Come Along and Join, a play by Kathlyn Miles, is based on the histories of Chicago’s Lucy Parsons, Jennie Curtiss, Bessie Abramowitz-Hillman, Margaret Haley and Mother Jones. Mary McDowell, Elizabeth Maloney and Dolores Huerta were also featured in the play.

A staged reading was held Feb. 20, 1996 at UNITE. WLHP’s first Gala was held on Sept. 25, 1996, at UNITE Labor Auditorium. Mollie West (Chicago Typographical Union) and Vicky Starr (union organizer featured in “Union Maids”) were honored. The first Mother Jones Award was presented to Sandra Ellison, OPEIU. Karen Nussbaum, Director of the Working Women’s Department AFL-CIO, was the keynote speaker.

Portions of “Come Along and Join” were featured at a celebration of International Women’s Day at Chicago Teachers Union on March 12, 1996.