The Charleston Hospital Strike | The World of Cecil

Kaltura

The first segment of The World of Cecil: Part Two focuses on a labor strike in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1969, where hospital workers, predominantly Black women, were fighting for fair pay and better working conditions. The strike gained national attention with the involvement of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and Coretta Scott King, the widow of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who became a union organizer for the hospital workers. The segment highlights the power of photography in documenting the struggle and the role played by Cecil Williams, a photographer for Jet magazine. This strike symbolized a significant moment in the civil rights movement and showcased the unity and determination of the Black community to achieve better labor rights.