Today in Labor History May 31, 2026

 Rose Will Monroe, Rosie the Riveter

The Johnstown Flood occurred on this date.  More than 2,200 died when a dam holding back a private resort lake burst upstream of Johnstown, Pennsylvania.  The resort was owned by wealthy industrialists including Andrew Carnegie and Henry Clay Frick.  Neither they nor any other members of the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club were found guilty of fault, despite the fact the group had created the lake out of an abandoned reservoir. – 1889

The infamous trial of Sacco and Vanzetti, in which the two Italian anarchists were railroaded for a crime they did not commit, began in Dedham, Massachusetts. Judge Webster Thayer’s anti-worker and anti-immigrant opening remarks set the tone for the trial. – 1921

Some 25,000 white autoworkers walked off the job at a Detroit Packard Motor Car Company plant heavily involved in wartime production, when three black workers were promoted to work on a previously all-white assembly line.  The black workers were relocated and the whites returned. – 1943

Rose Will Monroe, who became known as “Rosie the Riveter” died at the age of 77.  Rose worked at an aircraft parts factory during World War II, and was “discovered” by filmmakers producing a film promoting war bonds.  The song and the iconic poster were already well known and a real-life Rosie who was a riveter “proved too good for the film’s producers to resist,” said Monroe’s daughter. – 1997

Saturday Morning in the Blogosphere

 The Young Brothers

High schoolers tackle a new media frontier: a newspaper - WPR

Spanish Fork man to display more than 100 rare newspapers of historical events - KSL

Stop the press, for good: The Free Press printing press made its final run - Mankato Free Press

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

Jeff Jarvis challenges conventional wisdom on public funding, AI and audience growth - E&P Reports

 

Important Events From This day in History May 30

 

 

30 May, 1911 U.S.A. Indianapolis 500

1911 : The first ever running of the Indianapolis 500 is won by Ray Harrounat at an average speed of 74.59 miles an hour.

30 May, 1922 U.S.A. Lincoln Memorial

1922 : The Lincoln Memorial built to honor Abraham Lincoln the 16th president of the United States, is dedicated by Former President William Howard Taft in Washington, D.C.

30 May, 1937 U.S.A. Memorial Day Massacre

1937 : The Memorial Day Massacre takes place when Ten union demonstrators are killed and 84 are wounded when police opened fire in front of the South Chicago Republic Steel plant.

30 May, 1959 England Hovercraft

1959 : The first full size hovercraft , the SR-N1, designed by Sir Christopher Cockerell, is launched and tested at Cowes on the Isle of Wight.

30 May, 1937 Spanish Civil War

1937 : For the first time in the Spanish Civil War a foreign power has been openly involved in the bombing of the Spanish port of Almeria, Four German War ships bombed the city causing the loss of 400 lives. There are growing concerns that this could lead to a full scale war in Europe and the British foreign secretary Anthony Eden has appealed to Germany to take no further action.

1967 Biafra Independence

1967 : Biafra proclaims its independence from Nigeria, but war breaks out in July and Nigerian forces take control of oil fields leaving the country no form of revenue which causes mass starvation of over 1,000,000 people. In January 1970 Biafra surrenders to Nigerian forces and becomes part of Nigeria once again losing it's independence.

1954 U.S.A. Tornado's Nebraska

1954 : A series of tornadoes and torrential rain has struck Nebraska leaving 6 dead and many more injured and homeless 10 miles southeast of Norfolk.

1967 Egypt Destruction of Israel

1967 : President of Egypt President Nasser states in a public statement that his basic objective is the destruction of Israel. King Hussein of Jordan together with other Arab Countries have now signed a pact that any attack on either of them is an attack on all and will take measures including the use of armed forces to repulse such an attack".

1967 Soviet Union to support Arab countries against Israel

1967 : Following the statement by the Soviet Union to support Arab countries against Israel, 10 Additional Soviet Warships are travelling through the Dardanelles on the way to the Mediterranean sea where the US 6th Fleet is based, together with the very fragile peace in the middle east many are hoping this is a political mover rather than a military buildup by the soviets.

1967 U.S.A. Evel Knievel

1967 : Evel Knievel the motorcycle daredevil stuntman successfully clears sixteen cars in Gardena, California.

1971 U.S.A. Mariner 9 Launched

1971 : The US space probe Mariner 9 was launched on its mission to Mars. Where it will send more than 7,000 pictures of the planet back to Earth.

1979 U.S.A. DC 10's Grounded

1979 : Following the Crash of an American Airlines DC 10 in Chicago earlier this week with the loss of 274 lives all DC 10's are currently undergoing inspections of the engine mountain bolts by government inspections prior to use.

Today in Labor History May 30

 

The Memorial Day Massacre

The Ford Motor Company signed a “Technical Assistance” contract to produce cars in the Soviet Union, and Ford workers were sent to the Soviet Union to train the labor force in the use of its parts. Many American workers made the trip, including Walter Reuther, a tool and die maker who later was to become the UAW’s president. Reuther returned home with a different view of the duties and privileges of the industrial laborer. – 1929

In what would become known as the Memorial Day Massacre, police opened fire on striking steelworkers, their families, and supporters who were marching to the Republic Steel plant in South Chicago to set up a picket line. The Police killed ten people and pursued those fleeing the attack, wounding over 160. No one was ever prosecuted. – 1937

The Ground Zero cleanup at the site of the World Trade Center was completed three months ahead of schedule due to the heroic efforts of more than 3,000 building tradesmen and women who had worked 12 hours a day, 7 days a week for the previous 8 months. – 2002

Important Events From This day in History May 29

 

 

29 May, 1980 U.S.A. "Dallas" Who Shot JR

1980 : The guessing game continues over who shot JR in the hit television series "Dallas" with speculation including Dusty, Sue Ellen and just about anybody in the show. But viewers will have to wait for the fall before the cliff hanger is resolved as the cast and CBS are giving nothing away.

29 May, 1953 Tibet Conquest Of Mount Everest

1953 : Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay of Nepal become the first explorers to reach the top of Mount Everest . Due to the amount of time it took to descend the mountain it was June 2nd before the rest of the world were told about the conquest.

29 May, 1985 Belgium Heysel Stadium Disaster

1985 : Minutes before the start of the European Cup Final between Liverpool and Juventus at Heysel Stadium in Brussels, crowd Violence Erupts which causes a wall to collapse killing 39 football fans and injuring at least another 400.

29 May, 1914 Canada The Empress of Ireland

1914 : The Empress of Ireland and A Norwegian coal freighter, the Storstad, crash in St. Lawrence River in thick fog causing the deaths of 1,073 passengers and crew, this was one of the worst maritime accidents in history.

29 May, 1928 North Pole Italian Dirigible Italia

1928 : The fate of the Italian Dirigible Italia (airship) is not looking good and rescue parties are searching for any remains 1 week after she set out on the heroic trip to reach the North Pole.

29 May, 1932 U.S.A. World War I Vets

1932 : As the great depression of the 30s continue World War I veterans known as the " Bonus Army " begin arriving in Washington to demand cash bonuses they weren't scheduled to receive for another 13 years be paid early to allow them to survive, by late June over 20,000 World War I vets were camped in vacant government buildings and open fields around the capitol.

More about the Bonus Army Protest

1942 U.S.A. Bing Crosby / White Christmas

1942 : Bing Crosby records the world's top selling record White Christmas, for the soundtrack of the film Holiday Inn.

1943 U.S.A. "The Million Dollar Band"

1943 : "The Million Dollar Band" was heard for the first time on NBC radio.

1944 Italy World War II

1944 : The allies are pounding the last ditch defenses of the German 10th Army as they surround Rome in Italy and are now only 17 miles from Rome.

1960 England Sophia Loren

1960 : Sophia Loren has called in Scotland Yard after a million dollars of Jewels had been stolen which included Diamonds, Rubies and emeralds. She is in England shooting the film version of George Bernard Shaws "The Millionaires."

1968 Manchester United win European Cup

1968 : Manchester United beat Portuguese side Benfica 4-1 to become the first English club to win the European Cup. The Manchester United team include the legendary George Best, who was named European Footballer of the Year.

1968 U.S.A. Truth In Lending Act

1968 : The (TILA) Truth In Lending Act passes into law with regulations designed to protect consumers in credit transactions requiring clear disclosure of key terms of the lending arrangement and all costs. It is part of the "Consumer Credit Protection Act".

Today in Labor History May 29, 2026

 Animators working for Walt Disney began what was to become a successful five-week strike for recognition of their union, the Screen Cartoonists’ Guild. The animated feature Dumbo was being created at the time and, according to Wikipedia, a number of strikers are caricatured in the feature as clowns who go to “hit the big boss for a raise”. – 1941

The United Mine Workers (UMWA) and the U.S. government signed a pact establishing one of America’s first union medical and pension plans. The UMWA Welfare and Retirement Fund permanently changed health care delivery in U.S. coal fields. The Fund was used to build eight hospitals in Appalachia. It also established many clinics and recruited doctors to practice in rural coalfield areas. – 1946

The United Auto Workers (UAW) at General Motors won a hospitalization plan. – 1950

The United Farm Workers of America reached agreement with Bruce Church Inc. on a contract for 450 lettuce harvesters, ending a 17-year-long boycott. The pact raised wages, provided company-paid health benefits to workers and their families, created a seniority system to deal with seasonal layoffs and recalls, and established a pesticide monitoring system. – 1996

UAW members at General Motors accepted major contract concessions in return for a 17.5 percent stake in the financially struggling company. – 2009

Thursday Morning in the Blogosphere

 Palm Springs, California

Dear local news: Here’s why funders say no - Poynter

New OSINT tools help journalists fight misinformation - E&P Magazine

McClatchy newspaper reporters in Washington strike for higher pay - OPB

Seven Valuable Lessons as an Online News Entrepreneur Reflects - Second Rough Draft

Okemos cuts journalism class, leaving student newspaper in limbo - Lansing State Journal

Important Events From This day in History May 28

 

 

28 May, 1967 Great Britain Francis Chichester

1967 : British sailor Francis Chichester arrives back in Plymouth after sailing round the world single-handed in his boat Gipsy Moth IV.

28 May, 1977 U.S.A. Beverly Hills Supper Club Fire

1977 : A fire takes hold and fire races through the Beverly Hills Supper Club in Southgate, Kentucky killing 165 people. When the fire began it is believed over 3,000 were in the club and the combination of lack of sprinkler systems and audible automatic fire alarms together with poorly marked fire exits resulted in the large number of deaths that night.

28 May, 1937 Spain Civil War

1937 : The Civil War in Spain is now also being fought in the air as both sides are using more than 70 airplanes to bomb and ravage the cities of Valencia and Santander in some of the worst destruction ever seen by the use of aircraft in a war with civilians being the biggest casualties.

2006 U.S.A. Barry Bonds

2006 : Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants hit his 715th home run to pass Babe Ruth on the all time greatest list.

28 May, 1951 U.S.A. Macy's / Gimbals Price War

1951 : The two biggest retailers in New York City are planning to go head to head with an old fashioned price war Macy's the worlds largest department store and Gimbals who have said they will not be undersold. Macy's has stated they will cut 6% off of a quarter of it's products throughout the store.

28 May, 1965 India Mine Explosion Dharbad Kills 375

1965 : A mine explosion caused by the ignition of a build up of methane gas near Dharbad, India kills 375 people and injures hundreds more.

28 May, 1974 Northern Ireland Strike

1974 : The Protestant Extremist Ulster Workers Council has suspended a 15 day strike which has crippled the economy and bought the country to it's knees Northern Ireland , they have been striking because they are not happy with the current power sharing agreement between majority Protestants and Minority Catholic currently in place in Northern Ireland. Following the crippling strike Northern Ireland's first power-sharing assembly has collapsed and Northern Ireland is once again facing direct rule from Westminster.

1982 British Capture Port Darwin and Goose Green

1982 : British troops re-capture Port Darwin and Goose Green in the Falkland Islands taking almost 1500 Argentine prisoners.

1984 Iran / Iraq War

1984 : The continued fighting between Iran and Iraq is now reaching close to 4 years and Iran's President has warned other Persian Golf Countries to stay Neutral or they will bear the consequences.

1987 Soviet Union Mathias Rust

1987 : A 19 year old West German, Mathias Rust, flying a light plane undetected from Helsinki to Moscow and lands safely in Red Square.

Today in Labor History May 28

 

Arrested during the Rochester General Strike

French authorities executed proto-anarchist revolutionary Gracchus Babeuf. Babeuf formed a secret society, known as the Conspiracy of the Equals, that plotted to overthrow the revolutionary government, with one that was truer to Jacobin ideals. The group included Sylvain Maréchal, Jacques Roux, Jean Varlet and others. Throughout his life, Babeuf advocated for the poor and for the abolition of private property. He said “Society must be made to operate in such a way that it eradicates once and for all the desire of a man to become richer, or wiser, or more powerful than others.” - 1797

400 rebellious slaves, led by Louis Delgrès, blew themselves up in In Guadeloupe, rather than submit to Napoleon’s troops. Delgres had fought as an officer for Revolutionary France against Great Britain. The Jacobins had freed the slaves, but Napoleon threatened to reimpose slavery throughout the empire. During his resistance, the French army drove Delgrès and his followers into a fort. When they realized there was no escape, they committed suicide by igniting the gunpowder stores, attempting to kill as many French troops as possible in the process. Much later, the French built a memorial for him opposite that of Toussaint Louverture, the leader of the Haitian revolution. However, the true location of both men’s remains are a mystery. - 1802

 The Ladies Shoe Binders Society formed in New York. The following year, a similar society formed in Philadelphia. In 1860, 20,000 women shoe workers participated in one of the largest strikes to date. - 1835

The first American law prohibiting employment of women was passed to prevent women from working in coal mines in Illinois. – 1879

At least 30,000 workers in Rochester, New York, participated in a general strike in support of the nearly 500 municipal workers who had been fired for forming a union. The next day, the city agreed to reinstate all of the discharged workers, drop the illegal charges against arrested picketers, and recognize the workers’ right to organize and bargain collectively. – 1946

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