The Anthracite Coal Strike of 1902 began today, May 12 in Pennsylvania. The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) led this strike for higher wages, shorter hours and union recognition. John Mitchell was president of the UMWA. Their main target was the Reading Railroad, (owned by J.P. Morgan), which controlled most of Pennsylvania’s hard coal […]
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Today in Labor History May 12, 1593: The authorities arrested and tortured London playwright Thomas Kyd for lewd and mutinous libels. Kyd was one of the most important writers in the development of Elizabethan theatre. Ben Jonson considered him the equal of Christopher Marlowe. He wrote The Spanish Tragedy, one of the greatest plays of
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Today in Labor History May 11, 1878: Emil Heinrich Maximilian Hoedel, a 21-year-old anarchist, shot Emperor Wilhelm I of Prussia. He did it in order to publicize the plight of the workers. The authorities immediately captured him and beheaded him two months later. As he prepared to die, he shouted, “Vive la commune.” The Mussel
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1830s-1850s Today in Labor History May 10, 1768: People rioted in London when the authorities imprisoned John Wilkes. The police arrested him for writing an article criticizing the king. Wilkes was a British radical journalist and politician. He was a Member of Parliament at the time of his arrest. During the riot, government soldiers opened
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1700s Today in Labor History May 9, 1726: The authorities executed five men for violating Britain’s Buggery Act 1533. They had been arrested at Mother Clap’s, a well-known “Molly House,” or gay tavern. Today in Labor History May 9, 1763: The Siege of Fort Detroit began today. It was an unsuccessful attempt by Native Americans to
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