Today in Labor History—January 25

Shays' Rebellion

January 25, 1787 – Daniel Shays and 800 followers marched to Springfield, Massachusetts to seize the Federal arsenal during Shays’ rebellion. They were ultimately defeated by the Massachusetts State militia. The rebellion, which began in August, was an attempt to end the imprisonment of farmers for debts, confiscation of their lands and other attempts by the wealthy to make the poor pay for the Revolutionary War. Many of Shays’ followers were tried, convicted & hung for treason, though Shays fled to Vermont and was eventually pardoned. The U.S. Constitution was written in the wake of Shays’ rebellion and designed in part to prevent other similar uprisings by the common people against slave owners, bankers, landlords and businessmen. (From the Daily Bleed and Wikipedia)

Hazleton, PA Coal Miners, 1905 (Library of Congress)

January 25, 1890 - The United Mine Workers Union was founded in Columbus, Ohio on this date. Their constitution prohibited racial, religious and ethnic discrimination. (From Workday Minnesota)

January 25, 1915—The Supreme Court upheld "yellow dog" contracts, which forbid membership in labor unions. Yellow dog contracts remained valid until the Norris-LaGuardia Act of 1932. (Lutins.org and the Daily Bleed)

January 25, 1926 — 16,000 textile workers went on strike in Passaic, N.J. (From the Daily Bleed)

January 25, 1930 – New York City police assaulted a Communist rally. (From the Daily Bleed)