Dr Lou Martin
Dr. Lou Martin is an associate professor of history at Chatham University, a cofounder of the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum, and a member of the advisory council of the Ohio River Valley Institute
His first paycheck: I was a busboy at a thoroughbred racetrack near my hometown. My coworkers convinced me to place a bet on one of the races, but not being 21, I had to ask the hostess to do it for me. I asked her to put $5 on Over the Moon to win, but she gave me a concerned look and shook her head in disapproval. I waited for a lecture on the evils of gambling, but then she said, “Okay. But that jockey hasn’t had a win in months. There’s no way Over the Moon is coming in first.”
Latest articles
An experiment in 1990s New York was a fairly recent example of a centuries-old idea: local currency projects based on labor.
Issue 12: Resilience
Thank goodness it’s Friday? Although we take it for granted, the working week as we know it faced strong resistance.
Issue 12: Resilience
Strikes, a symptom of broken trust between worker and employer, date back to Ancient Egypt and Rome.
Issue 10: Trust
Industrialization led to an increased focus on banning child labor, but the efforts continue in the modern day.
Issue 9: Back to School
Two experts debate the changing wage gap between skilled and unskilled workers.
Issue 7: Equality
The collared divide of occupations emerged in the 1930s, following more than a century of changes in the nature of work and clothing.
Issue 7: Equality
Despite being thoroughly embedded in today’s professional life, “clocking in” is a relatively modern invention.
Issue 5: Out of Office
The tokens paid in lieu of cash were abundant in remote areas of the U.S. until the mid-20th century, explains history professor Lou Martin.
Issue 3: Place