Post by Chris_Wendt on Mar 24, 2011 9:15:28 GMT -5
Tomorrow, Friday, March 25th marks the grim 100th Anniversary of the horrific Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in which 146 workers, mostly young Jewish and Italian women, were killed. This incident is generally regarded as having precipitated the modern organized labor movement in America.
There will be a number of commemorative activities on Friday, including a procession from Union Square (14th Street and Broadway) to NYU, assembling at 9:30, stepping off at 10:30 AM. At 11:00 there will be official ceremonies conducted at the original site, 23-29 Washington Place (now part of the NYU campus).
This tragic event was the deadliest workplace tragedy in the city's history, prior to 9-11-2001.
For what it is worth, I think tomorrow's observance could serve as a "teachable moment" for high school social studies students.
For the rest of us, if nothing else, it should serve as a grim reminder that the labor movement in America did not arise without a cause or valid purpose, nor has it been without benefits to our society over the past century.
Chris Wendt
There will be a number of commemorative activities on Friday, including a procession from Union Square (14th Street and Broadway) to NYU, assembling at 9:30, stepping off at 10:30 AM. At 11:00 there will be official ceremonies conducted at the original site, 23-29 Washington Place (now part of the NYU campus).
This tragic event was the deadliest workplace tragedy in the city's history, prior to 9-11-2001.
For what it is worth, I think tomorrow's observance could serve as a "teachable moment" for high school social studies students.
For the rest of us, if nothing else, it should serve as a grim reminder that the labor movement in America did not arise without a cause or valid purpose, nor has it been without benefits to our society over the past century.
Chris Wendt