28th Annual Mother Jones Dinner

Saturday, October 26, 2013

University of Illinois at Springfield

Public Affairs Center

Sangamon Auditorium Lobby

5:00 p.m. Social Hour 6:00 p.m. Dinner 7:00 p.m. Program

They Have the Money...We Have the People!

Connecting Unions and Economic Justice

Bill Fletcher, Jr.

Leading Labor, Racial Justice and International Solidarity Leader

Bill Fletcher, Jr. is a longtime labor, racial justice and international activist. He is a Editorial Board member and columnist for Black Commentator.com and a Senior Scholar for Policy Studies in Washington, DC. He is the immediate past president of TransAfrica Forum and a founder of the Black Radical Congress. He was formerly the Vice President for International Trade Union Development Programs for the George Meany Center of the AFL-CIO. Prior to the George Meany Center, Fletcher served as Education Director and Later Assistant to the President of the AFL-CIO.

Fletcher is a graduate of Harvard University and has authored numerous articles and speaks widely on domestic and international topics, racial justice and labor issues. He is co-author (with Fernando Gapasin) of Solidarity Divided: The Crises in Organized Labor and A New Path Toward Social Justice. His most recent book is “They're Bankrupting Us!” And 20 Other Myths about Labor Unions. Both books will be available and Bill will be happy to sign them. (

David Rovics

Singer-Songwriter, Globe Traveling Activist

David grew up in a family of classical musicians in Wilton, Connecticut, and became a fan of populist regimes early on. By the early 90's he was a full-time busker in the Boston subways and by the mid-90's he was traveling the world as a professional flat-picking rabble-rouser.

These days David lives in Portland, Oregon and tours regularly on four continents, playing for audiences large and small at cafes, pubs, universities, churches, union halls and protest rallies. He has shared the stage with a veritable who's who of the left in two dozen countries, and has had his music featured on Democracy Now!, BBC, Al-Jazeera and other networks. His essays are published regularly on CounterPunch and elsewhere, and the 200+ songs he makes available for free on the web have been downloaded more than a million times. Most importantly, he's really good. He will make you laugh, he will make you cry, he will make the revolution irresistible. (

Mother Jones Memorial Ceremony

Sunday Afternoon, October 27– Join us on a pilgrimage to Mt. Olive, IL for a memorial ceremony at the Mother Jones Monument in Union Miners Cemetery, beginning at 12:30 pm. The program is conducted by the Union Miners Cemetery Committee and features brief presentations by area union and community members. It is with great pleasure this year to report that both Bill Fletcher, Jr. and David Rovics plan to attend this service to pay homage to one of labor's most remarkable organizers.

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Dinner Information

Dinner tickets for this year’s event are $30.00 each. Reserved tables of ten are available and are arranged the evening of the program on a first-come-first-served basis only. Placards with the name of your organization can be picked up at the reception table. Tickets will be mailed upon receipt of payment – so please reply early.

For organizations who wish to support the program by purchasing tickets but whose members may not all attend the dinner, please let us know and allow us to make the tickets available to students, union and community members who might not otherwise be able to attend. Thank you for your cooperation and support helping to educate others about Mother Jones.

School Library Project

To continue the project initiated by departed Brother Mike Walsh, the Mother Jones Foundation will accept donations of books on Labor and/or monetary contributions for the purchase of books. The books will be donated to an Illinois school library.

Special Contributions

Organizations, groups or individuals who donate $50 or more will be listed as Special Contributors in our program. With gratitude, we accept donations to help continue the work of the Foundation.

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Please complete and return this portion with payment

# of individuals ______@ $30each = $______Total amount

# of tables of ten ______@ $300 each = $______Total amount

Special Contribution ______@ $50 or more = $______Total amount

$______TOTAL PAID

Name: ______

Union or Organization: ______

Address: ______Phone: ______

______E-mail: ______

Please return reservations and checks payable to:

Mother Jones Foundation

P.O. Box 20412

Springfield, Illinois 62708-0412

For more information call:

Jack Dyer at 217-691-4185 Terry Reed at 217-789-6495