Peter McGuire and the Great Uprising from 1877-1910

Labor and Government– positive: Labor Day – negative: national and state repression of

workers

Knights of Labor

American Federation of Labor

Plumbers early success and conflict

Peter McGuire and First Labor Day Parade

September 5, 1882• Previous Parades

• McGuire of Carpenters takes the lead

• Call for a Labor day of Rest

• Also need on May 1 Agitation for 8-hour Day

George Meany Memorial Archives, Peter McGuire, Box 15, Folder 27, negative #930

KOL Calling a Meeting

George Meany Memorial Archives, Schnapper, Box 4, Folder 22

• Knights of Labor 1869 Secret Society

• By 1880s Craft Unions join

• Semi-skilled & unskilled men & women join

• Often used codes & Masonic-like symbols

KOL Convention, 1886

George Meany Memorial Archives, Schnapper, Box 4, Folder 22

• Knights of Labor General Assembly, Richmond, Virginia,

October 1886• Frank M. Farrell

(left), African-American delegate

• Terrance Powderly (center), Grand Master Workman, leader of KOL

• Fitzhugh Lee, (right) governor of Virginia

• KOL ignore Trade Unionists’ demands

Haymarket Square six years after the bomb explosion

Haymarket May 4, 188610 dead & 50 injured by bomb and bullets

Injustice of trial inspired world-wide May 1 as a labor protest day

Police statue (right lower corner)

moved in 1972

Library of Congress # Z62.602756.134212

American Federation of Labor

• Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions 1881(FOOTALU)

• Conflict with Knights of Labor and various unions• Trade Union committee of KOL calls for new

organization after General Assembly ignores its concerns

• Meet in Columbus, Ohio in December 1886 and form the American Federation of Labor

• FOOTALU = Articles of Confederation Period• AFL = Constitution and birth of US