We Shall Not Be Moved: The Women's Factory Strike of 1909

Rating:
Summary: Startling
Review: I was shocked that these women(and a few men)were willing to risk so much,their jobs, their homes, their respect, their pride and their safty for higher wages and for more resect.Many of them were beaten by hird thugs.Stricker and streetwalker(hooker) were sininims,it was so scary to the strickers because if the strick did not in time they might be driven to being a streetwalker by hunger.Although this book is slitly depressing it is a good book.My words don't even begin to describe the pain these women felt.

Rating:
Summary: We Shall Not Be Moved
Review: The Story is about women in America. It was the year 1909 and new immigrants are coming from different countries. They get jobs as shirtwaist-makers. Some of the women workers go on strike because of the low wages and unbearable conditions. They are picketing even though they get sent to jail or beaten up.Then, some other women in the middle classes and higher classes start unions for these workers. American girls and Immigrant girls alike join together in some strikes.
I liked the book very much. It was very educational. It was also exciting and exhilirating. I liked the book because it had girl power. It told me of how men dominated the world from women. It showed me to be very strong about something you believe in. It was a big morale booster, especially for girls.
I chose this book because of the cover. I thought the cover was very much enticing.The cover of this book caught my eye. Also because when I read the back of the book it grabbed my attention. I like historical books. I read some reviews of this book and it looked pretty good.

Rating:
Summary: Women Finally Get To Be Heard!
Review: Would you ever stand outside in the freezing cold, while getting beat and stared at all just to be heard and fight for something that you know you may never ever win? Well most wouldn't, however the brave yet very young shirtwaist girls did, day after day until something was done about it! The novel We Shall Not Be Moved by the author Joan Dash clearly and vividly informs readers about the "Women's Factory Strike Of 1909". Though many look upon the matter as insignificant it is truly the opposite as the author obviously demonstrates in her writing and enthusiasm.
The story is a very influential and heartbreaking; however it is all of this as well as more all while being incredibly precise. It explains that not only hardworking "men" get tired but hardworking women need a break also. Though it is indeed a story of triumph it sends an important and strong message across to its readers. The story starts in a shirtwaist building as many, many girls started their days in 1909. Young women, so deep into their silent yet busily done work they almost overlooked one little fact. The almost did not and at times ignored the simply stated fact that they were being "pushed around". Any one of the girls could have told a story of going hungry, not having a home and numerous more mishaps that occurred. All of them due to a extremely unfortunate cause, the very undersized amount of pay they received, especially for such carefully done work. Finally, a fed up girl speaking and crying out in Yiddish tongue announced her pain to the entire room of people, each and every one with the same exact opinion on the subject matter. Soon, that one girl would change the world.
Dash's writing plainly shows her passion and beliefs on the subject matter. The author uses descriptive and vibrant words to express emotion and feeling. Very specific detail and accurate facts also contribute to the wonderful story. In addition, occasional quotes and/or excerpts from original speeches dating back as far as the late early 1900's add to the exceptional story line. One of the plentiful examples include: "Many were paralyzed by their ignorance of the new country". This quote is not only strong and powerful but truthful all at the same time. It has a deeper meaning than what it says, it goes way beyond that simple meaning it seems to have. It conveys the seriousness of young girls (immigrants) coming to America with no skills and whatnot trying to make a living anyhow. She accurately and intensely captures what exactly the girls went through at the time period.
Dash uses real life situations that many of the young adults were faced with. For instance "One girl is given the factual name of Rea Lupatkin. She is nineteen, and like thousands of other young, single Jewish women she has come to America entirely on her own. Working in a shirtwaist factory, Rea earns four dollars for a fifty-six-hour week. Out of this she pays four dollars a month for lodging in a tenement apartment shared with a married couple and their child. She walks forty-five minutes to work each day to save the expense of carfare. Her food costs $2.25 a week so her regular weekly costs of living are $3.25, leaving seventy-five cents for every other expense. All the same Rea sends an occasional two dollars abroad to her family in Europe." This story is just one of the several young shirtwaist girls' stories. It proves that there were treated unfairly by their bosses and such. In addition it demonstrates that the young women were living and supporting not only themselves, but usually their family as well on close to nothing! These are just some of the various stories and testimonies of the shirtwaist makers.
Clara Lemlich, the one how happened to luckily start the strike and ILGWU (International Ladies Garment Workers Union) movement, clearly had spirit and nerve! She would go on to lead the young women and countless others in a march that not only changed the world for their advantage, but for the better!