Today in Labor History—September 27

Lowell MA Textile Girls, c1870 (public domain)

September 27, 1875 - Textile workers struck in Fall River, Massachusetts, demanding bread for their starving children. Approximately one in six children between the ages of 10 and 15 was working during the second half of the 19^thcentury, primarily in textile mills, print shops, coal mines and factories. (FromWorkday Minnesota)

September 27, 1940 – FDR met with A. Philip Randolph, president of Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, Walter White, executive secretary NAACP, and T. Arnold Hill, acting secretary of the National Urban League, to demand the desegregation of the armed forces. (From the Daily Bleed)

September 27, 1950 – President Truman ordered the U.S. Army to seize the nation's railroads to prevent a General Strike. The railroads were held by the military for two years. (From the Daily Bleed)

September 27, 1954 - A U.S. Senate Committee censured Joe McCarthy, bringing to an end the witch hunts (not). (From Workday Minnesota)

Today in Labor History—September 25

September 25, 1789 - The first Congress of the United States adopted the amendments to the Constitution known as the Bill of Rights, including the first amendment, which “guarantees” freedom of speech and the right to peaceably assemble, the legal basis for most workplace rights. (From Workday Minnesota)

September 25, 1894 - Playwright John Howard Lawson was born on this date in New York City. Lawson wrote several plays about the working class, includingThe International (1928), which depicts a world revolution by the proletariat, andMarching Song (1937), about a sit-down strike. In the late 1940s, Lawson was blacklisted as a member of the “Hollywood Ten” for his refusal to tell the House Committee on Un-American Activities about his political allegiances. (FromWorkday Minnesota)

Today in Labor History—August 19

Little Red Songbook

August 19, 1909 – The first edition of the IWW’s The Little Red Songbook was published. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 19, 1916 – Strikebreakers attacked and beat picketing IWW strikers in Everett, Washington. The police refused to intervene, claiming it was federal jurisdiction. However, when the strikers retaliated, they arrested the strikers. Vigilante attacks on IWW picketers and speakers escalated and continued for months, culminating in the Everett massacre on November 5, when union men were fired upon, with seven dying and 50 being wounded. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 19, 1920 – A peasant insurrection began in Tambov, USSR. The Bolsheviks were unable to suppress the revolt until May, 1921. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 19, 1936 -- Members of the Newspaper Guild struck the Hearst-owned "Seattle Post-Intelligencer," shutting it down for nearly four months. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 19, 1953 – Royalist troops in Iran overthrew the liberal-leaning Premier Mohammed Mossadegh and istalled the pro-Western Shah Mohammed Pahlevi. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 19, 1954 – The Communist Control Act was passed in the U.S., outlawing the Communist Party. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 19, 1959 – The second longest labor strike in Butte, Montana's history began, lasting 181 days (-February 15, 1960). (From the Daily Bleed)

August 19, 1996 – ACTU labor protesters attacked the Australian Parliament in Canberra with battering rams and sledgehammers. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 19, 1997 –, United Parcel Service agreed to a contract with the Teamsters, after a 16-day strike. This was labor's first successful nationwide strike in two decades. (From Shmoop Labor History)

Today in Labor History—September 27

Lowell MA Textile Girls, c1870 (public domain)

September 27, 1875 - Textile workers struck in Fall River, Massachusetts, demanding bread for their starving children. Approximately one in six children between the ages of 10 and 15 was working during the second half of the 19^th century, primarily in textile mills, print shops, coal mines and factories. (From Workday Minnesota)

September 27, 1940 – FDR met with A. Philip Randolph, president of Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, Walter White, executive secretary NAACP, and T. Arnold Hill, acting secretary of the National Urban League, to demand the desegregation of the armed forces. (From the Daily Bleed)

September 27, 1950 – President Truman ordered the U.S. Army to seize the nation's railroads to prevent a General Strike. The railroads were held by the military for two years. (From the Daily Bleed)

September 27, 1954 - A U.S. Senate Committee censured Joe McCarthy, bringing to an end the witch hunts (not). (From Workday Minnesota)

Today in Labor History—September 25

September 25, 1789 - The first Congress of the United States adopted the amendments to the Constitution known as the Bill of Rights, including the first amendment, which “guarantees” freedom of speech and the right to peaceably assemble, the legal basis for most workplace rights. (From Workday Minnesota)

September 25, 1894 - Playwright John Howard Lawson was born on this date in New York City. Lawson wrote several plays about the working class, including The International (1928), which depicts a world revolution by the proletariat, and Marching Song (1937), about a sit-down strike. In the late 1940s, Lawson was blacklisted as a member of the “Hollywood Ten” for his refusal to tell the House Committee on Un-American Activities about his political allegiances. (From Workday Minnesota)

Today in Labor History—August 19

Little Red Songbook

August 19, 1909 – The first edition of the IWW’s The Little Red Songbook was published. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 19, 1916 – Strikebreakers attacked and beat picketing IWW strikers in Everett, Washington. The police refused to intervene, claiming it was federal jurisdiction. However, when the strikers retaliated, they arrested the strikers. Vigilante attacks on IWW picketers and speakers escalated and continued for months, culminating in the Everett massacre on November 5, when union men were fired upon, with seven dying and 50 being wounded. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 19, 1920 – A peasant insurrection began in Tambov, USSR. The Bolsheviks were unable to suppress the revolt until May, 1921. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 19, 1936 -- Members of the Newspaper Guild struck the Hearst-owned "Seattle Post-Intelligencer," shutting it down for nearly four months. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 19, 1953 – Royalist troops in Iran overthrew the liberal-leaning Premier Mohammed Mossadegh and istalled the pro-Western Shah Mohammed Pahlevi. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 19, 1954 – The Communist Control Act was passed in the U.S., outlawing the Communist Party. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 19, 1959 – The second longest labor strike in Butte, Montana's history began, lasting 181 days (-February 15, 1960). (From the Daily Bleed)

August 19, 1996 – ACTU labor protesters attacked the Australian Parliament in Canberra with battering rams and sledgehammers. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 19, 1997 –, United Parcel Service agreed to a contract with the Teamsters, after a 16-day strike. This was labor's first successful nationwide strike in two decades. (From Shmoop Labor History)