Friday, February 8, 2013

Today in Labor History—February 8

February 8, 1805 – Louis-Auguste Blanqui, French revolutionary and participant in the Paris Commune, was born on this date in Puget-Theniers, Alpes-Maritimes. (From the Daily Bleed)

February 8, 1864 - Labor leader Mary Kenney O'Sullivan was born on this date, becoming the American Federation of Labor’s first female general organizer. (From Workday Minnesota)

February 8, 1886 – “Black Monday" occurred on this date in England, when a meeting of 3-5000 unemployed workers in Trafalgar Square was attacked by 600 police officers, leading to a riot. (From the Daily Bleed)

February 8, 1912 – The IWW were engaged in a free speech fight in San Diego, California. Vigilantes routinely kidnapped and beat Industrial Workers of the World organizers. Some were tarred and feathered, forced to kiss the American flag, forced to run gauntlets and run out of town by the good citizens. (From the Daily Bleed)

February 8, 1919 -- A General Strike occurred in Butte, Montana, caused by dollar per day wage cut. A Workers & Soldiers Council was organized to conduct the strike. (From the Daily Bleed)

February 8, 1968 – The Orangeburg Massacre occurred in South Carolina, when highway patrolmen fired on black SC State students, killing four and wounding 33 as black students. These were the first student demonstrators killed by police in the '60s. (From the Daily Bleed)

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