A Short History of the American Labor Movement. By Mary Beard. First Edition, First Printing. Harcourt, Brace, & Howe. New York, 1920.

Mary Ritter Beard was an American historian and suffragist who worked tirelessly during the Progressive Era and published numerous history texts that made her a well-known author during the period. She also established archives about women and women’s history that became models for similar work at numerous universities. Her most famous books centered around women in American history. Yet she also wrote widely about labor practices, American political movements, and more. In this volume, Beard traces a succinct but detailed history of the American Labor Movement. She brings the movement back to the nation’s founding. She emphasizes trade unions and recounts the turbulent decades in the American economy and labor relations following the Civil War. She also outlines ways to broaden labor rights. It is a spectacular work written for a popular audience–rich in facts, history, and detail, but accessibly written, proving Beard’s genius as a historian and author.

This first edition, first printing is in about-fine condition. In the original cloth, about-fine with only bumping and soiling to edges. Text block fine. In the extremely scarce dust jacket, about-fine with only toning, dampstaining, and chipping.

An about-fine first edition of A Short History of the American Labor Movement.