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 The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), also known as The Wobbles, were a force to be reckoned with in the early 1900s. They were determined to organize workers, advocate for free speech rights, and be all inclusive to workers of any race or gender who wanted to join their ranks. Music was a fundamental part of the movement and was brought to life by Katie Phar and Joe Hill. Their stories illustrate how children and songs were active in the IWW movement by creating a musical culture that enriched their cause.

This program is presented by  Senteara Orwig.  Ms Orwig studied at the University of Washington, where she earned her Bachelor’s in Anthropology, History and minored in Diversity Studies. She also completed her Masters in Library & Information Science at UW. During undergraduate studies she interned at the UW Libraries Special Collections Labor Archives, where she dove into the world of the IWW through photographs and memorabilia, including The Little Red Songbook. The impact of children and music instantly stood out to her and she furthered her research to write IWW Songbird Katie Phar. Today she works on improving company culture and the people's experience in the workplace.

This program is part of Lake County Reads.  A one-book, one-county program sponsored by the Lake County League of Libraries.  All the Lake County Libraries are hosting special events this summer relating to subjects discussed in The Cold Millions.  The culminating program will be a virtual evening with author Jess Walter.  Please check the Lake County League of Libraries website for more information about special events.