Today in Labor History October 1, 1838: The Cherokees began the “The Trail of Tears” forced march in which hundreds died of sickness, dehydration, and exposure.
Today in Labor History October 1, 1851: 10,000 New Yorkers busted up a police station in Syracuse to free an escaped slave. The authorities arrested William “Jerry” Henry, a runaway slave and craftsman in Syracuse, NY, and tried to return him to slavery. Citizens of the city stormed the sheriff’s office, freed Henry and helped him escape to Canada via the Underground Railroad.
October 1, 1894: Greek workers employed by the Suez Canal Company went on strike in Egypt.
Today in Labor History October 1, 1910: Twenty-one people died when the Los Angeles Times building was dynamited during a labor strike. The authorities immediately blamed anarchists. The police kidnapped the McNamara brothers and took to the private home of a Chicago police sergeant. Many labor leaders believe the cops tortured them there. The authorities convicted them based on the testimony of someone else who they tortured.
October 1, 1918: Street fighting between workers and the authorities occurred in Berlin throughout October and November. By November, the country was in a full-scale revolution, with councils of workers, soldiers, intellectuals and artists replacing the government
Today in Labor History October 1, 1928: Joseph Stalin’s announced his first five-year plan. He called for the development of heavy industry, seizure of farms, and collectivization of all workers. The plan banned unions, of course.
October 1, 1949: 500,000 U.S. steel workers went on strike.
Pingback: Today in Labor History December 25 - Michael Dunn