Anniversary Event Spotlight: Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library Features Lecture on Powers Hapgood

As part of the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library (KVML)‘s first anniversary celebration on Saturday, January 28, the library will host an hour-long lecture about Hoosier labor organizer Powers Hapgood.

So who was Powers Hapgood? In a June 2003 interview with The Progressive, Vonnegut told Hapgood’s story.

“Powers Hapgood was a rich kid. His family owned a successful cannery in Indianapolis. Powers was radicalized. After he graduated from Harvard, he went to work in a coal mine to find out what that was like. He became a labor organizer. He led the pickets against the execution of Sacco and Vanzetti. I got to know him late in his life when he’d become a local CIO official. There was some sort of dustup on a picket line, enough to bring the cops into play. Hapgood was testifying in court about what was to be done about CIO members who had made trouble. The judge stopped the proceedings at one point and said, ‘Hapgood, why would a man with your advantages, from a wealthy, respected family, Harvard graduate, lead such a life?’ Powers Hapgood replied, ‘Why, the Sermon on the Mount, sir.’ Not bad, huh?”

Hapgood was the inspiration for the Kenneth Whistler character in Vonnegut’s Jailbird.

Born in Indianapolis in 1889, Powers Hapgood came from a family of intellectuals who worked for social justice.  Hapgood’s father owned the Columbia Conserve Company and established a system of workers’ ownership and management.  Powers’ uncles were both writers;  Hutch wrote The Spirit of the Ghetto among other works and was a Harvard English instructor and an anarchist. Norman wrote Professional Patriots, was a drama critic, and the U.S. ambassador to Denmark.   Powers Hapgood continued his family’s legacy.

Powers Hapgood’s granddaughter, Liza Newman, will share stories of her grandfather’s amazing life during this free lecture, which is open to the public. It begins at 2PM on Saturday, January 28, at the library.

Join us for stories of one man’s dedication to the lives of workers. As battles over organized labor continue today, this lecture is a timely one.

As always, please share this post with your social networks.

–Shannon

Tagged as: Anniversary, Event, Jailbird