Today in Labor History—January 9

Kropotkin, 1870

January 9, 1883 – In Lyon, France the trial continued for the 68 anarchists accused of inciting workers’ strikes and the abolition of property. The anarchists included Peter Kropotkin, Emile Gautier, Toussaint Bordat and Joseph Bernard. (From the Daily Bleed)

Karel Capek

January 9, 1890 -- Karel Capek, internationally renowned Czech novelist, short-story writer, playwright, essayist, was born on this date in Bohemia, Austria-Hungary (now in Czech Republic). Two of his best known works include R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots), which first introduced the word “robot,” and War with the Newts, which ridicules Nazi-Germany and fascism. (From the Daily Bleed)

Louise Michel in Uniform

Bloody Sunday massacre, St Petersburg

 January 9, 1905 – French anarchiste Louise Michel died on this date. Michel was a leader in the Paris Commune & co-founder of the Women's Battalion. Founder of the journal "Le libertaire" with Sébastien Faure. 100,000 mourners attended her funeral. (From the Daily Bleed)

January 9, 1905 – Russia’s "Bloody Sunday" occurred on this date, with revolution breaking out in St. Petersburg. (From the Daily Bleed)

January 9, 1939 – The Southern Tenant Farmers' Union led a Missouri Highway sit-in of 1,700 tenant families. (From the Daily Bleed)

January 9, 1997 -- South Korea's primary labor group called the biggest strike in the nation's history to protest a controversial new labor law. (From the Daily Bleed)