Upton Sinclair is known as one of the greatest muckraking journalists of the 20th century. He is most remembered for his expose of the terrible conditions in the meatpacking industry at the beginning of the century. People were horrified by the unsanitary conditions under which their food was being produced. It was not Sinclair's intention to shock them about the dangers of their food. He meant to shock them about the horrible conditions of the workers in the plants. Sinclair was a radical labor rights advocate. Years later, he ran for Governor of California. He had been a socialist, but switched to the Democratic Party for the race. Sinclair garnered 879,000 votes, but his opponent won 1,138,000. Item 107 is a mimeographed broadside from that election. It announces Upton Sinclair and Candidates Democratic Mass Meeting at Oakland Auditorium Arena Thursday October 25 8 P.M. Earlier that day, it says Sinclair would speak in Berkeley. Admission to that event was 10 cents, but University of California students could attend free. $150.
Item 8 is a photographic portrait, in a period gold frame, of radical abolitionist John Brown. Brown's devotion to freedom, which at times led him to violent confrontations in defense of his cause, resulted in his being executed after his raid on the arsenal in Harper's Ferry. He hoped to seize weapons to support a slave revolt. The result was Brown became a martyr for his cause. This portrait has a calligraphic manuscript notation: “His soul goes marching on.” It is taken from the Civil War era song John Brown's Body. His body may be a-mouldering in the grave, but his soul is marching on. $4,500.
Lorne Bair Rare Books may be reached at 540-665-0855 or info@lornebair.com. Their website is www.lornebair.com
