AFSCME is asking for your help!

The 1968 Memphis sanitation strike is a powerful example of the change working people can make through collective action. Thirteen hundred African American sanitation workers, represented by AFSCME Local 1733, put everything on the line for dignity and respect, marching with signs that declared their humanity with the slogan, “I AM A MAN.” It is one of American history’s most compelling fights for labor rights and civil rights.

Last year, to mark the 55th anniversary of the strike, AFSCME President Lee Saunders produced a five-episode podcast called “I AM Story” that introduced a new generation of activists to this iconic struggle. The podcast has now been nominated for an NAACP Image Award in the Outstanding Podcast – Limited Series/Short Form category, and we can vote to determine the winner.

1. Click on this link.

2. Click on the “Outstanding Podcast – Limited Series/Short Form” category under the “Recording” header.

3. Click the “Vote” button located underneath the “I AM Story” podcast—please note that this does not officially count your vote!

4. You must click “Back to Categories,” which will return you to the original page.

5. Finally, scroll to the bottom of the categories page and click the “Submit Your Votes” button.

6. Enter your email into the pop-up window, and once it says, “Vote received,” your vote has officially been counted.

At a moment when issues of racial and economic justice are again front and center, it is more important than ever that we honor the Memphis strikers, raising their profile and telling their remarkable story.

Thank you so much for helping us carry on the legacy of the Memphis sanitation strike. Our union siblings at AFSCME, the strikers, and their families appreciate your vote.