00:35:44,040 Speaker 3: to people like God knows, don't come for me behive 594 00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:49,359 Speaker 3: Beyonce and are like, you know, while she has an 595 00:35:49,360 --> 00:35:55,200 Speaker 3: amazing work ethic and that's aspirational without considering like the 596 00:35:55,200 --> 00:35:57,840 Speaker 3: context of how we work and what we want for 597 00:35:57,880 --> 00:36:00,560 Speaker 3: our own lives, right, and what's the aim is. But 598 00:36:00,840 --> 00:36:03,680 Speaker 3: I mean, I think that's just worthy of conversation. I'm 599 00:36:03,680 --> 00:36:07,279 Speaker 3: not tearing her down. Yeah, she does her thing right, 600 00:36:07,600 --> 00:36:10,440 Speaker 3: you know, I just think, you know, for us normies, 601 00:36:12,680 --> 00:36:14,560 Speaker 3: we need to talk a little bit differently about. 602 00:36:14,320 --> 00:36:14,799 Speaker 1: It, right. 603 00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:19,040 Speaker 4: But also there's that level of like who assists her, 604 00:36:19,200 --> 00:36:22,799 Speaker 4: the amount of nannies and people who like attend her 605 00:36:22,880 --> 00:36:25,080 Speaker 4: to make sure this is functioning, Like the amount of 606 00:36:25,160 --> 00:36:27,400 Speaker 4: things that I think of that Taylor Shipt, don't swifties, 607 00:36:27,400 --> 00:36:30,200 Speaker 4: don't come after me because she is cost off, We're 608 00:36:30,200 --> 00:36:34,560 Speaker 4: gonna just canceled. She is constantly touring and creating new 609 00:36:34,600 --> 00:36:36,759 Speaker 4: albums and doing all these things. But again, she also 610 00:36:36,760 --> 00:36:38,600 Speaker 4: has a private jet that flies her home every night. 611 00:36:38,640 --> 00:36:41,640 Speaker 4: Like there's other things to this that we're not talking about, 612 00:36:41,640 --> 00:36:43,799 Speaker 4: so that she can care for herself and her own 613 00:36:43,840 --> 00:36:46,759 Speaker 4: comfortable home every night, no matter where she tours. Like 614 00:36:46,800 --> 00:36:49,440 Speaker 4: there's this level of like, yeah, I get it, there's 615 00:36:49,480 --> 00:36:52,480 Speaker 4: this worth work ethic people who push but again they're 616 00:36:52,560 --> 00:36:56,480 Speaker 4: also have a lot of money already. Not not tailor swift, 617 00:36:56,520 --> 00:36:59,000 Speaker 4: but Beyonce, I'm thinking about more like CEOs working off 618 00:36:59,000 --> 00:37:02,720 Speaker 4: the backs of other people in order to get more 619 00:37:03,040 --> 00:37:07,520 Speaker 4: essentially and telling other people to sacrifice themselves again health 620 00:37:07,520 --> 00:37:09,680 Speaker 4: and whatnot, while at the same time having to figure 621 00:37:09,719 --> 00:37:12,919 Speaker 4: out how to do childcare, how to correctly, how about 622 00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:15,200 Speaker 4: to take time off to go to a doctor if 623 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:17,640 Speaker 4: some emergency happens, how to take time off to do that, 624 00:37:17,760 --> 00:37:20,439 Speaker 4: Like all of these things that come into factors when 625 00:37:20,440 --> 00:37:24,000 Speaker 4: we're talking about ethics and then wanting to do like 626 00:37:24,160 --> 00:37:27,240 Speaker 4: a scrunchy face disapproval. Look for people who have children 627 00:37:27,320 --> 00:37:29,160 Speaker 4: and have to take sickly because they have to take 628 00:37:29,160 --> 00:37:31,080 Speaker 4: a kid to a doctor, They have to take time 629 00:37:31,120 --> 00:37:34,480 Speaker 4: off to go to the school, to have meetings, you know, 630 00:37:34,520 --> 00:37:39,399 Speaker 4: all these things that we don't actually allow for when 631 00:37:39,440 --> 00:37:40,680 Speaker 4: we talk about ethics. 632 00:37:41,120 --> 00:37:45,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, yes, that's a lot, and I don't know the 633 00:37:45,719 --> 00:37:48,319 Speaker 3: way out. If you can tell us, Samantha, please tell 634 00:37:48,400 --> 00:37:49,440 Speaker 3: us now know. 635 00:37:50,640 --> 00:37:52,560 Speaker 4: My thing is just to spiral out and finally be 636 00:37:52,560 --> 00:37:54,440 Speaker 4: like I'm done, I'll talk to you later and just 637 00:37:54,880 --> 00:37:57,680 Speaker 4: like disappear. So not a good solution either. At the 638 00:37:57,680 --> 00:37:59,719 Speaker 4: same time, I'll probably be fired if you do that 639 00:37:59,760 --> 00:38:01,319 Speaker 4: bad an extended amount of time. 640 00:38:01,960 --> 00:38:08,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, it is really interesting and definitely a bigger conversation, 641 00:38:09,040 --> 00:38:13,720 Speaker 2: but about all of the things that we do. 642 00:38:15,840 --> 00:38:16,160 Speaker 3: Just to. 643 00:38:17,920 --> 00:38:20,760 Speaker 2: Just to survive, just to live, just to make money. 644 00:38:22,680 --> 00:38:27,080 Speaker 2: We try just to try to go on vacation like 645 00:38:27,200 --> 00:38:31,759 Speaker 2: a little bit, but also how much, Yeah, we do. 646 00:38:32,600 --> 00:38:35,359 Speaker 2: That's a good point. Really look up to the work 647 00:38:35,400 --> 00:38:40,080 Speaker 2: ethic and we believe if you hustle enough and heavy quotes, 648 00:38:41,880 --> 00:38:47,920 Speaker 2: you could do it too right. And yeah, sorry to 649 00:38:47,960 --> 00:38:51,279 Speaker 2: tell you, Sorry to tell you pretty rare. 650 00:38:52,360 --> 00:38:57,239 Speaker 1: I hate that for us. One day we'll hit it big. 651 00:38:58,239 --> 00:38:59,840 Speaker 1: Well that. 652 00:39:02,280 --> 00:39:05,080 Speaker 2: Thank you, Thank you, Thank you so much, Eaves for coming. 653 00:39:05,200 --> 00:39:09,160 Speaker 2: As always, we love having you. Where can the good. 654 00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:10,600 Speaker 1: Listeners find you? 655 00:39:10,600 --> 00:39:15,360 Speaker 3: You can find me on Instagram at not Apologizing. You 656 00:39:15,360 --> 00:39:18,759 Speaker 3: can just go to my website Evesjeffcote dot com. You 657 00:39:18,760 --> 00:39:22,160 Speaker 3: can also listen to many other episodes of Sminty where 658 00:39:22,200 --> 00:39:26,200 Speaker 3: I'm doing female First. You can also listen to on Theme, 659 00:39:26,320 --> 00:39:29,240 Speaker 3: which is a podcast that I co host with Katie Mitchell. 660 00:39:29,480 --> 00:39:32,720 Speaker 3: It's about black storytelling in all its forms. 661 00:39:33,280 --> 00:39:38,839 Speaker 2: Yes, go do all of those subscribe like whatever to 662 00:39:38,920 --> 00:39:42,120 Speaker 2: all of those things. Listeners. If you have not including 663 00:39:42,160 --> 00:39:42,920 Speaker 2: this show. 664 00:39:43,080 --> 00:39:44,640 Speaker 1: I'm not putting that in there. 665 00:39:44,719 --> 00:39:51,120 Speaker 2: If you're listening right now, well, if you would like 666 00:39:51,160 --> 00:39:54,120 Speaker 2: to contact us, you can our email Stuff Media, Mom 667 00:39:54,160 --> 00:39:56,359 Speaker 2: stephantiheartmedia dot com. You can find us on Twitter at 668 00:39:56,360 --> 00:39:58,920 Speaker 2: mom Stuff Podcast or on Instagram and TikTok at Stuff 669 00:39:58,920 --> 00:40:01,520 Speaker 2: One Ever told You. We're also on YouTube. We have 670 00:40:01,560 --> 00:40:03,040 Speaker 2: a tea public store. We have a book you can 671 00:40:03,080 --> 00:40:05,120 Speaker 2: get wherever you get your books. Thanks as always to 672 00:40:05,200 --> 00:40:07,520 Speaker 2: our super producer Christina or executive producer Maya and our 673 00:40:07,520 --> 00:40:08,320 Speaker 2: contributor Joey. 674 00:40:08,480 --> 00:40:08,920 Speaker 4: Thank you. 675 00:40:09,080 --> 00:40:10,800 Speaker 2: Thanks to you for listening Stuff I Never told You. 676 00:40:10,880 --> 00:40:12,640 Speaker 2: Protection of my Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my 677 00:40:12,680 --> 00:40:14,239 Speaker 2: Heart Radio, you can check out the heart Radio app 678 00:40:14,239 --> 00:40:16,120 Speaker 2: Apple podcast wherever you listen to your favorite show