Nila Kartika Wati
In June 1943, a pivotal moment in American labor history unfolded in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, when workers at the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company walked off their jobs to protest hazardous working conditions and systemic wage inequality. This strike, led primarily by Black women, did more than disrupt the operations of one of the world’s most powerful corporations; it catalyzed a movement that integrated labor rights with the broader struggle for civil rights, eventually giving birth to Local 22 of the Food, Tobacco, Agricultural, and Allied Workers of America-CIO. Today, as the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, the legacy of Local 22 serves as a blueprint for a new era of Southern organizing and philanthropic investment aimed at fortifying multiracial democracy through racial and economic justice.
The history of the South is frequently framed through a lens of deficit, focusing on the region’s struggles with poverty, disenfranchisement, and industrial exploitation. However, a deeper analysis reveals that the South has consistently functioned as a laboratory for democratic innovation. From the abolitionist movements of the 19th century to the civil rights breakthroughs of the 20th, Southern communities have pioneered strategies for collective liberation under conditions of extreme constraint. The current landscape of Southern organizing continues this tradition, challenging the notion that the region is a "risky investment" for national philanthropy and instead positioning it as the primary site for the defense and expansion of American democratic values.
The Legacy of Local 22: A Chronology of Intersectionality
The 1943 strike at the Winston-Salem tobacco plant was not merely a spontaneous outburst but the result of decades of suppressed grievances. At the time, R. J. Reynolds was the largest employer in North Carolina, and its workforce was strictly segregated. Black women, who occupied the lowest-paid and most dangerous positions in the "stemming" rooms, faced grueling heat, dust, and physical abuse. The walkout was triggered by the death of a worker on the factory floor, an event that galvanized over 10,000 employees to demand dignity and fair compensation.
By 1944, Local 22 had successfully unionized the plant, securing significant wage increases and establishing a grievance procedure that challenged the racial hierarchy of the shop floor. The union’s vision, however, extended far beyond the factory gates. Recognizing that economic power was inseparable from political agency, Local 22 launched an aggressive voter registration drive. At a time when the poll tax and literacy tests were used to systematically exclude Black citizens from the ballot box, the union registered thousands of new voters.
This mobilization bore fruit in 1947 when Reverend Kenneth Williams was elected to the Winston-Salem Board of Aldermen. Williams’ victory marked the first time a Black individual had held such a position in the city since the Reconstruction era, proving that interracial labor solidarity could dismantle the political structures of Jim Crow. This period established a precedent for "civil rights unionism," a model that remains essential to modern movements seeking to bridge the gap between labor rights and social equity.
Philanthropy and the Origins of Radical Imagination
The institutional history of Southern progress is often intertwined with the very wealth generated by the industries that organizers sought to reform. In 1953, ten years after the Local 22 strike, the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation (MRBF) was established with a $12 million bequest from the daughter of R. J. Reynolds. This paradox—a foundation built on tobacco wealth supporting the descendants of those who labored in the tobacco fields—highlights the necessity of institutional accountability.
The concept of "radical imagination," as practiced by the women of Local 22, involves the ability to see beyond the limitations of the present to build a future that is not yet visible. For modern philanthropy, this means moving beyond the traditional 5 percent payout mandated by U.S. law. While most private foundations distribute the bare minimum to maintain their tax-exempt status, the MRBF has adopted an 11 percent payout strategy. This commitment, recently extended through 2031, is strategically timed to align with the 2030 Census and subsequent redistricting cycles. These cycles are critical junctures that determine the balance of political power for a decade, and the foundation’s increased spending is designed to ensure that Southern communities have the resources to advocate for fair representation.
Data and the Economic Reality of the Modern South
Despite the historical gains of the labor movement, the South remains a region of stark economic contrasts. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Southern states consistently report some of the lowest union density rates in the country, often falling below 5 percent. This lack of collective bargaining power correlates with broader economic indicators; the South has the highest concentration of "right-to-work" states, which studies suggest leads to lower median household incomes and higher rates of uninsured residents compared to states with stronger labor protections.
Furthermore, the racial wealth gap in the South remains a persistent barrier to democratic participation. A report by the Prosperity Now initiative indicates that in many Southern states, the median wealth of White households is more than ten times that of Black households. This economic disparity is not a byproduct of market forces alone but the result of centuries of policy decisions—from the exclusion of domestic and agricultural workers from the New Deal to modern-day predatory lending practices.
Organizing efforts today are focused on reversing these trends by linking economic security to civic engagement. The Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable (MSBWR), for instance, has been instrumental in shifting the state’s policy landscape. In 2022, their "Power of the Pocketbook" campaign played a decisive role in the passage of Mississippi’s equal pay law. While the legislation was a significant milestone, MSBWR continues to advocate for stronger enforcement mechanisms, recognizing that a law without agency is insufficient to close the wage gap for Black women, who earn significantly less than their White male counterparts in the state.
Modern Case Studies in Southern Resilience
The contemporary struggle for justice in the South is characterized by a multifaceted approach that addresses the intersections of criminal justice, environmental racism, and immigrant rights.
In Louisiana, the Promise of Justice Initiative (PJI) is leading a legal and grassroots challenge to the state’s carceral system. Their work focuses on the Louisiana State Penitentiary, known as Angola, which sits on the site of a former slave plantation. PJI has documented and litigated against the use of forced agricultural labor, where incarcerated men—disproportionately Black—are required to work in fields under conditions that mirror the chattel slavery of the 19th century. By framing mass incarceration as an economic and human rights crisis, PJI is continuing the work of Local 22 by demanding dignity for the region’s most marginalized laborers.
Similarly, the Immigrant Alliance for Justice and Equity (CASA IAJE) in Mississippi has demonstrated the power of community-led safety nets. During the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent Jackson water crisis—a disaster exacerbated by decades of infrastructure neglect and systemic disinvestment—CASA IAJE stepped in to fill the vacuum left by government inaction. They coordinated the distribution of clean water, food, and protective equipment to immigrant communities who were often ineligible for federal aid. This model of "mutual aid as democracy" illustrates how Southern organizers are building the infrastructure of a future society while simultaneously fighting to reform the existing one.
The Strategic Importance of the 250th Anniversary
As the United States prepares to commemorate its 250th year in 2026, the national narrative often focuses on the founding documents and the ideals of the Enlightenment. However, the Southern experience suggests that the true story of American democracy is found in the ongoing struggle to make those ideals a reality for all people.
The upcoming census and redistricting cycles in 2030 and 2032 represent a high-stakes period for the region. The South is currently experiencing significant population growth, driven in part by internal migration and a growing immigrant population. How these new demographics are reflected in political boundaries will determine the trajectory of the country’s climate policy, economic regulations, and civil rights protections for the next generation.
Philanthropic leaders are beginning to recognize that under-resourcing the South is a strategic error. By providing long-term, flexible support to grassroots organizations, foundations can help sustain the civic infrastructure necessary to weather moments of political crisis. The shift from "risky investment" to "strategic priority" requires a fundamental change in how success is measured—moving away from short-term policy wins toward the long-term building of community power.
Conclusion: A Vision for a Just and Joyful Future
The lessons from the tobacco workers of 1943 are as relevant today as they were eight decades ago. Democracy is not a static state of being but a continuous process of organizing, imagining, and resisting. The South, with its complex history of extraction and its equally robust history of resistance, remains the most critical theater for this process.
The work of organizations like the Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable, the Promise of Justice Initiative, and CASA IAJE proves that the South is not a region in need of "fixing" by outside forces. Instead, it is a region that offers a wealth of movement wisdom and leadership. The task for the rest of the nation, and particularly for those with the power to move resources, is to recognize this leadership and provide the sustained investment it deserves.
As the American experiment enters its next chapter, the path forward is clear: a multiracial democracy cannot exist without racial and economic justice. By centering the voices of those who have been historically excluded and by resourcing the organizations that fight for their agency, the United States can finally begin to fulfill the promise of a just and joyful life for all its citizens. The South is not just a part of the American story; it is the key to its future.
