The film The Grapes of Wrath will be shown Friday, July 10, at the Martin Luther King, Jr., Library in downtown San Jose. The film will be accompanied by a presentation by Professor Susan Shillinglaw of SJSU’s Martha Heasley Cox Center for Steinbeck Studies. The presentation is part of LaborFest, a month-long program of film, arts, lectures, and other events meant to “institutionalize the history and culture of working people” and the labor movement.

The 1940 film The Grapes of Wrath adapted John Steinbeck’s 1939 novel about the difficulties faced by an Oklahoma family migrating to California to find work. The book and film were important for making the public aware of farm labor conditions and the violence used to prevent unionization of farm labor. John Ford won the best director Oscar for this film, and it is widely considered one of the most important films of all time.

Other LaborFest events are taking place in San Francisco, with only one more event in the South Bay: a tour of farm labor conditions in the Watsonville area, starting at San Jose City College on July 26. See the LaborFest schedule for more details (including price) for this event and San Francisco events.

The Center for Steinbeck Studies, located at the MLK library, houses an archive of over 40,000 items (manuscripts, letters, books, etc.) by or related to Steinbeck, and also administers a fellowship program funding significant writing projects by new writers.

What: Film screening and lecture.

When: Friday, July 10, 4:00 PM.

Where: Martin Luther King, Jr., Library, 150 East San Fernando Street, San Jose.

Cost: free.