Today in Labor History—February 13, 2012

Boston Latin School, c1635

February 13, 1635 - Boston Latin School was opened, the first public school in the United States. (From Workday Minnesota)

February 13, 1837 – A flour Riot occurred in New York City. 6,000 New Yorkers attending a "bread, meat, rent, and fuel" meeting in Chatham Square assaulted local flour merchants who they claimed were hoarding flour in order to drive up the price. (From the Daily Bleed)

Jesse James, c1882

February 13, 1866 – Jesse James held up his first bank, Liberty, Missouri. (From the Daily Bleed)

February 13, 1882 – Knights of Labor founder Uriah Stephens (b.1821) died on this date. (From the Daily Bleed)

February 13, 1917 – Strikes and meetings in Petrograd factories launched the Russian Revolution. (From the Daily Bleed)

Dresden After the Bombing (Deutsches Bundesarchiv (German Federal Archive), Bild 146-1994-041-07)

 February 13, 1945 – Over 130,000 civilians were killed in the Allied firebombing of Dresden. In a three-day period, 3,400 tons of explosives and incendiaries were dropped, reducing six square miles of the city to rubble. (From the Daily Bleed)

February 13, 1967 – The National Student Association revealed that it had "secretly and indirectly" received more than $3 million from the CIA over a 15-year period. NSA President Eugene Grove denied any of the money was used for intelligence work. (From the Daily Bleed)

Today in Labor History—February 12, 2012

Darwin Caricature, 1871

February 12, 1809 – Charles Darwin (1809-1882) was born on this date in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. The Origin of Species, published November 24, 1859, sold out immediately. (From the Daily Bleed)

February 12, 1853 – Illinois passed a law requiring any blacks entering the state & staying more than 10 days to pay a $50 fine. If unable to pay, they would be sold into slavery for a period commensurate with the fine. (From the Daily Bleed)

John Lewis, 1922

 February 12, 1880 - John L. Lewis, president of the United Mine Workers and founder of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), was born was born on this date. In 1935, he pulled the UAW from the American Federation of Labor (and punched out Carpenters Union President William Hutcheson in the process) when the AFL refused to endorse industrial unionism. Lewis then formed the CIO, which organized millions of unskilled, mass production workers into unions in the 1930s and 1940s. (From Workday Minnesota)

DuBois in 1918

 February 12, 1909 – The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded on this date by W.E.B. DuBois & others, New York City. (From the Daily Bleed)

February 12, 1913 – Mary Harris "Mother" Jones led a protest against conditions in the West Virginia mines was arrested. (On May 8, newly-elected Governor Hatfield releases her from jail.)

A government official once called Mary Jones "The most dangerous woman in America." She was still out there at age 83. No rockin' chair for her... (From the Daily Bleed)

February 12, 1913 – A New York commission reported widespread violations of child labor laws. (From the Daily Bleed)

February 12, 1946 – Picketers demanded amnesty for jailed war resisters at Danbury Federal Penitentiary, Connecticut. (From the Daily Bleed)


February 12, 1947 – 60 anti-draft demonstrators burned their draft cards in New York City during an antiwar demonstration. Between 400 and 500 veterans and conscientious objectors from World Wars I and II burned their draft cards in two demonstrations, in front of the White House in Washington and at the Labor Temple in New York City, in protest of a proposed universal conscription law. (From the Daily Bleed)

Today in Labor History—July 11

13th Century Illustration of the Battle of the Spurs

July 11, 1302 – Flemish weavers defeated the Flemish cavalry and the French in the Battle of the Spurs (the Battle of Kortrijk). The French were attempting to subdue the County of Flanders. The French had kidnapped the Count of Flanders, angering members of the Flemish guilds. In response, the citizens of Bruges went on to murder every Frenchmen they could find. (From the Daily Bleed and Wikipedia)

July 11, 1892 –Frisco Mine was dynamited by striking Coeur D’Alene miners after they discovered they had been infiltrated by Pinkertons and after one of their members had been shot. Prior to this, the mine owners had increased work hours, decreased pay and brought in a bunch of scabs to replace striking workers. Ultimately, over 600 striking miners were imprisoned without charge by the military in order to crush the strike. (Sources: Wikipedia, Fire in the Hole, and the Daily Bleed)

July 11, 1905 – The Niagara Movement, (precursor to the NAACP), was founded on this date. W.E.B. Du Bois was among its founders. (From the Daily Bleed)

(Image from the Daily Bleed)

(Image from the Daily Bleed)

 July 11, 1917 – The Bisbee deportation began on this date, with vigilantes and goons forcibly shipping over 1,200 striking members of the IWW (Industrial Workers of the World) from Bisbee into the Sonoran desert. One IWW member (Wobbly), James Brew, was killed in the deportation today. (From the Daily Bleed)

July 11, 1947 – Eight black prisoners were killed in Brunswick, Georgia, for refusing to work in a snake infested swamp without boots. (From the Daily Bleed)

Today in Labor History—February 13, 2012

Boston Latin School, c1635

February 13, 1635 - Boston Latin School was opened, the first public school in the United States. (From Workday Minnesota)

February 13, 1837 – A flour Riot occurred in New York City. 6,000 New Yorkers attending a "bread, meat, rent, and fuel" meeting in Chatham Square assaulted local flour merchants who they claimed were hoarding flour in order to drive up the price. (From the Daily Bleed)

Jesse James, c1882

February 13, 1866 – Jesse James held up his first bank, Liberty, Missouri. (From the Daily Bleed)

February 13, 1882 – Knights of Labor founder Uriah Stephens (b.1821) died on this date. (From the Daily Bleed)

February 13, 1917 – Strikes and meetings in Petrograd factories launched the Russian Revolution. (From the Daily Bleed)

Dresden After the Bombing (Deutsches Bundesarchiv (German Federal Archive), Bild 146-1994-041-07)

 February 13, 1945 – Over 130,000 civilians were killed in the Allied firebombing of Dresden. In a three-day period, 3,400 tons of explosives and incendiaries were dropped, reducing six square miles of the city to rubble. (From the Daily Bleed)

February 13, 1967 – The National Student Association revealed that it had "secretly and indirectly" received more than $3 million from the CIA over a 15-year period. NSA President Eugene Grove denied any of the money was used for intelligence work. (From the Daily Bleed)

Today in Labor History—February 12, 2012

Darwin Caricature, 1871

February 12, 1809 – Charles Darwin (1809-1882) was born on this date in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. The Origin of Species, published November 24, 1859, sold out immediately. (From the Daily Bleed)

February 12, 1853 – Illinois passed a law requiring any blacks entering the state & staying more than 10 days to pay a $50 fine. If unable to pay, they would be sold into slavery for a period commensurate with the fine. (From the Daily Bleed)

John Lewis, 1922

 February 12, 1880 - John L. Lewis, president of the United Mine Workers and founder of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), was born was born on this date. In 1935, he pulled the UAW from the American Federation of Labor (and punched out Carpenters Union President William Hutcheson in the process) when the AFL refused to endorse industrial unionism. Lewis then formed the CIO, which organized millions of unskilled, mass production workers into unions in the 1930s and 1940s. (From Workday Minnesota)

DuBois in 1918

 February 12, 1909 – The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded on this date by W.E.B. DuBois & others, New York City. (From the Daily Bleed)

February 12, 1913 – Mary Harris "Mother" Jones led a protest against conditions in the West Virginia mines was arrested. (On May 8, newly-elected Governor Hatfield releases her from jail.)

A government official once called Mary Jones "The most dangerous woman in America." She was still out there at age 83. No rockin' chair for her... (From the Daily Bleed)

February 12, 1913 – A New York commission reported widespread violations of child labor laws. (From the Daily Bleed)

February 12, 1946 – Picketers demanded amnesty for jailed war resisters at Danbury Federal Penitentiary, Connecticut. (From the Daily Bleed)


February 12, 1947 – 60 anti-draft demonstrators burned their draft cards in New York City during an antiwar demonstration. Between 400 and 500 veterans and conscientious objectors from World Wars I and II burned their draft cards in two demonstrations, in front of the White House in Washington and at the Labor Temple in New York City, in protest of a proposed universal conscription law. (From the Daily Bleed)