Mary Elizabeth Lease’s “Wall Street Owns the Country” performed by Frances McDormand

Based on the work of Howard Zinn (1922-2010)
Directed by Anthony Arnove
In association with Voices of a People’s History of the United States (peopleshistory.us)
Co-presented by BAM and the Onassis Cultural Center New York
Part of Onassis Programs at BAM
In The People Speak, some of today’s leading performers and artists give voice to figures neglected by history. The mechanization of farming in the late nineteenth century forced small farmers to borrow money to pay for their equipment. When they could not pay, their farms were taken away. They began to organize, forming the Populist movement of the 1880s and 1890s. Here are the words of one of its most important leaders, Mary Elizabeth Lease, performed by Frances McDormand on March 21, 2017 in the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House.

[@julianielsen1885]

A perfect performer to portray such a strong woman!

[@angelacarleton9575]

My God.. this editorial is from 1890s nothing has changed.

[@erinyes3943]

Beginning to understand what people mean when they say they get chills

[@keithgreenwade2398]

Glad I found this, greed endures...

[@hpfme]

Mary Elizabeth Lease if you're alive today you'll still be fighting for the same cause.

[@carn1392]

Awesome speech, and only 1800 views...

[@TheGymfluence]

theres like that one chick from the dark night.

[@NellyNutmeg]

Um, not much has changed