Today in Labor History—October 19

October 19, 1858 –B.O. [Benjamin Orange] Flower (1858-1918) was born on this date. His study of slum conditions in Boston led to new laws to help the poor.

October 19, 1889 – The first nationwide school strike against corporal punishment began on this date in Hawick, Roxborough, Scotland and quickly spread across the lowlands then to Tyneside and then to London, Bristol & Cardiff .

October 18, 1987 – The "Black Monday" stock market crash began on this date, with the Dow Jones index dropping a record 508 points — 22.6% — after hitting a record high of 2722.42 on August 25. European, Japanese, & Canadian stock markets were also dramatically affected.

(All from the Daily Bleed)

Mississippi To Require Civil Rights Classes While Beating Its Students

Mississippi's racist governor, Haley Barbour, signed a new law that civil rights be taught in every grade in Mississippi’s public schools. Yet Mississippi is one of 20 states that still allow corporal punishment at school. Over 220,000 students were beaten in U.S. public schools in the 2005-6 school year, with Mississippi accounting for 35,000 of these.