Labor History in 2:00

August 27 - Truman Seizes the Railroads

On this day in Labor History the year was 1950.  At 4 pm that day the US Army completed its take-over of the country’s railroads. 

They were acting on the orders of President Truman.  

August 26 - Fannie Sellins Martyred

On this day in Labor History the year was 1919.  That was the day that Fannie Sellins and Joseph Starzeleski were murdered while standing up for workers’ rights.  Fannie was born in New Orleans, and then married a garment worker in St. Louis.  

August 25 - The Georges Fight Back

On this day in Labor History the year was 1925.  500 African American sleeping car porters gathered at the Elks Hall at 129^th Street in Harlem.  The meeting was called by A. Philip Randolph.  

August 24 - Weaponizing the War Against Labor

The year was 1877. 

That summer during what came to be known as “The Great Upheaval,” police, the US Army, and the National Guard brutally crushed a national railroad strike.  The simmering anger of working people had many elected officials and industrialists on edge. 

August 23 - Commission on Industrial Relations

On this day in Labor History the year was 1912.  That was the day the US Congress approved the formation of the Commission on Industrial Relations.  In the early 1900s the terrible work conditions and entrenched resistance to union organizing had led to increasing labor unrest

August 22 - Making the Skies Friendlier

On this day in Labor History the year was 1945. That was the day five women working for United Airlines formed the first union for airline stewardess.  Those women were Ada Brown, Frances Hall, Edith Lauterbach, Sally Thometz and Sally Watt. 

August 21 - Nat Turner’s Insurrection

On this day in Labor History the year was 1831. That was the year Nat Turner led a slave rebellion in Southhampton, Virginia. 

From a young age Turner believed he had a purpose ordained by God.  Turner had learned to read from one of his master’s sons.

August 20 - The War on Poverty

On this day in Labor History the year was 1964. President Lyndon B. Johnson gave a mid-morning address in the Rose Garden of the White House.  He was there to sign the Economic Opportunity Act that launched what became known as Johnson’s War on Poverty.  

August 19 - Songs to Fan the Flames of Discontent

On this day in Labor History the year was 1909.  That was the day that a committee of the Industrial Workers of the World in Spokane, Washington published the first edition of the “Little Red Song Book.” The collection were “Songs to Fan the Flames of Discontent.” 

August 18 - WEVD Radio New York

On this day in Labor History the year was 1927.  That was the day that a new radio station began to broadcast on the New York dial. The station’s call letters were WEVD.  It stood for Eugene V. Debs.  The radio station was founded to honor the recently deceased Socialist and labor leader.