Today in Labor History—August 11

August 11, 1828 – The first American labor party formed in Philadelphia. (From the Daily Bleed)

Coxey's army leaving the capital

 August 11, 1894 – Federal troops drove over 1,000 jobless workers from the nation's capital. Led by Charles "Hobo" Kelley, an unemployed activist from California, and Jacob Coxey, they camped in Washington D.C. starting in July. Kelley's Hobo Army included a young journalist named Jack London and a young miner-cowboy named Big Bill Haywood. Frank Baum was an observer of the protest and some say it influenced his Wizard of Oz, with the Scarecrow representing the American farmer, the tin man representing industrial workers and the Cowardly Lion representing William Jennings Bryan, all marching on Washington (Oz) to demand redress from the president (the Wizard). 650 miners, led by a "General" Hogan, captured a Northern Pacific train at Butte, Montana, en route to the protest. The Feds caught up with them at Billings, forcing a surrender, but a few eventually made it to Washington. (From the Daily Bleed and Wikipedia)

Homestead strike

Terrorist as a Teenager: Carnegie, 16, Teaching his kid bro how to milk workers

August 11, 1919 - Andrew Carnegie, the richest and most successful late-19th century capitalist, died in New York (and Good Riddance!) Carnegie was a notorious union-buster and slave driver and was infamous for his role in crushing the Homestead strike of 1892. Carnegie mills produced one-quarter of the nation's steel by the earlier 20^th century, and his annual profits were $25 million. (From Workday Minnesota)

 

 August 11, 1945 – Striking Mexican American film workers blocked distribution of American films. (From the Daily Bleed)

Burning buildings, Watts

 August 11, 1965 – The Watts Riots began in LA when a white cop stopped a black driver, Marquette Frye, for drunkenness. By the time the riots subsided five days later, there were 34 dead, 800 wounded, 3,000 arrested and $200 million worth of property destroyed. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 11, 1970 – United Farm Workers leader Cesar Chavez launched a hunger strike to protest harassment by Teamsters officials. (From the Daily Bleed)

Today in Labor History—July 6

6th Regiment Attacking Striking Railworkers

July 6, 1877 – A strike against the Baltimore Ohio railroad led to a series of strikes across the northeast, known as the Great Railway Strike of 1877 (or the Great Upheaval). Federal troops were called out for the first time in a labor dispute, helping to crush the strike. As many as 100 workers were killed and over 200 were injured in the wave of strikes occurring throughout the country: (Soures: Modern School; UE News; Howard Zinn; Brecher, Jeremy., Strike!, 1997. ISBN 0-89608-570-8 and Shmoop Labor History)

July 6, 1889 - Striking construction workers in Duluth were shot down by the police. The workers, mostly immigrants, went on strike when contractors reneged on an agreement to pay them $1.75 a day. Mayor John Sutphin ordered police to keep strikers away from scabs, leading to fighting between strikers and police. There was an hour-long gun fight on the corner of 20th Avenue West and Michigan Street that killed two strikers and one bystander and wounded an estimated 30 strikers. The police eventually suppressed the strike through violence. (From Workday Minnesota)

Shield used by striking steelworkers as they shot their homemade cannon at Pinkertons

 July 6, 1892 – Locked out workers out at the Homestead Steel Works battled 300 Pinkerton detectives hired by Carnegie, who owned the Homestead mill. The Pinkertons were there to import and protect scabs brought in to replace striking workers and opened fire on the striking steelworkers who defended themselves with guns and a homemade cannon. 3-7 Pinkertons and 11 union members were killed in the battle. The strike lasted for months, court injunctions eventually helped to crush the union, protecting the steel industry for decades from organized labor. Alexander Berkman and Emma Goldman plotted to assassinate Homestead Boss Henry Clay Frick for his role in killing the workers. Berkman later carried out the assassination attempt, failed, and spent years in prison. (From Workday Minnesota, Daily Bleed and Shmoop Labor History)

July 6, 1911 – Wobby and anarchist labor organizer Joe Hill's song "The Preacher & the Slave" first appeared in the IWW’s Little Red Song Book.

Long-haired preachers come out every night,

Try to tell you what's wrong and what's right;

But when asked how 'bout something to eat

They will answer in voices so sweet

Joe Hill

Chorus

You will eat, bye and bye,

In that glorious land above the sky;

Work and pray, live on hay,

You'll get pie in the sky when you die

And the Starvation Army, they play,

And they sing and they clap and they pray,

Till they get all your coin on the drum,

Then they tell you when you're on the bum

(Chorus)

Workingmen of all countries, unite

Side by side we for freedom will fight

When the world and its wealth we have gained

To the grafters we'll sing this refrain

Chorus

(From the Daily Bleed)

July 6, 1926 – IRT subway workers struck in NYC, protesting the forced signing of yellow-dog contracts which mandated they join company union. (From the Daily Bleed)

Today in Labor History—August 11

August 11, 1828 – The first American labor party formed in Philadelphia. (From the Daily Bleed)

Coxey's army leaving the capital

 August 11, 1894 – Federal troops drove over 1,000 jobless workers from the nation's capital. Led by Charles "Hobo" Kelley, an unemployed activist from California, and Jacob Coxey, they camped in Washington D.C. starting in July. Kelley's Hobo Army included a young journalist named Jack London and a young miner-cowboy named Big Bill Haywood. Frank Baum was an observer of the protest and some say it influenced his Wizard of Oz, with the Scarecrow representing the American farmer, the tin man representing industrial workers and the Cowardly Lion representing William Jennings Bryan, all marching on Washington (Oz) to demand redress from the president (the Wizard). 650 miners, led by a "General" Hogan, captured a Northern Pacific train at Butte, Montana, en route to the protest. The Feds caught up with them at Billings, forcing a surrender, but a few eventually made it to Washington. (From the Daily Bleed and Wikipedia)

Homestead strike

Terrorist as a Teenager: Carnegie, 16, Teaching his kid bro how to milk workers

August 11, 1919 - Andrew Carnegie, the richest and most successful late-19th century capitalist, died in New York (and Good Riddance!) Carnegie was a notorious union-buster and slave driver and was infamous for his role in crushing the Homestead strike of 1892. Carnegie mills produced one-quarter of the nation's steel by the earlier 20^th century, and his annual profits were $25 million. (From Workday Minnesota)

 

 August 11, 1945 – Striking Mexican American film workers blocked distribution of American films. (From the Daily Bleed)

Burning buildings, Watts

 August 11, 1965 – The Watts Riots began in LA when a white cop stopped a black driver, Marquette Frye, for drunkenness. By the time the riots subsided five days later, there were 34 dead, 800 wounded, 3,000 arrested and $200 million worth of property destroyed. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 11, 1970 – United Farm Workers leader Cesar Chavez launched a hunger strike to protest harassment by Teamsters officials. (From the Daily Bleed)

Today in Labor History—July 6

6th Regiment Attacking Striking Railworkers

July 6, 1877 – A strike against the Baltimore & Ohio railroad led to a series of strikes across the northeast, known as the Great Railway Strike of 1877. Federal troops were called out for the first time in a labor dispute, helping to crush the strike. (From Shmoop Labor History)

July 6, 1889 - Striking construction workers in Duluth were shot down by the police. The workers, mostly immigrants, went on strike when contractors reneged on an agreement to pay them $1.75 a day. Mayor John Sutphin ordered police to keep strikers away from scabs, leading to fighting between strikers and police. There was an hour-long gun fight on the corner of 20th Avenue West and Michigan Street that killed two strikers and one bystander and wounded an estimated 30 strikers. The police eventually suppressed the strike through violence. (From Workday Minnesota)

Shield used by striking steelworkers as they shot their homemade cannon at Pinkertons

 July 6, 1892 – Locked out workers out at the Homestead Steel Works battled 300 Pinkerton detectives hired by Carnegie, who owned the Homestead mill. The Pinkertons were there to import and protect scabs brought in to replace striking workers and opened fire on the striking steelworkers who defended themselves with guns and a homemade cannon. 3-7 Pinkertons and 11 union members were killed in the battle. The strike lasted for months, court injunctions eventually helped to crush the union, protecting the steel industry for decades from organized labor. Alexander Berkman and Emma Goldman plotted to assassinate Homestead Boss Henry Clay Frick for his role in killing the workers. Berkman later carried out the assassination attempt, failed, and spent years in prison. (From Workday Minnesota, Daily Bleed and Shmoop Labor History)

July 6, 1911 – Wobby and anarchist labor organizer Joe Hill's song "The Preacher & the Slave" first appeared in the IWW’s Little Red Song Book.

Long-haired preachers come out every night,

Try to tell you what's wrong and what's right;

But when asked how 'bout something to eat

They will answer in voices so sweet

Joe Hill

Chorus

You will eat, bye and bye,

In that glorious land above the sky;

Work and pray, live on hay,

You'll get pie in the sky when you die

And the Starvation Army, they play,

And they sing and they clap and they pray,

Till they get all your coin on the drum,

Then they tell you when you're on the bum

(Chorus)

Workingmen of all countries, unite

Side by side we for freedom will fight

When the world and its wealth we have gained

To the grafters we'll sing this refrain

Chorus

(From the Daily Bleed)

July 6, 1926 – IRT subway workers struck in NYC, protesting the forced signing of yellow-dog contracts which mandated they join company union. (From the Daily Bleed)