1600s
Today in Labor History February 13, 1633: Galileo Galilei arrived in Rome for his trial before the Inquisition. The Inquisition found him “vehemently suspect of heresy” and forced to recant. He spent the rest of his life under house arrest.
Today in Labor History February 13, 1635: Boston Latin School was opened. It was the first public school in the United States.
Today in Labor History February 13, 1692: Soldiers slaughtered 80 members of the MacDonald clan at the Massacre of Glencoe, Scotland. They were killed for not promptly pledging allegiance to the new king, William of Orange.
1830s-1860s
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. The Locofocos organized a public protest against runaway prices that turned into a riot. The police arrested 40 people.
Today in Labor History February 13, 1861: The Siege of Gaeta ended, with the followers of Garibaldi taking over the fortress. This effectively ended the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and contributed to the consolidation of Italy into a single country.
February 13, 1866: Jesse James held up his first bank, Liberty, Missouri.
1880s
Today in Labor History February 13, 1882: Knights of Labor founder Uriah Stephens (b.1821) died on this date. The Knights of Labor was a “brotherhood of toil,” open to every laborer, mechanic, and artisan, regardless of country, creed, or color. However, in reality, the union was xenophobic and racist, particularly toward the Chinese. Its members participated in several anti-Chinese pogroms.
1940s-1960s
February 13, 1945: 25,000 civilians died when the Allies firebombed Dresden. In a three-day period, they dropped 3,900 tons of explosives and incendiaries, reducing six square miles of the city to rubble. Kurt Vonnegut was a prisoner of war in Dresden during the bombing. He wrote about it in his novel, “Slaughterhouse-Five.”
Today in Labor History February 13, 1960: Black college students staged the first of the Nashville sit-ins at three lunch counters in Nashville, Tennessee.
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.