The history behind the Labor Day holiday is far more complex and dramatic than most might realize, starting with a heated campaign by workers in the late 19th century to win support and recognition for their contributions. In July 1894,...

When the federal government was called in to suppress a railroad workers' strike, dozens were killed and politicians sought a way to show they still supported workers. July 1894, President Grover Cleveland finally signed into law...

Labor Day 2021 occurred on Monday, September 6. Labor Day pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers and is traditionally observed on the first Monday in September. It was created by the labor movement in the...

1896, A Website of Political Cartoons and Commentary provides the illustrated story of both the Homestead and Pullman strikes with quotes from newspapers of the time and a brief characterization of Andrew Carnegie. The site includes a...

An article detailing the activities of the Minute Men of Seattle, a volunteer organization whose objective was to rout out any enemy of the United States during World War I.

Read the history of the Seattle General Strike in 1919. Find out what its objectives were and why it ended up as a failure.

A brief look at the success the workers in several industries had in reducing their work day to ten hours.

[Free Registration/Login Required] An excerpt from an interview with a textile factory worker named Marianna Costa. In the interview, Costa talks about working conditions at the Arrow Piece Dye Works in Paterson, New Jersey, prior to the...

A broad look at the Truman presidency domestically including the labor problems he encountered, his Fair Deal, the instransigence of the Republican Party, and McCarthyism.

Katherine Paterson writes historical fiction for middle school aged learners. This book on the Bread and Roses strike includes good factual information about the strike woven into a personal story. This teacher's guide is a handy...

A good review of the Western Federation of Miners and its actions in Colorado in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Find out why the organization was seen to have socialist leanings.

A brief look at the steel workers' strike against the steel producers in Ohio. Read how the strike progressed, and how it was eventually resolved.

An excellent collection of artifacts that highlight the aims and aspirations of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). Members of the IWW, known as Wobblies, played a unique role in the American labor movement. Artifacts include...

Considered the "Labor photographer," this online exhibit of Sam Reiss' work is a pictorial history of American labor from 1948-1975.

A good look at not only Samuel Gompers and the formation of the American Federation of Labor, but also of the course of unionism in general, its successes and failures, its goals, and membership in the late 19th century.

Ohio History Central gives a brief summary of the actions and goals of the Knights of Labor in the last half of the 19th century. Find out about their push for improved working conditions and whether striking was advantageous or not in...

The first conflict between a corporation and labor union materialized in Flint, Michigan in the 1930's. Identify the tensions between General Motors and the United Automobile Workers during this time through Context, articles, images,...

This thirty-minute video, the seventeenth in a series on American history, examines the rocky relationship between labor, management, and industry from 1882 to 1901. You can also read the transcript, find a map of the Anthracite Strike,...

See a picture of soldiers parading down the street in Gary, Indiana, during the Great Steel Strike of 1919. A quote from union leadership explains the reasons behind the strike.

Ohio History Central gives a brief summary of the Great Steel Strike of 1919, an attempt by steel workers to get higher pay and a shorter work day. Find out the results of the strike.

See a list of the pictures of places burned in the Great Railroad Strike of 1877 and view pictures taken at that time.

A short report on America by 1900: "..the American nation had established itself as a world power. The West was Won. The frontier -- the great fact of 300 years of American history -- was no more."

Explore the rise of unions in the United States in the early 1900's. Understand Roosevelt's role in unions, the Wagner Act, and sit down strikes.

As the United States became a major industrial power, conflict between workers and factory owners intensified. Read about the Homestead Strike and the Pullman Strike, two of the most famous labor battles in American history.