The book, released by International Publishers in January, is a biography of George A. Meyers, born in Lonaconing, Maryland, son of a union coal miner and a staunch union organizer. Meyers was targeted in the Cold War witch hunt and thrown in prison for nearly four years during the 1950s, falsely charged with advocating the overthrow of the government by “force and violence.”
Freed from prison, Meyers spent the rest of his life struggling to rebuild the labor movement, most of those years as Labor Secretary of the Communist Party USA.
A lifelong resident of Baltimore, Meyers befriended Wheeler and his wife, Joyce, who lived two blocks from Meyers and his wife, Allie, in the Lower Govans neighborhood of Baltimore. Wheeler was then a reporter for the Daily World—later the People’s World—commuting to Washington D.C.
A flyer distributed by Red Emma’s Bookshop in Baltimore declares: “Baltimoreans need to know the suppressed history of George A. Meyers, the organizer of Cumberland’s 10,000 Celanese workers into Textile Workers Local 1874, the first President of the Maryland-D.C. C.I.O., the McCarthy-eras imprisoned Labor Secretary of the Communist Party U.S.A. and the close friend of the author and Govans neighbor, Tim Wheeler.” The flyer adds: “NO POWER GREATER instructs us on what it will take for a united, labor-led movement to defeat the horrific, fascist-led government we are now experiencing.”The schedule for Wheeler’s readings is as follows:Friday, April 4, 7 p.m. Common Ground Café, 3543 Chestnut Ave. in Hamden, Baltimore. The $20 admission includes a signed copy of the book. To reserve a seat, call 443-413-8758. All proceeds will help achieve Maryland’s goal in the People’s World fund drive.
Wednesday, April 9, 6 p.m., Lewis J. Ort Library, Main Floor, Frostburg State University, Frostburg. In addition to Wheeler reading from his book, Dr. David Gillespie, retired Director of the Ort Library, will speak about the George A. Meyers Collection at the Ort Library, which Gillespie founded. Admission is Free.
Tuesday, April 15, 7 p.m. Red Emma’s Bookshop. Admission is free. You may pre-order the book as part of your RSVP by clicking on the URL link here.
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