The 1899 newsboy strike is more than a historical footnote; it offers valuable lessons that resonate with the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) strikes of today. How does one combat giant corporations that hold sway over the channels of communication? And perhaps unexpectedly, what role can singing and dancing play in the solidarity and spirit of a picket line? Becky Allen and I tackle these topics and more as we analyze the 1992 film Newsies.
Note: This episode was recorded just one day after the commencement of the strike. In the interim, many content creators, myself included, have chosen to support the strike by halting the production of content related to on-screen media from the companies involved. I contemplated delaying the release of this episode but ultimately decided its focus on union support and strike advocacy was too pertinent to hold back. However, this will likely be the last episode of this nature for some time.
Becky Allen, author of Bound by Blood and Sand and its sequel, Freed by Flame and Storm, hails from the outskirts of Ithaca, New York. A Brandeis University alum, Becky now works in the tech industry and resides in New York with their sister and two black cats, Jinx and Hex.
