Downtown Oakland in Alameda County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
General Strike!
Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, April 18, 2019
1. General Strike! Marker
In December 1946, management refusal to recognize a union of retail clerks in stores adjacent to Latham Square led to a general strike involving 100,000 workers in Alameda County. Called a "work holiday by labor leaders, the spirited action expressed the frustration of women returning to their traditional jobs following World War II, and the anger of veterans that the democracy they fought for overseas did not extend to their home workplaces.
Picket lines spilled off the sidewalks into Telegraph Avenue, Broadway, and Latham Square. The Oakland Voters League emerged from the geeral strike, and backed by labor and the NAACP, it took four of five City Council seats in the spring 1947 election. Retail clerks gained union recognition shortly thereafter.
Erected 2016 by City of Oakland.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Labor Unions. A significant historical month for this entry is December 1946.
Location. 37° 48.336′ N, 122° 16.234′ W. Marker is in Oakland, California, in Alameda County. It is in Downtown Oakland. It is at the intersection of Telegraph Avenue and Broadway, on the left
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Regionally, this marker is in California’s San Francisco Bay Area and on the Coast Ranges. It is also on the American Pacific Coast. Globally, it is in North America, on the Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Rim, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also Mexicos Alta California.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Uptown Saturday Night (here, next to this marker); Crossroads (here, next to this marker); Latham Square (here, next to this marker); The Lathams (here, next to this marker); Latham Memorial Fountain Unveiled (a few steps from this marker); Breonna Taylor (within shouting distance of this marker); 1946 General Strike (within shouting distance of this marker); Oakland City Hall (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Oakland.
Related marker.
Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, November 10, 2020
2. General Strike! Marker - wide view
The General Strike! marker is the middle one of the three visible here.
Also see . . .
1. 1946 Oakland General Strike. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on November 21, 2020.)
2. 1946 Oakland General Strike. Oakland Wiki entry (Submitted on November 21, 2020.)
3. We Called it a Work Holiday: The 1946 Oakland General Strike (UCB IRLE). Wayback Machine website entry (Submitted on November 21, 2020.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 21, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 370 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 21, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
