Struggle & Solidarity

From the 1968 Sanitation Workers' Strike to the Kellogg's battles of 2013 and 2021 — this is the untold story of Memphis labor, written by someone who lived it.

When 1,300 Black sanitation workers walked off the job in 1968, carrying signs that read "I AM A MAN," they changed American history forever. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. came to Memphis to stand with them. He gave his life there. And the movement they started never stopped.

Struggle and Solidarity traces the full arc of Memphis labor history across five decades — from the defining moment of 1968 through the rise of public sector unions, the modern battles against Republic Services, Starbucks, AT&T, General Motors, and the Kellogg's Memphis plant, where 226 workers were illegally locked out for 10 months.

Kevin Bradshaw, a veteran Memphis labor leader and President of BCTGM Local 252G, tells the story from the inside — the strikes he led, the mentors who shaped him (including the legendary William "Bill" Lucy), and the coalition he co-founded (C.O.P.P.E.R.) to protect workers' rights and fight for equal treatment.

Inside you'll find: The complete story of the 1968 Sanitation Strike and its lasting impact. Modern labor struggles in Memphis — Teamsters, Starbucks, CWA, UAW, and BCTGM. The 2013 Kellogg's Lockout — 226 workers, 10 months, one unbreakable union. How C.O.P.P.E.R. was born from struggle and became a permanent force for change. The 2021 Kellogg's Strike — a national fight with Memphis at its heart. The mentors, leaders, and community builders who keep the movement alive.