Historical Performance Pieces

History That Made Songs / Songs That Changed History

From hidden communication between slaves to songs fueling movements for economic justice, music serves as a tool to educate, unite and inspire. Charlie King recreates the history of people’s dreams and struggles for a better world in PowerPoint images, dramatic readings and powerful songs. He performs these workshops in classrooms, museums, labor conferences, public libraries, community centers, senior centers, and progressive gatherings around the country. Following these 45-60 minute performance pieces Charlie is eager to facilitate lively group discussion.

	1917 / COPPER! - WWI and the War on Labor 100 years ago U.S. history changed dramatically. With the US entry into World War I powerful Copper Barons carried out an organized assault on Unions in the mine fields of the West. This was especially true in the copper mines of Montana and Arizona. Enflamed by the tragic North Butte mining disaster, copper miners walked out in a massive strike, culminating in the infamous Bisbee Deportation. Heroism and tragedy, agitation and lynching, solidarity and the copper collar – it’s an adventurous centennial story, eerily relevant to the politics of today, told in historical narratives, powerpoint images and original songs.
	It Isn’t Nice: A History of Nonviolence in the U.S. Chronicles the inspiring history of nonviolent direct action involving dozens of social issues and people of diverse races and ages. Starts with the Boston Tea Party and ends with Iraq veterans resisting the war.
	Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn me ‘Round. Offers a history of the Civil Rights Movement for African Americans from 1955 to 1967, highlighting activists such as Rosa Parks, Fannie Lou Hamer and Ella Baker.
	Brother Can You Spare a Dime. Covers the 1930’s, from the Crash, the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and the rise of the CIO to the build-up to World War II.
	The Passion of Sacco and Vanzetti. Explores the story of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, wrongfully executed by the state of Massachusetts in a case that gained international attention. Their story is important in the current political climate for its exploration of issues such as dissent, immigrants, war and peace and the death penalty.
	Dump the Bosses off Your Back. Captures the spirit, the tactics and the history of the Industrial Workers of the World, arguably the most creative, visionary and musical movement in American Labor History.
	1912: Occupy Lawrence - The Great Textile Strike. Celebrates the 100th anniversary of what became known as the Bread & Roses Strike, bringing the strike alive while presenting a faithful historical account of a landmark event in American labor history.
	Si Se Puede: A history of Latino workers in the U.S. Honors the struggles, victories and contributions of Latino workers in our country’s labor history from the 19th century to the present, documenting the ways Latino working class heroes and heroines have raised standards for all workers.