Bread & Roses -- Inspired by a 1912 poem by James Oppenheim, Mimi Fariña selected "Bread & Roses" to convey the spirit of the nonprofit she founded in 1974 to bring the healing power of music and other live art to institutionalized children, teens, adults, and elders. Over the years, Bread & Roses has received awards for its community impact and its overall effectiveness and efficiency. In addition, other organizations around the country have been inspired by our work.
It was written about 1912 by James Oppenheim in response to a women's textile worker strike. I don't know of any live versions-- but I would think there must be one! Please let me know if you have any luck finding one.
I love the song but the images are about a different issue! It almost works, but the song is about workers striking for wage increases, not suffrage. It is a little disconcerting.
The song is based on a speech given by a suffragette about unionizing women, and was used during womenss' rights issues-- the two issues were linked! Here's a great article: mashable.com/article/london-womens-march-bread-and-roses if you are curious!
