It Started in Wisconsin: Dispatches from the Front Lines of the New Labor Protest

It Started in Wisconsin documents the 2011 Wisconsin protests against Governor Scott Walker's legislation to restrict public sector unions. Through firsthand accounts, essays, and photographs, the book captures the uprising that occupied the state capitol building and sparked labor demonstrations across the United States. The contributors include activists, journalists, scholars, and participants who were present during the month-long protest movement. Their narratives detail the organization, tactics, and daily experiences of those who participated in what became the largest labor mobilization in modern Wisconsin history. Labor historian Mari Jo Buhle assembles these diverse perspectives to examine the broader significance of Wisconsin's protest movement within American labor history. The collection reveals how traditional union organizing methods merged with new forms of social media activism to create a model for 21st century labor resistance.

Readers found this book provides detailed accounts and firsthand perspectives of the 2011 Wisconsin labor protests against Governor Scott Walker's legislation. What readers liked: - The range of contributors including activists, academics and journalists - Strong historical context connecting the protests to Wisconsin's progressive tradition - Personal narratives and testimonies from those who participated - Quality photojournalism documenting key moments Common criticisms: - Writing can be uneven between different contributors - Some essays felt rushed or underdeveloped - Limited coverage of protest outcomes and long-term impacts - Lacks opposing viewpoints or balanced perspective Ratings: Goodreads: 3.84/5 (26 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (6 ratings) One reviewer noted: "The on-the-ground reporting captures the energy and urgency of those weeks at the Capitol." Another criticized: "Too focused on emotional appeals rather than policy analysis and missed an opportunity for deeper examination of labor issues."

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🔷 The book chronicles the massive 2011 Wisconsin protests, where over 100,000 people occupied the State Capitol building in response to Governor Scott Walker's attempt to eliminate collective bargaining rights for public employees. 🔷 Mari Jo Buhle, a MacArthur Fellow and professor emerita at Brown University, comes from Wisconsin herself and was active in the state's civil rights movement during the 1960s. 🔷 Wisconsin was the first state to grant collective bargaining rights to public employees in 1959, making Governor Walker's 2011 legislation particularly significant as it threatened to undo this historic precedent. 🔷 The protests featured innovative tactics including the "Solidarity Sing-Along," which continued daily for years after the initial demonstrations, becoming the longest-running protest song circle in U.S. history. 🔷 The events documented in the book inspired similar labor movements across the country and helped spark the Occupy Wall Street movement later that same year.