Louise Harris
American labour organiser and tobacco worker
About Louise Harris
Born 1891. Louise Harris was an American.
Louise "Mamma" Harris was an American labor organizer and tobacco worker. Harris became involved with the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) in Richmond, Virginia. In 1938, she led a successful strike against the tobacco factory where she worked.
Biography Harris was born in 1891 in Richmond, Virginia. Harris started working at the I.N. Vaughan Export tobacco stemmery around 1932. Harris worked as a tobacco stemmer, which was a labor-intensive job with low and variable pay.
Harris started walkouts and which later turned into strikes at the tobacco company in 1938. During the strikes, Harris was the picket captain. Harris and the others stayed on strike for 17 days, culminating in the factory owner sitting down with strikers to bargain for better conditions.
Ted Poston profiled Harris and the successful strike in The New Republic in 1940.
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Important facts
Frequently asked questions
Who was Louise Harris?
American labour organiser and tobacco worker
When was Louise Harris born?
Louise Harris was born in 1891.
What nationality was Louise Harris?
Louise Harris was American.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Louise "Mamma" Harris
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Louise Harris. https://biography.guide/louise-harris-1891/
MLA: "Louise Harris." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/louise-harris-1891/.
Chicago: "Louise Harris." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/louise-harris-1891/.
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