The Architects of American Freedom Liberty Fellowship Buena, NJ American Institute for History Education May 12, 2011

1. The Architects of American Freedom Liberty Fellowship Buena, NJ American Institute for History Education May 12, 2011 Immigration and the Rise of theAmerican Labor MovementEric Davisdavis@polisci.rutgers.eduhttp://fas-polisci.rutgers.edu/davis http://new-middle-east.blogspot.com

2. The Backdrop for the Rise of Labor

3. America and the Republican ideal What image did Americans have of their society during the early to mid-19th century? The Republican ideal represented a core value It stressed rugged individualism and self-reliance, values associated with rural life In this model of America, the farm and small town was where the citizen controlled his life Once rural to urban migration increased after the Civil War, this vision of life was disrupted

4. Urbanization in the United States 1790, 95% Americans agrarian; 1920, 50%, pop. agrarian; 1990, 3% of pop. agrarian By 1900, 40% Americans lived in cities; number doubled between 1860 and 1900 35 cities had populations over 100,000 Urban overcrowding created shortages of affordable housing, sanitation problems, outbreaks of diseases, water and air pollution

5. Once the South’s economic power destroyed, the North could begin its Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution stimulated migration to cities and immigration to US from Europe Agricultural machinery made much farm labor redundant as 19th century progressed The “push” of fewer jobs in rural America was offset by “pull” of increased jobs in urban areas How did the US change after the Civil War?

6. US iron and steel output less than ½ Britain and France 1870 By 1890, US produced more than 1/3 world’s supply Coal production more than doubled between 1880 and 1890 From 1864 to 1890, US moved from fourth place to first place in industrial goods Industrial workers increased from 2.75 to 5.88 million between 1880 and 1890 The US Industrial Revolution

7. Immigrants usually did not speak English Often Roman Catholic, Jewish, or Christian Orthodox, and rejected by Protestants (WASPs) Immigrants usually lacked education and took unskilled jobs, threatening US workers Immigrants dressed in “exotic” clothing, and lived in segregated urban quarters Thus there was little opportunity for English speaking public to interact with them Cultural tensions caused by immigration

8. The impact of immigration on 19th century US • 40 million immigrants came to US, 1840-1820; 8.8 between 1900-1910; 60% lived in cities • US pop. increased from 76 to 94.5 million, 1900-1910 • 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act passed and 1907 Japanese immigration to US restricted Lewis Hine’s photograph of Italian street workers under 6th Ave. Elevated, NYC (1910) Immigrants in Ellis Island

9. Urbanization, immigration and spread of press in 19th century US

10. Technological change in late 19th century America Edison phonograph Telegraph Alexander Graham Bell speaking into prototype of telephone First incandescent light bulb Edison’s kinescope

11. Rise of mass media and culture Percentage children attending schools rose from 57% to72% between 1870 and 1890 Illiteracy rate declined from 20% to 11% From 1870-1890, number of mass circulation newspapers increased from 574 to 2226 Number of weekly magazines from 4-12,000 Late 19th century saw rise of newspaper chains, e.g., Scripps, Hearst and Pulitzer Rise of muckrakers who criticized political elites

12. Image of cholera epidemic in NYC Images of 19th century newspapers and magazines: the spread of literacy

13. The Rise of the American Labor Movement

14. Labor was key (along with capital) in building the US, especially its powerful industrial economy Labor unions were important organizations that protected workers from rapacious businessmen Without organized labor, there would have been no 8 hour day, workmen’s compensation, anti-child labor laws, and occupational safety and health protections Labor unions have been core component of civil society in the US since the mid-1800s Why is the US labor important?

15. Labor and civil society Definition: the right of citizens to organize groups to pursue collective social interests independent of the state and without state interference A strong civil society is essential to sustain democracy, tolerance and political pluralism Alexis de Tocqueville stressed that civil society at the core of US democracy in his study Democracy in America Labor unions are a core component of US civil society because they foster social engagement

16. How do we define labor unions? A labor union is defined as an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals, particularly better working conditions Labor unions developed not just to improve working conditions but as fraternal (and maternal) organizations Men and women began organizing in US as early as the 1820s (when unions helped pass first child labor laws in Massachusetts in 1826) Unions really came into their own in the 1860s Why did labor unions develop?

17. The National Labor Union was formed in 1866 Organized craftsmen and construction workers, and later farmers and unskilled workers Pressed for 8 hour day, a national labor party, and arbitration, instead of strikes, to win concessions In 1868, NLU won right for government workers to work an 8 hour day What was the first major labor union in US?

18. The NLU and social difference NLU made only limited efforts to help women and African-Americans NLU campaigned for preventing Chinese workers from working in the US African-Americans formed their own Colored National Labor Union 1870s, NLU focused exclusively on electoral politics where did very poorly and collapsed 1873 Many workers moved to Knights of Labor in 1870s due to its more activist policies NLU not receptive to immigrants

19. Most important early labor movement was Noble and Holy Order of Knights of Labor, established in 1869 Knights a secret organization founded in Philadelphia that initially spread among coal mines in the region The Knights were interested in developing a “working class culture” and accepted workers of all ethnicities K of L emphasized involvement of women, families, sports, and leisure activities and educational activities K of L much more tolerant of immigrants than NLU Who were the Knights of Labor?

20. The K of L deemphasized social class conflict and ascribed to “labor Republicanism” which held that producers and owner interests could be reconciled The Knights achieved first great success in 1885 when they defeated Jay Gould’s Southeastern Railroad Gould was a notorious “robber baron” who held workers in contempt By 1886, the Knights were working to organize over 1400 strikes involving 600,000 workers throughout US Why were the Knights of Labor powerful?

21. Key to Knights success was its inclusive policy in welcoming all workers and its social organization K of L’s social activities that included picnics, sporting events, gave members feeling of being part of a family Using a strategy used by Irish workers, Knights organized boycotts, e.g., against Chicago streetcars in 1881 when pay increase request turned down Knights emphasized non-violent action that won them many supporters, including politicians Why were the Knights of Labor powerful?

22. Why did Knights of Labor decline in power? K of L very progressive for its time, as it included women, blacks, skilled and unskilled workers K of L felt earlier unions had failed because their membership was too restrictive K of L sought 8 hr. day, end to child labor, equal pay for equal work, state ownership railroads and telegraphs, graduated income tax, and public land policy that benefited settlers, not speculators With influx of more members, some of whom radical, K of L began to lose public support

23. Labor unrest and violence in late 19th century America US cavalry breaks up 1894 Pullman Car workers strike 1894 Pullman Car workers strike Eugene V. Debs, American Railway Union president, c. 1890

24. Whereas labor movement had been largely peaceful in first half 19th century, it became more radical after Civil War Immigrants played key role in this turn to radicalism Two main ideologies that they brought from Europe were socialism and anarchism (Leon Czolgosz assassinated President McKinley in 1901) Pre-Civil War labor movement had been more communitarian in seeking to make living conditions better and bring workers together Socialists emphasized class struggle and anarchists said freedom could only possible if statedestroyed But Robber Barons also contributed to radicalism by refusing to improve working conditions of laborers Labor radicalism and immigration

25. Secret organization coal miners (most Irish) in Western Virginia and Pennsylvania that fought horrible working conditions and hiring discrimination Took name from famous Irish widow who organized tenant protests in 1840s Highly secretive, part of Workingmen’s Beneficial Association and protected by Ancient Order of the Hibernians Mollys intimidated and even murdered officials until Pinkerton detectives brought members to trial in 1860s and several members were hung Labor radicalism: the Molly McGuires

26. Working conditions were very poor leading Mollys to threaten bosses

27. The history of The Molly Maguires in cartoon form

28. 19th century labor unrest: Haymarket riots On May 1, 1886, unions called for national strike in support of an 8 hour work day Thousands workers demonstrated in US cities but Chicago center with 40,000 demonstrators After bomb through into crowd, police fired upon strikers killing unknown number workers Several anarchist labor leaders arrested and tried and hanged without supporting evidence

29. What was the impact of Haymarket strike? May Day 1886 McCormick Harvesting workers in Chicago struck for a shorter working day May 3, police protected strikebreakers at factory and riot broke out with1 person killed Anarchists, many of whom immigrants, set May 4 for large support rally in Haymarket Square

30. Research has shown that police sparked the riot by trying to disperse the demonstrators No one knows who responded by throwing pipe bomb into crowd 8 policemen killed and anarchists arrested Many tried and seven convicted of whom 4 were executed, even though prosecution agreed none had thrown the pipe bomb What happened at the riot?

31. The Haymarket riot led to split in labor movement and reduced public support for unions Increasingly unions became associated with violence and foreigners American Federation of Labor (AFL) created as alternative to K of L AFL stressed craft union membership which put it at odds with unskilled workers who often immigrants The aftermath of the Haymarket Riot

32. Term “Ruhe” was said to be sign for armed uprising in Chicago The idea of the Haymarket Riot as a conspiracy designed to provoke armed uprising

33. Haymarket Memorial, Chicago Images from Haymarket Riots, May 3, 1886

34. Showing coffins of victims in front of Catholic Church." A funeral for twenty one people who died when state militia attacked and burned a tent colony set up by striking coal miners. By Dold, Trinidad, Colorado, 1914

35. Images of labor radicalism in early 20th century America Union organizer, Mary “Mother” Jones

36. Immigrants, child labor and the arts

37. Lewis Hine – Breakers Boys 1911 (young children working in Hughestown Borough Coal Co., Pittston, PA)

38. “Team Work,” Newsboys, Hartford CN March, 1909 Photograph of newsboy Tony Casale, Hartford CN

39. Child labor in Lancaster Cotton Mills, Lancaster, SC December, 1908

40. “Livers” – St. Louis, 1910, Newsboy at Franklin and Jefferson Aves. Lewis Hine’s photograph of child labor in an Indiana glass factory between 1907 and 1917

41. “Spinner” 1908 Whitnel, NC “A Six Year Old Boy (Italian) taking Home Work During the Noon Hour”, 1912

42. Industrial elites, industrialization and the US labor movement

43. Powerful economic elites arose after the Civil War in railroads and banking Elites tried to establish political legitimacy by enhancing their social status Increased status was achieved through cultural and material projects, e.g., art museums, monuments, urban buildings, estates, parks To achieve social status, American elites sought to emulate behavior of European elites The rise of economic elites

44. Distribution of wealth in the Gilded Age

45. 1870-1920 was particularly good era in which to become rich Robber barons derived wealth from railroads and finance, esp. selling shares in railroads After 1900, technology played key role in new products and railroads allow their distribution Oil, steel and other industries became important Income tax finally passed in 1913 via 16th Amendment Wealthy showed little concern for needs of people The captains of industry in the Gilded Age

46. Labor unrest developed as US industry rapidly expanded under the poor and dangerous working conditions of the late 19th century The labor movement developed in the 1870s, e.g., first the Knights of Labor, tne American Federation of Labor, and later “Wobblies” (International Workers of the World) Labor movement often included immigrants and ethnic groups who seen as “subversive” The rise of the American labor movement

47. By late 1800s, US industrial power, with population that was ethnically and culturally diverse Much of economic elite nouveaux riches, i.e., made money after Civil War and insecure about their status Society shaken by rapid population growth and urbanization, and worker militancy Increased political mobilization of large segments of populace threatened elite prerogatives and power Populace increasingly educated, literate and politically conscious Summary comments I

48. What do students today know about labor unions in the US? Do they think they have contributed to United States’ prosperity? Do they feel that unions contribute to civic life in the United States? Would they be willing to join a union? Do they feel that the government has the right to curb union rights, e.g., collective bargaining? What questions do you as teachers feel should be raised in the classroom about labor unions and the US labor movement? Questions for students

49. Dubofsky, Melvyn, Labor in America: a History, 8th ed., Harlan Davidson, 2010 Freedman, Russell, Kids at Work: Lewis Hine and the Crusade Against Child Labor, Clarion Books, 1994 Hine, Lewis, Passionate Journey: Photographs, 1905-1937, ed. Karl Steinorth, Semmle, 1996 Riis, Jacob, How the Other Half Lives: Studies Among the Tenements of New York, Hilla dn Wang, 1957(1890) Bibliography