Voices of Work, Songs of Struggle

Published September 3, 2025 at 4:00 PM MDT

In celebration of Labor Day, The Forum features acclaimed blues artist and composer Zac Harmon in conversation with hosts Jim Falk and Talitha Arnold. Together they explore how songs of work and struggle not only offered comfort to workers but also became rallying cries that fueled union movements. Before each performance, Harmon and Arnold provide the historical context behind the songs, enriching our understanding of the evolution of nation’s labor movement.

The combination of celebrated Mississippi-born blues singer Zac Harmon with co-host Talitha Arnold makes for a fascinating discussion about the impact of music on labor movements in the United States and around the world. Few mediums have given workers such a sense of belonging and the courage to fight for fairer and more equitable conditions as song.

Harmon reflects on his childhood under Jim Crow, recalling the haunting chants of chain gangs at work. Arnold traces pivotal moments in labor history, including the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, the 1913 Lawrence textiles strikes, and the Bracero program that brought Mexican workers to the U.S. during wartime, only to see many deported when the war ended. Together, they show how music has carried the struggles, hopes, and resilience of workers across generations.

Host: Jim Falk

Co-host: Talitha Arnold

Guest: Zac Harmon

Show Notes

The Triangle Shirt Ballad

Bread and Roses

Man in Not Meant to be Alone