Labor History

1700s-1800s Today in Labor History January 25, 1787: Daniel Shays and 800 followers marched to Springfield, Massachusetts to seize the Federal arsenal during Shays’ Rebellion. The Massachusetts State militia ultimately defeated them. They were trying to end the imprisonment of farmers for debts, confiscation of their lands and other attempts by the wealthy to make […]

Today in Labor History January 24, 1835: Slaves in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, started a revolt. The uprising helped lead to the end slavery there 50 years later. Muslim slaves and freedmen, inspired by Muslim teachers, launched the rebellion during Ramadan. They were also inspired by the Haitian Revolution (1791−1804). Many wore necklaces bearing the image of President Dessalines, who had

1500s Today in Labor History January 23, 1546: François Rabelais published the “Tiers Livre,” his sequel to Gargantua and Pantagruel. It was his first publication in eleven years. Today in Labor History January 23, 1556: The deadliest earthquake in history hit Shaanxi province, China. As many as 830,000 people died. Most of the residents lived in yaodongs, artificial cliff caves that collapsed and buried them

1800s Today in Labor History January 22, 1849: Terence Powderly, leader of the Knights of Labor, and mayor of Scranton, PA, was born on this date. the KOL attracted and spawned many radicals, including Daniel DeLeon. He went on to cofound the IWW and the Socialist Labor Party. Two of the Haymarket martyrs were also KOL members.

Today in Labor History January 21, 1525: Conrad Grebel, Felix Manz and George Blaurock founded the Swiss Anabaptist movement by baptizing each other and breaking a thousand-year tradition of church-state union. The Anabaptists were considered Radical Reformers. They preached against hate, killing, violence, taking oaths, participating in use of force or any military actions and against participation in civil government.