Wednesday Morning in the Blogosphere

 Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California

What happens when the news media gets it wrong? - Poynter

You couldn’t create a more anti-news internet if you tried - Nieman Lab

Journalists in Washington, Idaho stage one-day strike over wages, AI concerns - KEPR

Local News Fund: a drop in the ocean or the start of new beginnings? - Journalism UK

Editorial cartoons find new digital life: Sack’s comeback highlights shift from newsrooms - E&P

Important Events From This day in History May 27

 

 

27 May, 1936 England RMS Queen Mary

1936 : The Cunard liner RMS Queen Mary leaves Southampton on her maiden voyage to New York with more than 1800 passengers.

27 May, 1941 World War II Bismarck

1941 : The German battleship Bismarck is sunk in the Atlantic by the Royal Naval ships Dorsetshire, King George V and Rodney after it had been damaged by torpedoes dropped by British aircraft from HMS Ark Royal.

27 May, 1923 France First Le Mans 24 hour race

1923 : The first Le Mans 24-Hour race ends with a win for Andre Lagache and Renee Leonard covering 1,372.928 miles in a Chenard-Walker car. The latest race run in 2007 is won by Frank Biela, Emanuele Pirro and Marco Werner covering 3129.75 miles in an Audi R10.

27 May, 1937 U.S.A. Golden Gate Bridge

1937 : Golden Gate Bridge connecting San Francisco and Marin County, California is opened to pedestrian traffic and more than 200,000 pedestrians walked across on opening day. The next day the Golden Gate Bridge is opened to vehicular traffic.

27 May, 1922 U.S.A. Checks

1922 : The increasing use of checks has led to a larger number of arrests by the police for people issuing fraudulent checks and banks have decided to try and halt this problem by only issuing checks for customers who are upstanding citizens.

27 May, 1943 U.S.A. The Ballpoint Pen

1943 : The Ballpoint pen, is patented in America by Hungarian Laszlo Biro.

1950 U.S.A. Frank Sinatra

1950 : Frank Sinatra made his TV debut on NBC's "Star-Spangled Review." He went on to be one of the most successful and recognizable figures in music history.

1955 British General Election

1955 : The British General Election is won by the Tories under Sir Anthony Eden.

1963 Kenya Jomo Kenyatta

1963 : The Kenya African Nation Union, wins the country's first general election and the leader of the party Jomo Kenyatta will become Kenya's first premier.

1964 India Jawaharlal Nehru Dies

1964 : Jawaharlal Nehru the founder of modern India and prime minister, dies at the age of 74.

1971 Sicily Mount Etna

1971 : Walls of Lava are threatening two towns in Sicily as they continue towards the towns of Sciara and Giarre. This is the 54th day Mount Etna has been erupting and many experts are predicting a further major eruption due to the increased lava flow and smoke.

1989 S&H Green Stamps

1989 : S&H Green stamps have been part of the retail landscape for over 50 years but the loss of it's largest customer Publix Supermarkets in Florida could well be the final nail in it's coffin this week. S&H Green Stamps has been in existence for 94 years and it's heyday in the 1960's when it was an important part of the retailing industry and very few people did not collect the Green Stamps to trade back for toasters and other gadgets is now passed due to many things ranging from the increase in discount coupons to the change in work patterns including more women working.

Today in Labor History May 27, 2026

 

The U.S. Supreme Court declared the Depression-era National Industrial Recovery Act to be unconstitutional, about a month before it was set to expire. – 1935

The U.S. Fishermen and Allied Workers Union merged with Harry Bridges’ ILWU. – 1947

Delegates of the Insurance Agent’s International Union and the Insurance Workers of America, having ratified the merger agreement at their respective conventions, convened as delegates of the merged union, the Insurance Workers International Union. The 15,000-member organization merged with the United Food and Commercial Workers in 1983. – 1959

Armed Forces Medley 2026: Memorial Day Concert

The 2026 Memorial Day Concert 5/24/2026 at the Capital Building in Washington D.C.

Includes US military branches: Coast Guard, Space Force, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Army Have a great Memorial Day! All credit goes to PBS, this work is not of my own.

Monday Morning in the Blogosphere

 

Paddock enters purchase agreement with Chicago Tribune - Daily Herald

A reality check with creator-led news brands: How to make it on your own - Journalism UK

Judges defend free speech with force: Powerful rulings revive First Amendment ideals - E&P 

Professor Jesús Ayala turns PTSD into a mission to reform journalism training - E&P Magazine

As goes CBS Radio News, so goes the idea that news media should serve the public interest - NL

Jim Wright

 Jim Wright,

Call me at 909-230-2061

Important Events From This day in History May 25

 

 

25 May, 1967 John Lennon's Psychedelic Rolls Royce

1967 : John Lennon's psychedelic Rolls Royce is delivered, the Rolls Royce caused an uproar including the Rolls Royce Company raising a formal complaint. He had bought the car new from Rolls Royce in 1965 and become bored with the color so had a psychedelic paint job. The car was sold at Sotheby's in 1985 for $2,299.000.00 the most expensive car ever sold.

25 May, 1968 St. Louis Gateway Arch

1968 : The Gateway Arch in St. Louis standing 630 feet tall, and 630 feet wide at its base is dedicated.

25 May, 1895 England Oscar Wilde

1895 : Playwright Oscar Wilde was found guilty of gross indecency in London and sentenced two years of hard labor. Playwright Oscar Wilde was arrested on charges of "gross indecency" under Section 11 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act earlier in April ( in 1895 ) this term implied 'homosexual acts not amounting to buggery'.

25 May, 1925 U.S.A. John T. Scopes

1925 : A high school science teacher, John T. Scopes was indicted for teaching the theory of evolution in his classes, as the Tennessee state law prohibits the teaching of evolution in public schools.

More about the Scopes Monkey Trial

25 May, 1977 U.S.A. First Star Wars Movies Opens

1977 : Star Wars written and directed by George Lucas and released by 20th Century Fox opens in American Theaters. The original Star Wars grossed nearly $800 million world wide and won multiple awards at the 50th Annual Academy Awards and created a cult following for future Star Wars Movies.

25 May, 1920 American Merchant Shipping

1920 : A study into American merchant shipping confirms that 79% of new ships just built or in design and build stages have moved from coal burners to oil burners as fuel.

1935 U.S.A. Jesse Owens

1935 : Jesse Owens broke three world records at the Big Ten meet in Ann Arbor, Michigan including broad jump, the 220-yard dash and the low hurdles.

More about Jesse Owens

1935 U.S.A. Babe Ruth

1935 : Babe Ruth hit the 714th and final home run of his career at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh while playing for the Boston Braves against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Shortly afterwards he announced his retirement.

1943 World War II Dusseldorf Bombing

1943 : 500 RAF Bombers bombed Dusseldorf and laid waste to parts of the city that have been left standing, also the RAF were in action in Burma with a raids into western Burma.

1958 France General Charles de Gaulle

1958 : General Charles de Gaulle becomes Prime Minister of France.

1961 U.S.A. Money To Put A Man On The Moon

1961 : President Kennedy has asked Congress for $531 million to help the US put a man on the moon before the end of the decade . On July 21st 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first man to set foot on the Moon.

Today in Labor History May 25, 2026

 

Remington Rand strike

Pressured by employers, striking shoemakers in Philadelphia were arrested and charged with criminal conspiracy for violating an English common law that barred schemes aimed at forcing wage increases. The strike was broken. – 1805

The U.S. slave trade was abolished. – 1807

Philip Murray was born in Scotland. He went on to emigrate to the U.S., become the founder and first president of the United Steelworkers of America, and head of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) from 1940 until his death in 1952. – 1886

Two company houses occupied by scab coal miners were blown up and destroyed during a strike against the Glendale Gas & Coal Company in Wheeling, West Virginia. – 1925

Thousands of unemployed WWI veterans arrived in Washington, D.C. to demand a bonus they had been promised but never received. They built a shantytown near the U.S. Capital but were burned out by U.S. troops after two months. – 1932

The notorious 11-month Remington Rand strike began. The strike spawned the “Mohawk Valley (NY) formula,” described by investigators as a corporate plan to discredit union leaders, frighten the public with the threat of violence, employ thugs to beat up strikers, and other tactics. The National Labor Relations Board termed the formula “a battle plan for industrial war.” – 1936

The railroad strike was settled with terms imposed by President Harry Truman. – 1946

The AFL-CIO began what was to become an unsuccessful campaign for a 35-hour workweek, with the goal of reducing unemployment. Earlier tries by organized labor for 32- or 35-hour weeks also failed. – 1962

Thursday Morning in the Blogosphere

 

The New York Times and Our Freedom - Second Rough Draft

Livestreaming reshapes newsroom video strategies - E&P Magazine

Preparing for the second act of AI: agents, liquid content and AI deals - Journalism UK

International Paper breaks ground on $225 million facility in Mississippi - Magnolia Tribune

Judges defend free speech with force: Powerful rulings revive First Amendment ideals - E&P Magazine

Important Events From This day in History May 21

 

 

21 May, 1927 France Charles Lindbergh

1927 : Charles Lindbergh landed in Paris, completing the first nonstop trans-Atlantic flight. Lindbergh was the dark horse when he entered a competition for a $25,000 prize to anyone able to fly nonstop from New York to Paris. More about the first Non-Stop Transatlantic Flight

21 May, 1881 U.S.A. American Red Cross

1881 : Clara Barton and Adolphus Solomons found the American National Red Cross, to provide humanitarian aid to victims of wars and natural disasters as part of the International Federation of Red Cross Societies.

21 May, 1958 England Direct Dial Phone Calls Announced

1958 : The Postmaster General Ernest Marples has announces that from next year the new automated telephone connection which will make calls easier and cheaper because no telephone operator will be needed will begin in Bristol and slowly be rolled out countrywide in the next 10 years. The price of a direct dial call will start at 2d ( less than 1p )and a three-minute call will cost 2s 6d, ( 12 1/2p ).

21 May, 1932 Ireland Amelia Earhart

1932 : Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman to make a solo air crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, from Newfoundland to Ireland.

21 May, 1924 Leopold and Loeb Murder Bobby Franks

1924 : Leopold and Loeb two wealthy University of Chicago students murder a 14-year-old boy Bobby Franks believing they could commit the perfect crime. They were caught because a pair of eyeglasses found near the body had an unusual hinge mechanism only bought by 3 people in Chicago and one of those was Nathan Leopold.

21 May, 1961 U.S.A. "Freedom Riders"

1961 : Following the attacks on a busload of "Freedom Riders" the day before, martial law is imposed in the town of Montgomery, Alabama after violent clashes between blacks and whites.

1924 Britain Robinson Crusoe

1924 : The old flintlock musket of Robinson Crusoe believed to be the authentic musket owned by Alexander Selkirk who was stranded on Juan Fernadez island for 4 years which inspired Defoe's celebrated story (Robinson Crusoe) was sold at auction for 250 pounds sterling in London.

1935 Germany Adolf Hitler

1935 : In Germany people are rallying behind Adolf Hitler as he tells the world he will stop building up arms only if Germany is recognized as an equal in Europe and by the world. He also stated Jews and non-Aryan will be subject to duty in the new Germany.

1947 U.S.A. Lynching Trial

1947 : 28 acquitted of lynching a black man after taking him from the county jail in South Carolina for stabbing a white taxi driver after the defense council who criticized northern interference and demanded acquittal to show the north it should stay out of South Carolina and let us run our counties he also said he is dead and more like him should be dead.

1950 Unusual Tornado Southern England

1950 : Violent storms and a tornado devastate southern England causing damage to property around London. The tornado touched down in late afternoon in Linslade, Buckinghamshire the tornado traveled 66 miles and remains the longest trail on record for a tornado in England leaving hundreds of roof's damaged in it's path and lifting cars, cattle and horses.

1950 Fangio wins his first Grand Prix

1950 : Juan Manuel Fangio wins the Monaco Grand Prix in an Alfa Romeo this is his first Formula One victory and the first of his 24-Grand Prix victories. During his career he won five Formula One World Driver's Championships with four different teams (Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Maserati).

1951 Alfa Romeo

1954 Maserati

1955 Mercedes

1956 Ferrari

1957 Maserati

Many do consider him to be one of the greatest racing drivers of all time.

1960 Chile Earthquake

1960 : An 8.5-magnitude quake hits Valdivia, Chile. The earthquake caused huge landslides to fall down the mountains of the region, as well as a series of tsunamis including a 26-foot wave which strikes the coastal region of Chile. The quake and after affects including the giant wave leaves 5,000 people dead and another 2 million homeless.

Today in Labor History May 21, 2026

 Minneapolis General Strike

Italian activists and anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, widely believed to have been framed for murder, went on trial today. They eventually were executed as part of a government campaign against dissidents. – 1921

The Minneapolis General Strike by the Teamsters Union commenced, with a pitched battle between striking Teamsters and business goons. – 1934

The Little Wagner Act was signed in Hawaii, guaranteeing pineapple and sugar workers the right to bargain collectively. After negotiations failed, a successful 79-day strike shut down 33 of the territory’s 34 plantations and brought higher wages and a 40-hour week. – 1945

The U.S. government seized control of the nation’s coal mines in order to maintain production during a nationwide coal strike. Despite the government’s actions, miners continued to strike, forcing the government to concede to many of their demands, concessions that even the mine owners refused to grant. Miners struck again in November, in violation of a federal injunction, resulting in a $3.5 million fine. – 1946

White Night riots occurred in San Francisco, California in protest of the hand slap given to former city supervisor, Dan White, for murdering the city’s first openly gay supervisor, Harvey Milk, and Mayor George Moscone. White was determined to be temporarily insane from having eaten too much junk food. A similar defense has failed repeatedly to get students excused from exams or school detentions. – 1979

Nearly 100,000 unionized SBC Communications Inc. workers began a four-day strike to protest the local phone giant’s latest contract offer. – 2004

Tuesday Morning in the Blogosphere

 

AI, discovery and media’s next phase - E&P Magazine

When your business partner holds you back - E&P Magazine

Women journalists confront rising misogyny - E&P Magazine

Inside Lighthouse Reports’ investigative engine - E&P Magazine

FOIA master Jason Leopold’s playbook: How persistence unlocks public records - E&P Magazine

Important Events From This day in History May 19th

 

 

19 May, 1997 Hong Kong Avian Flu

1997 : The first victim of Avian Flu A (H5N1) a three-year-old boy has died in Hong Kong. By the end of the year there were 18 recorded cases with six of the victims dying. Authorities slaughter 1.6 million chickens and other domestic fowl in Hong Kong hoping to prevent further spread of the disease. The World Health Organization and other interested parties are still concerned that the Avian Flu Virus could mutate further causing a similar pandemic to the 1918/1919 Spanish flu pandemic which killed anywhere from 20 to 100 million worldwide, Or between 2.5 to 5% of the worlds human population.

19 May, 1962 Marilyn Monroe Performs Rendition of "Happy Birthday"

1962 : Marilyn Monroe performed a rendition of "Happy Birthday" for President John F. Kennedy for his forty-fifth birthday during a fund-raiser at New York's Madison Square Garden. The dress she wore that night was noted for being sheer and flesh colored with 2500 rhinestones sewn into it and designed by Jean Louis. The dress sold in 1999 at auction in New York for over US$1.26 million.

19 May, 1921 U.S.A. Emergency Quota Act

1921 : The Emergency Quota Act was passed into law which limits the number of immigrants admitted into the US. More about Emergency Quota Act

19 May, 1923 U.S.A. Harry Houdini

1923 : Harry Houdini ex medium, magician, handcuff king, disappearing artist denounced spirit mediums, clairvoyants in a radio interview and has said his good friend Sir A Conan Doyle (creator of Sherlock Holmes) has been duped by tricksters and fraudsters.

1982 Italy Sophia Loren

1982 : Actress Sophia Loren began serving a 30-day prison sentence in Italy for failing to report five million lire on her income tax return for 1970.

1986 South Africa Zambia

1986 : South African troops launch multiple raids on Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana in an effort to destroy bases purportedly used by the anti-apartheid organisation the African National Congress (ANC). The Nations of Angola, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Tanzania, form the so-called "frontline states" that support the ANC in their struggle against white minority rule. During the Mid to Late 1980s sanctions imposed by the US, most Commonwealth nations and the European Community forced South Africa to end it's anti-apartheid policies and in 1994 the ANC formed South Africa's first democratically elected government with Mr Mandela as the country's first black president.

Born This Day In History 19th May

Celebrating Birthdays Today

Grace Jones

Born: May 19th, 1948 Spanish Town, Jamaica

Known For : Grace Jones is a model, actress, singer, songwriter, and music producer who gained fame in the 1970s and 1980s for her unique style. She began modeling as a teenager and soon transitioned to music, becoming a star of the disco-scene in New York City. During the 1980s her music transitioned to a new wave style and drew influence from reggae. As an actress, she appeared in several films including as a Bond girl in 1985's "A View to Kill." She is also well-known for her distinctive androgynous look and bold cubist-inspired fashion choices.

1991 Croatia Seeks Independence

1991 : Croatian Voters in Civil war torn Yugoslavia have voted to seek independence and sovereignty, the country is being torn apart by nationalists and ethnic Serbs who wish to be part of Serbia.

1992 U.S.A. 27th Amendment

1992 : The 27th Amendment to the US constitution is ratified.

1994 U.S.A. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

1994 : The former First Lady ( President Kennedy's wife ) Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis died today of lymphoma at the age of 64.

2005 U.S.A. Revenge of the Sith

2005 : The final chapter of Star Wars "Revenge of the Sith," opens in movie theaters with movie goers queuing all night.

2005 Rwandan Official Apologizes for Genocide

2005 : The Rwandan defense minister, Marcel Gatsini, apologized for being a part of the Hutu government behind the genocide of 1994. This marks the first time a senior official of the government behind the genocide publicly apologized. Gatsini stated he was fired from the government after the genocide began because he was accused of being too moderate.

2006 U.S.A. Guantanamo Bay

2006 : World Leaders urge the Bush administration to close its prison in Guantanamo Bay, saying the indefinite detention of terror suspects there violated the world's ban on torture.

Today in Labor History May 19, 2026

 

South Amboy, New Jersey docks

An explosion in Coal Creek, Tennessee killed 184 miners. – 1902

Ten people were killed when coal company officials in Matewan, West Virginia, tried to remove striking union workers from coal company housing. They sent in agents from the Baldwin-Felts detective agency who evicted several families before trying to hop on a train out of town. Sheriff Hatfield, who supported the miners’ right to organize, tried to arrest the detectives who, in turn, tried to arrest Hatfield. Unbeknownst to the detectives, they had been surrounded by miners. No one knows who shot first, but when the smoke had cleared, there were 7 dead detectives (including Albert and Lee Felts) and 4 dead townspeople. The episode became known as the “Matewan Battle” or “Matewan Massacre,” and is depicted in John Sayles’ film Matewan. It should be pointed out that mining was one of the most dangerous and corrupt industries around. Miners were typically forced to live in a company town and purchase living necessities from company stores at inflated prices. They were paid in scrip, which was useless outside of the company towns. In the time leading up to the Battle of Matewan, numerous miners had been assassinated by vigilantes, goons or detectives. In the aftermath of the massacre, the miners went on strike and were treated to even more violence. Striking miners were beaten and left to die in the streets. The remaining Felts brother, Tom, instigated a vendetta against Sheriff Hatfield, eventually having him killed by his agency in 1921. – 1920

A gas explosion in a Mather, Pennsylvania coal mine killed 195. – 1928

The Steel Workers Organizing Committee, formed by the Congress of Industrial Organizations, formally became the United Steelworkers of America. – 1942

31 dockworkers were killed, 350 workers and others were injured when four barges carrying 467 tons of ammunition blew up at South Amboy, New Jersey. They were loading mines that had been deemed unsafe by the Army and were being shipped to the Asian market for sale. – 1950

Today in Labor History May 17, 2026

 The first women’s anti-slavery conference was held on this date in Philadelphia. – 1838

Tom Mooney‘s scheduled date of execution was stayed while the case was appealed. Mooney ultimately spent 22 years in prison for the San Francisco Preparedness Day Parade bombing in 1916, a crime he did not commit. Mooney, along with codefendant Warren Billings, were members of the IWW and were railroaded because of their union affiliation. – 1917

President Truman ended a nation-wide railroad strike by threatening to take over the railroads and send in the army. -1947

The Supreme Court outlawed segregation in public schools. – 1954

Twelve Starbucks baristas in a midtown Manhattan store signed cards demanding representation by the Industrial Workers of the World, or Wobblies, declaring they couldn’t live on $7.75 an hour. – 2004

Fast food workers took to the streets of Milwaukee in a one-day work stoppage to demand a $15.00 an hour wage. – 2013

Saturday Morning in the Blogosphere

 

Inside Lighthouse Reports’ investigative engine - E&P Magazine

Why USA TODAY created a newspaper march for America’s 250th - E&P Reports

Napa media company formed to rescue two community newspapers folds - The Press Democrat

Baltimore Banner CEO on Progress There and Plans for Their Pittsburgh Newspaper Purchase - SRD

Salt Lake Tribune just removed its paywall, making its journalism free to everyone - Salt Lake Tribune

Important Events From This day in History May 16

 

 

16 May, 1969 U.S.A. Protest and Rioting

1969 : Rioting and protests against the war in Vietnam continue on campuses throughout California with local National Guardsman patrolling Berkeley campus of the University of California area with fixed bayonets to keep peace and order.

16 May, 1929 U.S.A. First Academy Awards

1929 : The First ever Academy Awards of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards were handed out at a banquet held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

16 May, 1918 U.S.A. Sedition Act

1918 : The Sedition Act is passed by the U.S. Congress, creating more harsh penalties aimed at people who were against American participation in World War I. The law punished dissenters including anyone who was found to be insulting the government. The Sedition Act is considered by many law scholars to be in direct conflict with the First Amendment right to free speech. Palmer Raids Timeline

16 May, 1943 Poland Warsaw Ghetto Uprising

1943 : Resistance in the Jewish ghetto in Warsaw has ended as SS Police and Wehrmacht units using tanks and other armored vehicles take back control of the ghetto crushing resistance after 1 month of fighting.

16 May, 1927 U.S.A. Floods in Louisiana

1927 : Following the floods in Louisiana rescue workers have so far found over 20 people dead with more coming as they continue to check homes flooded due to the flooding.

16 May, 1944 Italy World War II

1944 : Many believe the end of the World War is getting closer as allied forces push the Nazis back an all fronts including Italy and from the Eastern Front by Russia, at the same time significant gains are being made in the Pacific.

1946 U.S.A. "Annie Get Your Gun"

1946 : The Irving Berlin musical, "Annie Get Your Gun," opened at New York’s Imperial Theatre for its debut performance. It went on to do 1,146 more performances to become one of the most popular musicals in theater history.

1960 France U2 Spy Plane

1960 : The leaders of the most powerful nations on earth came to verbal blows in Paris over the U2 Spy Plane which flew over the Soviet Union. President Nikita Khrushchev and US President Dwight D. Eisenhower are at odds over the issue.

1968 England Block Of Flats in Newham Collapses

1968 : A block of Flats in Newham in the heart of docklands area in London's East End collapses following a gas explosion on the 18th floor leaving at least 3 dead and 80 families fleeing the tower block.

1974 Lebanon Israeli Bombing

1974 : Israeli planes bomb 7 Palestinian refugee camps in southern Lebanon killing at least 27 people and leaving 138 injured.

1976 Lebanon Muslims and Christians Fighting

1976 : Muslims and Christians in Lebanon are fighting a fierce battle using rocket artillery and the death toll has reached over 220 with fighting still continuing , food shortages are now affecting most of the population and nether side wish to attend peace talks.

Born This Day In History 16th May

Celebrating Birthday Today

Pierce Brosnan

Born: May 16th 1953 , Drogheda, Ireland

Known For : He is best known as the fifth actor to play secret agent James Bond in the Bond film series, starring in four films (GoldenEye 1995, Tomorrow Never Dies 1997, The World Is Not Enough 1999, and Die Another Day 2002). His early breakthrough came with the television series Remington Steele (1982–1987). Other movies include The Fourth Protocol (1987) and the comedy Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) and the remake of the heist film The Thomas Crown Affair (1999).

Today in Labor History May 16, 2026

 1,600 woodworkers in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, went on strike at seven sash and door manufacturers for better pay and union recognition. – 1898

Congress passed the Sedition Act against radicals, leading to the arrest, imprisonment, execution and deportation of dozens of unionists, anarchists and communists. – 1918

The Teamsters initiated a General Strike for union recognition in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. – 1934

The U.S. Supreme Court issued the Mackay decision permitting employers to permanently replace striking workers. In a classic case of doublespeak, the court said that management could not fire strikers, but could “permanently replace” them. One of the most recent and well-known examples of this occurred when Reagan crushed the air traffic controllers’ strike. The U.S. is one of the only countries in the world that allows bosses to fire (er, replace) striking workers. – 1938

Black labor leader and peace activist A. Philip Randolph died. He was president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first black on the AFL-CIO executive board, and a principal organizer of the 1963 March on Washington. – 1979

Baristas at the Starbucks in East Grand Rapids announced their membership in the IWW Starbucks Workers Union. Starbucks, notorious for poor treatment of workers, followed with numerous anti-labor violations and was forced by the NLRB to settle Grand Rapids union worker complaints in October. – 2007

Wednesday Morning in the Blogosphere

 

The Journal Gazette featuring more local news on front page - The Journal Gazette

There’s no proven cure for hantavirus — and doctors say ivermectin isn’t one - Poynter

In Atlanta, the push for digital subscriptions hasn’t taken off as much as hoped - Nieman Lab

FOIA master Jason Leopold’s playbook: How persistence unlocks public records - E&P Magazine

Winning subscribers in a digital era: Paywalls, onboarding and retention redefine news strategies - E&P 

Important Events From This day in History May 13

 

 

13 May,1938 U.S.A. "When the Saints Go Marching In"

1938 : "When the Saints Go Marching In" was recorded by Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra. Though the song was first written to be a spiritual song, many jazz and folk artists have adopted it and made it very popular throughout the years.

13 May,1985 U.S.A. MOVE Philadelphia

1985 : Philadelphia Police Department drop a bomb containing C-4 and Tovex from a helicopter onto MOVE's residence part of a row of tenements on Osage Avenue, the explosion started an uncontrolled fire and as a result, 53 houses burned and 240 people were left homeless. John Africa, six other adults and four children, who were living in the MOVE Cult Home died in the resulting fire. Police were attempting to enforce outstanding arrest warrants for four members of the group by blowing up tactical bunkers constructed by MOVE on the roof and had evacuated people from their Osage Avenue homes in order to prepare for an operation against MOVE. MOVE was a mostly black group whose members all adopted the surname Africa, advocated a 'back-to-nature' lifestyle and preached against technology.

13 May,1981 Vatican Pope John Paul II Shot

1981 : Pope John Paul II, is shot in St Peter's Square in Rome in front of 20,000 worshipers. Police in the square apprehended Turkish citizen Mehmet Ali Agca after the shooting.

13 May,1939 Italy Benito Mussolini

1939 : The Italian leader Benito Mussolini and German Leader Adolf Hitler are planning tours of borders with France and the border between Tunisia and Libya together with Poland. The Italian Leader is expected to give an anti-french speech in the next 2 days over the disputed areas Italy believes should be Italian and not French controlled offering a last chance for France to come to a peaceful settlement over Italian territorial claims.

13 May,1940 England Queen Wilhelmina

1940 : Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands safely arrived in England as a refuge from the invading Nazi Germany.

13 May,1940 Churchill First Speech as UK Prime Minister

1940 : Following Winston Churchill becoming leader of the British Coalition Government in his first speech as prime minister he told the British House of Commons "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat."

1947 Germany Severe Food Shortages

1947 : In Germany calls have been made for urgent assistance in the American Zone and the British Zone as residents in both areas are now suffering with severe shortages of food which is causing mass starvation, this is in turn causing antagonism and resentment to America and England.

13 May,1960 France Cold War Summit

1960 : A Summit scheduled for tomorrow with the 4 most powerful leaders who have a vested interest in the future of Germany is focused on how to proceed in Germany , the Russians want recognition of East Germany and an end to the cold war and disarmament. The 4 leaders who will be attending are Eisenhower, Macmillan, Khrushchev and de Gaulle. This is also seen by many as a showdown between Eisenhower and Khrushchev over the American U2 spy plane shot down in Russian Airspace on the May 1. Each of these leaders is expressing the same desires to end the Cold War, nuclear disarmament and an end to the build up military forces.

Today in Labor History May 13, 2026

 The Canadian government established the Department of Labour. It took the U.S. another four years. – 1909

4,000 dockworkers and members of the predominantly African-American Marine Transport Workers’ Local 8 of the Industrial Workers of the World began what would be a successful strike in Philadelphia over wages and union recognition. Through strikes, slow-downs, and other workplace actions, Local 8 secured raises for all dockworkers, including those who were not IWW members, well into the 1940s. – 1913

UAW President Douglas A. Fraser was named to the Chrysler Corporation board of directors, becoming the first union representative ever to sit on the board of a major U.S. corporation. – 1980

Organized by the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, drivers in New York City went on a one-day strike to protest Mayor Rudolph Giuliani’s proposed taxicab regulations. “City officials were stunned by the success of a strike by taxi drivers,” the New York Times reported, “when all but a few hundred of the city’s 12,187 cabs remained parked.” – 1998