Zeitgeist

May Day and the Long Fight Against Concentrated Wealth

Books that trace the history of International Workers' Day, the tactics of labor organizing and mass protest, and the forces concentrating wealth that today's movements are pushing back against.

6 booksMay 1, 2026

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What's May Day? May 1 protests to support 'workers over billionaires'courierpostonline.com May Day events return to Pittsburghaxios.com Nationwide May Day protests expected to pick up mantle of 'No Kings'npr.org

Part of 510+ tracked lists

1. There Is Power in a Union
Philip Dray
Comprehensive history of American labor that grounds the meaning of May Day and the eight-hour movement referenced in...
Shelf signal: Labor & Workforce
2. Fight Like Hell
Kim Kelly
Contemporary account of labor struggle and organizing that connects past union battles to present-day protests and...
Shelf signal: Unions & Labor
3. From the Folks Who Brought You the Weekend
Priscilla Murolo, A.B. Chitty
Accessible survey of American working-class history useful for readers seeking context for modern May Day actions.
Shelf signal: Labor & Workforce
4. When We Fight, We Win
Greg Jobin-Leeds, AgitArte
A concise, movement-oriented primer on recent social movements and organizing tactics relevant to mass protests and...
Shelf signal: Civil & Human Rights for Teens
5. Dark Money
Jane Mayer
Investigation of wealthy political influence that explains the 'billionaires' target of May Day messaging.
Shelf signal: Conservatism & Liberalism
6. Tyranny of the Minority
Steven Levitsky, Daniel Ziblatt
Analysis of how political institutions have been captured and why reform matters for movements challenging concentrated...
Shelf signal: Conservatism & Liberalism
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