Today in Labor History—February 13

February 13, 1635 – Boston Latin School was opened, the first public school in the United States.

Boston Latin School, February 13, 1635.
Boston Latin School, c1635, Unknown author Public Domain

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.

Jesse James, February 13, 1866.
Jesse James, c1882, By Photographer unknown, Public Domain

February 13, 1866 – Jesse James held up his first bank, Liberty, Missouri. 


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

February 13, 1917 – Strikes and meetings in Petrograd factories launched the Russian Revolution.

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.

Allied firebombing of Dresden, Germany, February 13, 1945.
Dresden after the bombing

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. 

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