Today in Labor History—September 16

Miguel Hidalgo's execution, from Mural by Aaron Pina Mora

September 16, 1810 - The Mexican War of Independence began after Miguel Hidalgo issued a revolutionary tract calling for the end of 300 years of Spanish rule of Mexico, redistribution of land and racial equality. (From Workday Minnesota)

September 16, 1838 - James J. Hill, founder of the Great Northern Railroad, was born. Hill went on to become one of the country’s wealthiest and most powerful men. (From Workday Minnesota)

September 16, 1920 – A bomb exploded outside the J.P. Morgan Company on New York's Wall Street, killing 30 and injuring over 100. Authorities blamed "anarchists," forcing many to flee to Russia. (From the Daily Bleed)

Aftermath of Wall Street bombing, 1920

September 16, 1936 - Members of the Fruit and Vegetable Workers’ Union blocked downtown Salinas streets to stop a convoy of trucks carrying produce harvested by strikebreakers. (From Workday Minnesota)

September 16, 1945 – 43,000 oil workers went on strike in 20 states, immediately after World War II ended. The end of the war saw a wave of strikes across the country, as workers who had patriotically sacrificed any resistance to workplace injustices during the war no longer had any excuses not to fight for decent pay and benefits. Soon after the oil workers walked off the job, 200,000 coalminers, 44,000 NW lumber workers, 70,000 Midwest truck drivers, and 40,000 machinists in San Francisco and Oakland joined them. East coast longshoremen and New England textile workers also struck. (From the Daily Bleed)

September 16, 1963 – A five-day strike began at Folsom state prison, California. (From the Daily Bleed)

September 16, 1963 -- A crowd of 100,000 burned down the British Embassy as Malaysia declared its independent. (From the Daily Bleed)

 
September 16, 1982 – Phalangist and Israeli massacre of more than 1000 Palestinian civilian refugees at the Shatila and Sabra camps began. (From the Daily Bleed)

September 16, 1989 – Thousands protested the anti-union contractor, BE&K, in St. Paul, Minnesota, which wanted to build a paper plant there, the largest demonstration ever held in the state. (From Workday Minnesota)