Ralph Chaplin
Encyclopedia
Ralph Hosea Chaplin was an American writer, artist and labor
activist. At the age of seven, he saw a worker shot dead during the Pullman strike
in Chicago, Illinois. He had moved with his family from Ames, Kansas
to Chicago in 1893. During a time in Mexico
he was influenced by hearing of the execution squads established by Porfirio Diaz
, and became a supporter of Emiliano Zapata
. On his return, he began work in various union
positions, most of which were poorly paid. Some of Chaplin's early artwork was done for the International Socialist Review and other Charles H. Kerr publications.
For two years Chaplin worked in the strike committee with Mother Jones for the bloody Kanawha County, West Virginia
strike of coal
miners in 1912-13. These influences led him to write a number of labor oriented poems, one of which became the words for the oft-sung union anthem, "Solidarity Forever
".
Chaplin then became active in the Industrial Workers of the World
(the I.W.W., or "Wobblies") and became editor of its eastern U.S. publication Solidarity
. In 1917 Chaplin and some 100 other Wobblies were rounded up, convicted, and jailed under the Espionage Act for conspiring to hinder the draft
and encourage desertion
. He wrote Bars And Shadows: The Prison Poems while serving four years of a 20-year sentence.
Although he continued to work for labor rights after his release from prison, Chaplin was very disillusioned by the aftermath of the Russian Revolution
.
However, he was also not pleased by the course of New Deal
liberalism. Chaplin maintained his involvement with the I.W.W., serving in Chicago as editor of its newspaper, the Industrial Worker
, from 1932 to 1936. He became active in the cause of preventing Communist
infiltration in American unions.
Eventually Chaplin settled in Tacoma
, Washington, where he edited the local labor publication. From 1949 until his death he was curator of manuscripts for the Washington State Historical Society.
He is credited with designing the now widely used anarcho-syndicalist image, the black cat. As its stance indicates, the cat is meant to suggest wildcat strikes
and radical unionism.
Labour movement
The term labour movement or labor movement is a broad term for the development of a collective organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for better treatment from their employers and governments, in particular through the implementation of specific laws governing labour...
activist. At the age of seven, he saw a worker shot dead during the Pullman strike
Pullman Strike
The Pullman Strike was a nationwide conflict between labor unions and railroads that occurred in the United States in 1894. The conflict began in the town of Pullman, Illinois on May 11 when approximately 3,000 employees of the Pullman Palace Car Company began a wildcat strike in response to recent...
in Chicago, Illinois. He had moved with his family from Ames, Kansas
Ames, Kansas
Ames is an unincorporated rural area in Cloud County, Kansas, United States.-See also:* Central Branch Union Pacific Railroad...
to Chicago in 1893. During a time in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
he was influenced by hearing of the execution squads established by Porfirio Diaz
Porfirio Díaz
José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori was a Mexican-American War volunteer and French intervention hero, an accomplished general and the President of Mexico continuously from 1876 to 1911, with the exception of a brief term in 1876 when he left Juan N...
, and became a supporter of Emiliano Zapata
Emiliano Zapata
Emiliano Zapata Salazar was a leading figure in the Mexican Revolution, which broke out in 1910, and which was initially directed against the president Porfirio Díaz. He formed and commanded an important revolutionary force, the Liberation Army of the South, during the Mexican Revolution...
. On his return, he began work in various union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
positions, most of which were poorly paid. Some of Chaplin's early artwork was done for the International Socialist Review and other Charles H. Kerr publications.
Kanawha County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 200,073 people, 86,226 households, and 55,960 families residing in the county. The population density was 222 people per square mile . There were 93,788 housing units at an average density of 104 per square mile...
strike of coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
miners in 1912-13. These influences led him to write a number of labor oriented poems, one of which became the words for the oft-sung union anthem, "Solidarity Forever
Solidarity Forever
"Solidarity Forever", written by Ralph Chaplin in 1915, is perhaps the most famous union anthem. It is sung to the tune of "John Brown's Body" and is inspired by "The Battle Hymn of the Republic". Although it was written as a song for the Industrial Workers of the World , other union movements,...
".
Chaplin then became active in the Industrial Workers of the World
Industrial Workers of the World
The Industrial Workers of the World is an international union. At its peak in 1923, the organization claimed some 100,000 members in good standing, and could marshal the support of perhaps 300,000 workers. Its membership declined dramatically after a 1924 split brought on by internal conflict...
(the I.W.W., or "Wobblies") and became editor of its eastern U.S. publication Solidarity
Solidarity (U.S. newspaper)
Solidarity, a newspaper published by the Industrial Workers of the World, was an eastern U.S. publication. The newspaper, the official periodical of the organization in its early years, was born of the McKees Rock strike in 1909, initially by the IWW's Pittsburgh-New Castle Industrial Council...
. In 1917 Chaplin and some 100 other Wobblies were rounded up, convicted, and jailed under the Espionage Act for conspiring to hinder the draft
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
and encourage desertion
Desertion
In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
. He wrote Bars And Shadows: The Prison Poems while serving four years of a 20-year sentence.
Although he continued to work for labor rights after his release from prison, Chaplin was very disillusioned by the aftermath of the Russian Revolution
Russian Revolution of 1917
The Russian Revolution is the collective term for a series of revolutions in Russia in 1917, which destroyed the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of the Soviet Union. The Tsar was deposed and replaced by a provisional government in the first revolution of February 1917...
.
However, he was also not pleased by the course of New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
liberalism. Chaplin maintained his involvement with the I.W.W., serving in Chicago as editor of its newspaper, the Industrial Worker
Industrial Worker
The Industrial Worker, "the voice of revolutionary industrial unionism," is the newspaper of the Industrial Workers of the World . It is currently released ten times a year, printed and edited by union labor, and is frequently distributed at radical bookstores, demonstrations, strikes and labor...
, from 1932 to 1936. He became active in the cause of preventing Communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
infiltration in American unions.
Eventually Chaplin settled in Tacoma
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
, Washington, where he edited the local labor publication. From 1949 until his death he was curator of manuscripts for the Washington State Historical Society.
He is credited with designing the now widely used anarcho-syndicalist image, the black cat. As its stance indicates, the cat is meant to suggest wildcat strikes
Wildcat strike action
A wildcat strike action, often referred to as a wildcat strike, is a strike action taken by workers without the authorization of their trade union officials. This is sometimes termed unofficial industrial action...
and radical unionism.
External links
includes Bars And Shadows: The Prison Poems Of Ralph Chaplin originally published in 1922 and then in 2004 as Project Gutenberg EBook.- CHAPLIN, Ralph Hosea (1887-1961), papers, 6 l.f. Special Collections, Washington State Historical Society