Many of us took organized labor for granted—until the specter of its complete removal from American life presented itself in all its mendaciousness. As a result, interest in the history of the union movement has grown, and what better time for instilling its importance than in childhood. Blue Jenkins, the latest in the Badger Biography series for young readers, is the little remembered true story of William “Blue” Jenkins, a black man who grew up in the predominantly white factory town of Racine during the 1930s. By 1962 he was a union president. Jenkins knew about unfairness first hand, living in a time when a business owner could refuse to hire or serve him because of his skin color. Jenkins realized that such abuses can be fought through a union of workers solid in their goals. His story reminds us that without the growth of the union movement after World War II, the U.S. might never have become a middle class society.
