On this day in 1863, the Richmond Bread Riot, the largest of several bread riots that took place in the Confederacy, began when thousands of hungry people began attacking government warehouses and stores, chanting "Bread or Blood!".
During the Civil War, Richmond, Virginia had been suffering an economic crisis in which overcrowding, skyrocketing rent prices, and unaffordable food led to widespread suffering among the poor. Thousands of people, mostly poor women, protested and demanded a meeting with the governor of Virginia.
When this meeting was denied, the crowd took the streets, chanting "We celebrate our right to live! We are starving!" and "Bread or blood!" They then began attacking government warehouses, grocery stores, and various mercantile establishments, seizing food, clothing, and wagons, as well as jewelry and other luxury goods.
Over sixty rioters were arrested, and the Confederate government censored reporting of the event in the press, fearing that it would hurt the morale of the war effort.
Megathreads and spaces to hang out:
- ❤️ Come listen to music and Watch movies with your fellow Hexbears nerd, in Cy.tube
- 💖 Come talk in the New Monthly queer thread
- 💛 Read about a current topic in the news
- ⭐️ October Movie Nominations ⭐️
reminders:
- 💚 You nerds can join specific comms to see posts about all sorts of topics
- 💙 Hexbear’s algorithm prioritizes struggle sessions over upbears
- 💜 Sorting by new you nerd
- 🌈 If you ever want to make your own megathread, you can go here nerd
- 🐶 Join the unofficial Hexbear-adjacent Mastodon instance toots.matapacos.dog
Links To Resources (Aid and Theory):
Aid:
- 💙Comprehensive list of resources for those in need of an abortion -- reddit link
- 💙Resources for Palestine
Theory:
Probably woulda did nerd shit after high school instead of being awesome if I knew rent would increase by 5x since getting my first apartment. Am I the asshole for assuming I could just kinda go for not a bunch of money but a less thsn modest income and fairly humble living conditions in exchange for free time? I was led to belive that was an option, sustainable poverty.
It would be really fucking cool if it was still possible to live "like a student" whenever the fuck you wanted. You know, just be able to get by and thrive with a minimal amount of work so you can do what you want with your limited time in this shitty world.
The only people who get to do the “bohemian artist” routine in their 20s now are rich kids whose parents pay for their apartment and can move home to the McMansion at the first sign of trouble