Ludlow Massacre Site Dedicated as National Landmark (about damn time)

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2009/06/28/ludlow-massacre-site-dedicated-as-national-landmark/

by Mike Hall, Jun 28, 2009



Today, Mine Workers (UMWA) leaders, union activists, lawmakers and historians will dedicate the site of the 1914 Ludlow Massacre—one of the bloodiest chapters in the nation’s labor history—as a National Historic Landmark.

On April 20, 1914, in Ludlow, Colo., thugs hired by several coal companies and the Colorado militia attacked a peaceful encampment of striking miners and their families. By the end of the day, 20 were shot or burned to death, including 14 women and children.

More than 90 years ago, UMWA erected a monument there. But since 1918, despite the efforts of family survivors, historians and labor activists, there was no state or national commemoration of the site.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of the Interior designated Ludlow a National Historic Landmark. UMWA President Cecil Roberts says the designation will “preserve the memory of this brutal attack on workers and their families.”

The tragic lessons from Ludlow still echo through our nation, and they must never be forgotten by Americans who truly care about workplace fairness and equality. With this designation, the story of what happened at Ludlow will remain part of our nation’s history. That is as it should be.

FULL story at link.

[pleah]

1. K&R

[MichaelHarris]

2. now if only those miners had

guns! Wait, they weren't paid enough to buy guns, they needed food and clothing for their families. That monument is very much deserved. Kick&Rec

[madrchsod]

4. these guys did have guns.....

http://libcom.org/history/1892-the-homestead-strike

[madrchsod]

3. men,women,and children paid with their lives for what we have today.

now i`m afraid these people have died in vain. there`s an entire generation that have no idea what it means to be a union member.

[intheflow]

5. I'm so glad to hear this!

You drive along I-25 in Colorado, and all you see of this is a sign that says "Ludlow Massacre historic site" at exit whatever. For years I thought it was the site of an Indian massacre--either Indians killed, or whites, but certainly related to the Indian wars. It wasn't until I did an internship with AFL-CIO that we took a field trip down there and I learned it was a masscre of striking miners and their families.

K&R