Read the words of a Woody Guthrie song giving an account of the Ludlow Massacre during the Colorado coal strikes in 1913.

A brief biography of Henry Clay Frick, partner with Andrew Carnegie in the steel industry in Pennsylvania.

Learn about the 1886 Haymarket Riot that was perpetrated by anarchists at a Chicago labor rally.

The Haymarket Square demonstration turned violent in Chicago in 1886. See a wooden police baton used against the union rioters.

In the late 1960s, grapes grabbed national attention -- and not in a good way. Newly organized farm workers, fronted by Mexican-American civil-rights activist Cesar Chavez, asked Americans to boycott the popular California fruit because...

In the era of big business and business tycoons in the late 19th century, John D. Rockefeller held a very high position. Read about how he thwarted an attempt by two railroad owners to keep Rockefeller from controlling all the oil...

A contemporary article from the magazine, The Nation, which describes the steel strike in Youngstown, Ohio, in June 1937. Read about the background of the strike, and follow the author's ordeal as she was arrested, despite her press...

A brief biography of Lech Walesa and the independent labor movement in Poland. Describes how labor used strikes to improve their working conditions and qualities of life. Their struggles have been an inspiration to labor movements all...

In this lesson plan from EDSITEment, students will discuss the significance of the labor movement, the industrialists involved and the attitude of the American people toward working conditions in the United States. Contains links to many...

From a lengthy essay on the history of the railroad in the United States. This section describes the emergence of the Workingmen's Party as a political force in St. Louis, its role in the railroad strikes of 1877, and how it may have...

An article from the July 31, 1937 edition from The Nation magazine discussing the relationship between Big Steel, Little Steel, and the Committee of Industrial Organization (CIO). Written with a great deal of irony.

A biography of Polish labor leader Lech Walesa. Article is descriptive and well-written. Describes his early life, rise as a labor leader, and his election as the first democratically elected president in Polish history.

Learn about the Polish Crisis of 1980-1981 that began with a wave of strikes across Poland and the formation of the first independent labor union. The documents are from Russian archives that were writtne in response to the Polish crisis.