Today in Labor History October 28th, 2023

 

The Gateway Arch

Union organizer and anarchist Luisa Capetillo was born in Ariecibo, Puerto Rico. She organized tobacco and other agricultural workers in Puerto Rico and later in New York and Florida. In 1916 she led a successful sugar cane strike of more than 40,000 workers on the island. She demanded that her union endorse voting rights for women. In 1919, three years before her death, she was arrested for wearing pants in public, the first woman in Puerto Rico to do so. The charges were dropped. – 1879

Two mine workers were killed in Virden, Illinois. – 1898

The Gateway Arch, a 630 ft high parabola of stainless steel marking the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial on the waterfront of St. Louis, Missouri was completed after two and a half years. Although it was predicted 13 lives would be lost in construction, not a single Ironworker died. – 1965

Important Events From This day in History October 28

 

28 Oct, 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis Ends

1962 : Cuban Missile Crisis

1. 22nd October: President Kennedy, tells Americans that missiles have been discovered in Cuba which had the potential to attack the United States with nuclear warheads.

2. 23rd - 24th October: Strategic Air Command goes to DEFCON 2, for the only time in history. The Naval Blockade of Cuba by United States begins.

3. 27th October: The U.S. informs its NATO allies that the United States may find it necessary within a very short time in its interest and that of its fellow nations in the Western Hemisphere to take whatever military action may be necessary including invasion of Cuba.

4. October 28th : Nikita Khrushchev informed the United States that he had ordered the dismantling of Soviet missile bases in Cuba. The US informs the Soviet Union that they will not invade Cuba.

28 Oct, 1936 Spain Civil War

1936 : As the Nationalist forces approach Madrid fears that the defense forces will quickly crumble may lead to mass slaughter by the rebel fascist forces with much bloodshed. The cause of the current government may well be lost and they will be forced to move their base to Catalonia where the loyalist support is much stronger.

28 Oct, 1826 The Statue of Liberty

1826 : The Statue of Liberty is dedicated by Grover Cleveland on October 28th, 1886. The Statue was built in France and and funded by the French people and was shipped in 1885 to New York and placed onto Liberty Island in New York Harbor.

1919 Volstead Act (National Prohibition Act)

Congress passes the Volstead Act (National Prohibition Act) which establishes the definition of illegal liquor and the punishments for making it 18th Amendment / Prohibition Timeline

28 Oct, 1922 Italy Mussolini

1922 : King Victor Emmanuel III hands over power to Mussolini who was supported by the military.

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28 Oct, 1927 U.S.A. Smugglers

1927 : 150 kegs of the genuine scotch whisky described as 140% proof bearing the label of Perth Scotland has been captured in New Haven, Connecticut after being landed at smugglers cove.

28 Oct, 1929 Wall Street Crash Black Monday

1929 : The Monday starting the two days of the Wall Street Crash often referred to as Black Monday. Following the crash on the 24th (Black Thursday) over the weekend a number of investors decided to pull out of the market (Monday 13% drop) and by the the next day (Tuesday another 12% drop) as word spread the number of investors attempting to sell shares sent the market into a downward spiral. Although the Wall Street Crash was not the only factor in the following decade of the Great Depression, the decisions made by government over the crash are considered to have had a major impact on how bad and how long the depression was.

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28 Oct, 1933 Diphtheria, Tuberculosis and Scarlet Fever

1933 : As the number affected by poverty through the lack of work increases, the corresponding increase in disease continue with Diphtheria, Tuberculosis and scarlet fever all on the increase.

28 Oct, 1942 U.S.A. Coffee Rationing

1942 : The government has announced that the nationwide rationing of Coffee will begin on November 28th.

28 Oct, 1942 Canada Alaska Highway

1942 : The Alaska Highway (Alcan Highway) connecting the contiguous U.S. to Alaska through Canada is completed through Canada to Richardson Highway in Delta Junction, Alaska. The highway is approx 1,680 miles long starting in Dawson Creek, British Columbia to Delta Junction.

28 Oct, 1948 Germany War Crimes

1948 : Nine more Germans convicted of war crimes were hanged today as the US Army continued with executions of those convicted of war crimes. The total now is 29 hanged at Landsberg prison since October 15th.

28 Oct, 1965 U.S.A. Gateway Arch

October 28th, 1965 : The Gateway Arch, a 630 ft high parabola of stainless steel marking the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial on the waterfront of St. Louis, Missouri is completed.

Full Size Original Here:

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https://www.thepeoplehistory.com/october29th.html

Friday Afternoon in the Blogosphere

 

On the lookout for local news - Local News Initiative

Telegraph and Spectator sale processes kick off - Press Gazette

Helping teenagers understand social platforms, with Sophia Smith Galer - Journalism UK

Paxton Media Group acquires The Southern Illinoisan newspaper - Dirks, Van Essen & April

Austerity, consolidation and platform disparity undermine cartoons and comics - Editor & Publisher

Today in Labor History October 27th, 2023

 

The National Negro Labor Council is formed

The New York City subway, the first rapid-transit system in America, opens. More than 100 workers died during the construction of the first 13 miles of tunnels and track – 1904

(Survival of the Fittest: Thanks to unions, construction jobs don’t cost lives the way they used to.  If you’d like to know more about construction unions, especially if you’re considering a career in the trades, read this book.  In clear, easy-to-read language it explains how to be successful in the trades and, directly linked to that success, how to make union construction thrive and prosper.)

Three strikes on works-relief projects in Maryland were underway today, with charges that Depression-era Works Projects Administration jobs were paying only about 28 cents an hour—far less than was possible on direct relief.  Civic officials in Cumberland, where authorities had established a 50-cent-per-hour minimum wage, supported the strikers - 1935 The National Labor Council is formed in Cincinnati to unite Black workers in the struggle for full economic, political and social equality. The group was to function for five years before disbanding, having forced many AFL and CIO unions to adopt non-discrimination policies - 1951

Important Events From This day in History October 27

 

27 Oct, 1954 U.S.A. Marilyn Monroe

1954 : Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio divorce after DiMaggio allegedly struck Monroe following the filming of her famous "skirt scene" in The Seven-Year Itch.

27 Oct, 1904 New York Subway

1904 : The New York subway opens travelling between Lower Manhattan and Harlem stopping at 28 stations in between and cost a nickel to ride.

27 Oct, 1921 U.S.A. Metric System

1921 : A senate committee is advising that the United States changes to the metric system of weights and measures as it is now used by 37 countries against the Imperial weights and measure system used in just 12 countries . Currently the only major international country to have not adopted the metric system is the United States who still use Gallons, pints, pounds, ounces, etc.

27 Oct, 1936 England Mrs Wallis Simpson

1936 : Mrs. Wallis Simpson American born Friend of King Edward of England won a divorce in a brief hearing at Ipswich assizes. The petition for divorce was based on evidence that her ships brokers husband a subject of the king was guilty of misconduct at the Hotel De Paris at Bray near Maidenhead in Berkshire.

27 Oct, 1940 U.S.A. World's Fair

1940 : World's Fair in New York ended with a final day attendance record of 537,952.

27 Oct, 1960 U.S.A. Martin Luther King Jr

1960 : Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was released from the Georgia State Prison following a direct intervention from Robert F. Kennedy who had question his constitutional right to bail, while pending appeal of a traffic conviction.

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27 Oct, 1962 Cuba U-2 Airplane Shot Down

1962 : Rudolf Anderson, Jr is shot down over Cuba while flying a U-2 reconnaissance plane by a Soviet-supplied S-75 Dvina surface-to-air missile during The Cuban Missile Crisis.

27 Oct, 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis Ends

1962 : After much posturing by both sides and the world living in fear of a Nuclear Holocaust the United States and the Soviet Union agree to a plan to end the two-week-old Cuban Missile Crisis.

27 Oct, 1964 U.S.A. Aircrash

1964 : A twin-engine A3D bomber crashed into a group of buildings at El Centro Naval Air Facility in California, during a Navy Day air show killing nine and leaving many more injured.

27 Oct, 1964 Great Britain Rhodesia

1964 : Britain has told Rhodesia it will be guilty of treason and banished from the Commonwealth if it declares itself independent. Prime Minister Harold Wilson has told Prime Minister Ian Smith that free elections of the entire population who are of voting age be allowed to select the Government before Great Britain would grant independence. Currently only white voters have been allowed to vote allowing white only rule in Rhodesia.

27 Oct, 1968 Vietnam War Protesters

October 27th, 1968 : 6,000 Vietnam Anti-War protesters clash with police outside the United States Embassy at Grosvenor Square, London. These protesters were a small part of a much larger peaceful march against US involvement in Vietnam.

27 Oct, 1970 U.S.A. Controlled Substance Act

1970 : Controlled Substance Act becomes law which class Cannabis, marijuana, heroin and LSD among many others as schedule I drugs. Schedule I drugs are (A) drug or other substance has high potential for abuse (B) The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.

https://www.thepeoplehistory.com/october28th.html

Thursday Morning in the Blogosphere

 

Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellowship 2024/2025 - GFMD

Americans' Trust In Media Remains Near Record Low - Gallup

Local TV stations provide vital news during Maine mass shooting - Poynter

Is Biden Too Old? Could We Try Reporting That Out? - Second Rough Draft

Americans are following the news less closely than they used to - Pew Research Center

Today in Labor History October 26th, 2023

 

Six days into a cotton field strike by 18,000 Mexican and Mexican-American workers in Pixley, Calif., four strikers are killed and six wounded; eight growers were indicted and charged with murder - 1933 

 

The largest agricultural strike in California history, involving more than 18,000 workers, occurred over the course of the 1933 harvest in the California agricultural industry. Strike actions moved across the state through the harvests of cherries, pears, peaches, sugar beets and grapes, culminating in the cotton fields of the San Joaquin Valley in October.

Organized in large part by the Cannery and Agricultural Workers’ International Union among workers protesting pay cuts at the height of the Great Depression, labor actions grew throughout the summer. The Cotton Strike saw 12,000 workers walk off the job. Striking workers were evicted from company housing, and growers were deputized. A violent attack left two workers dead and eight wounded in the town of Pixley, California.

CAWIU organizers Pat Chambers and Caroline Decker were arrested and charged under the California Criminal Syndicalism Act for their labor organizing activities. When the National Labor Relations Act was passed in 1935 by the Roosevelt administration, agricultural workers were excluded from protection.

Raymond P. Barry noted that: “Ninety-five percent of the cotton pickers in the San Joaquin in 1933, it has been estimated, were Mexican.” This union wanted change, and according to Raymond P. Barry: "At the opening of the 1933 cotton picking season we find the Cannery and Agricultural Workers' Industrial Union providing militant leadership for the Mexican pickers, drawing up and presenting their demands to the growers, and threatening a valleywide strike if these demands were not met. The demands of the union were three-fold: 1. - A wage rate of $1.00 per hundred pounds of cotton picked. 2. - Recognition of the union. 3. - Abolition of contract labor.

It only took a matter of days for the events of the strike to go from bad to worse.
On October 9, 1933, the New York Times posted: “Violence flamed in the cotton strike areas covering four California counties today, with Tulare growers running agitators out of the county, following a free-for-all right, and farmers in other counties ousting pickers and arming themselves for further trouble […] In Kern county alone today it was estimated that 200 strikers and their families had been ousted from their cottages. Their belongings were dumped on the road and they were told to ‘get.’” Tensions reached there ultimate peak on October 10, 1933 in Pixley when a gathering of protestors and ranchers led to the deaths of a few strikers. An article in the New York Times states that " Ranchers who heard of the proposed meeting [between strikers] organized a caravan of about thirty automobiles, drove into Pixley and surrounded the meeting. Suddenly there was a shot from the caravan, then a volley. Three men fell dead and many were wounded [...] but bloodshed at Pixley did not break the strike."

Oct 26, 1933 The strikes closing results: “The state of California, cooperating with the Federal Government, tonight ordered the cotton strike officially ended. The order was issued with the mailed fist of authority behind it. Cotton picking is to be resumed under armed protection of State authorities. Agitators must leave the area. All strike unemployment relief work is to be discontinued and violence must cease. Eighty percent of the growers have acceded to the suggested wage of 75 cents per 100 pounds.”

Although the ultimate goal of the unionized cotton pickers was not reached, they still gained more pay, and although this was a gain for the workers, the striking process led to many evicted families and many Mexicans were led back to Mexico.

The Erie Canal - known as "Clinton's Big Ditch" - opened on this date. Construction had begun on July 4, 1817 and utilized shovels, horses, and thousands of laborers. The canal connects Lake Erie and points west to New York harbor by way of the Hudson River. Shipping and travel costs and times were greatly reduced upon its completion.

"The sound of cannon shot rings through the town. Boom! There it goes again! The music of marching bands floats on the crisp fall air. It's Wednesday, October 26, 1825, and you are in Buffalo, New York. Buffalo is celebrating; in fact, all of New York is celebrating, because today marks the official opening of the Erie Canal." - from http://www.archives.nysed.gov/projects/eriecanal/ec_1825.shtml
...

"The Erie Canal is famous in song and story. Proposed in 1808 and completed in 1825, the canal links the waters of Lake Erie in the west to the Hudson River in the east. An engineering marvel when it was built, some called it the Eighth Wonder of the World." - from http://www.eriecanal.org/

"The canal consisted of 85 locks to manage a 500 foot (150 meter) rise in elevation from the Hudson River to Buffalo. The canal was 363 miles (584 kilometers) long, 40 feet (12m) wide, and 4 feet deep (1.2m). Overhead aqueducts were used to allow streams to cross the canal." - from http://geography.about.com/od/urbaneconomicgeography/a/eriecanal.htm

Important Events From This day in History October 26

 

26 Oct, 1959 Space Moon Photos

1959 : The first photographs are seen on earth of the far side of the moon when the Lunik III, a Soviet satellite which are sent back to earth via radio signals.

26 Oct, 2001 U.S.A. Patriot Act

2001 : US President George W. Bush signed the Patriot Act Anti-Terrorism Bill into law, giving federal authorities the power to eavesdrop on telephone and computer conversations, as well as the right to secretly search home and business records.

26 Oct, 1933 U.S.A. Graf Zeppelin

1933 : The giant passenger carrying Dirigible Graf Zeppelin stopped off today for a brief visit at Chicago so the commander Dr Hugo Heckner could attend the World Fair. A large ground crew consisting of 250 regular soldiers took the giant 776 ft airliner in tow prior to it taking off again on it's trip to Milwaukee and back to Akron. Trips like this are nothing to this giant of the air which has now circled the world.

26 Oct, 1944 U.S.A. Ku Klux Klan

1944 : Harry S. Truman, while campaigning as the Democratic vice presidential nominee has told reporters he never was, am not and never will be a member of the Ku Klux Klan.

26 Oct, 1951 UK Winston Churchill Elected

1951 : The conservative party led by Winston Churchill has won the latest general election in Britain defeating the Labour party led by Clement Attlee.

Full Size Original Here:

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26 Oct, 1956 Hungary October Revolution

1956 : The Hungarian October Revolution is now in it's third day with demonstrators fighting in the streets of Budapest with Soviet Troops. Estimates range from 3,000 to 5,000 dead and many lying in the streets where they have fallen. They are protesting for economic reforms and the withdrawal of Soviet troops and tanks. The new Prime Minister is appealing for calm.

26 Oct, 1965 England The Beatles

October 26th, 1965 : The Beatles were made members of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by the Queen in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

Full Size Original Here:

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26 Oct, 1967 U.S.A. John McCain

1967 : Future US Senator and Presidential Candidate, John McCain, a US Navy pilot in the Vietnam war, is shot down over North Vietnam and spends the next 5 1/2 years in prison, two of those years were spent in solitary confinement.

Full Size Original Here:

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26 Oct, 1979 South Korea President Shot

October 26th, 1979 : The President of South Korea, Park Chung Hee and five others including the president's bodyguard are shot dead by the chief of his intelligence service, Kim Jea Kyu.

26 Oct, 1980 U.S.A. Oil Embargo

1980 : After the oil embargo in 1973 the Japanese car makers were selling a greater number of cars each year and 1980 was a watershed for the American Car industry with GM posting record pre-tax losses for the quarter of $953 million, shortly after this Ford posted even worse figures. In some ways this was a wake up call to both these US car giants who realized to compete with the Japanese they would need to make major changes.

26 Oct, 1984 U.S.A. Baby Fae

October 26th, 1984 : Surgeons gave a 14-day-old girl, referred to as 'Baby Fae', the heart of a young baboon, she did only survive for 20 days after the operation but this was still considered a breakthrough in heart transplants.

26 Oct, 1994 Israel Jordan Peace Treaty

1994 : Israel and Jordan signed a peace treaty to end 46 years of war. The treaty was signed by Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin of Israel and Prime Minister Abdel Salam Majali of Jordan and the ceremony was attended by President Clinton.

https://www.thepeoplehistory.com/october27th.html

Today in Labor History October 25th, 2023

 

John Sweeney

What many believe to be the first formal training on first aid in American history took place at the Windsor Hotel in Jermyn, Pennsylvania, when Dr. Matthew J. Shields instructed 25 anthracite coal miners on ways to help their fellow miners.  Upon completion of the course, each of the miners was prepared and able to render first aid.  The training led to marked decreases in serious mining injuries and fatalities. – 1899

25,000 silk dye workers went on strike in Paterson, New Jersey. – 1934

In what became known as the Great Hawaiian Dock Strike, a six-month struggle to win wage parity with mainland dockworkers ended in victory. – 1949

Workers were locked out at the New York Daily News for a brutal five months, part of an effort to bust the union. – 1990

In the first contested elections in the history of the AFL-CIO, a slate led by Service Employees President John Sweeney was elected at the national AFL-CIO convention in New York City. Mine Workers President Richard Trumka became AFL-CIO secretary-treasurer and Linda Chavez-Thompson of AFSCME filled the newly created position of executive vice president. – 1995

Important Events From This day in History October 25

 

25 Oct, 1984 Ethiopia Famine

1984 : Following reports from Oxfam, Save the Children, Christian Aid and the Red Cross who believe 10 million people are facing starvation in Ethiopia. The EEC donates £1.8 million. It is thought just in 1984 1 million people died of starvation in Ethiopia as the aid was still not enough and in many cases to late. In December of 1984 music stars from around the world recorded "Do they know it's Christmas?" and the single raised more than £12 million for famine victims in Africa.

25 Oct, 1983 Marines Invade Grenada

October 25th, 1983 : President Ronald Reagan orders marines to invade Grenada and secure the safety of 1,000 American Citizens following threats by the nation's Marxist regime. One week later the Marxist government is overthrown.

25 Oct, 1944 Philippines Kamikaze Bombers

1944 : The Japanese deploy kamikaze suicide bombers against American warships for the first time during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval battle in history between the Imperial Japanese Navy and the U.S. Third and U.S. Seventh Fleets.

25 Oct, 1964 U.S.A. Rolling Stones

October 25th, 1964 : The British Invasion of Music continues when the Rolling Stones appear on Ed Sullivan's TV variety show, after the clean cut Beatles the Stones were considered the opposite and became popular due to the very different style and content of their music together with the anti-establishment look.

25 Oct, 1970 Great Britain Pacific Glory

1970 : The Liberian registered tanker Pacific Glory is on fire and is continuing to spill crude oil into the English Channel creating a huge oil slick, the tanker has 100,000 gallons of crude oil on board and many fear an environmental disaster as bad as the Torrey Canyon disaster off the Cornish coast 3 years ago.

25 Oct, 1971 China United Nations

October 25th, 1971 : The communist People's Republic of China is recognized by the United Nations and the Nationalist Chinese government of Taiwan is expelled.

25 Oct, 1917 Soviet Revolution or Bolsheviks Revolution

1917 : The October revolution when Bolsheviks gained power from the provisional government and is celebrated on the 25th October due to the capture of the Winter Palace, Petrograd (the seat of the Provisional government) on this day in history.

25 Oct, 1933 U.S.A. Gold Buying

1933 : The Roosevelt gold buying policy was inaugurated today with the government paying $31.36 per ounce 27 cents higher than quotations on the London Gold Exchange. The London Price is currently $31.00 based on the exchange rate of $4.78 to the British Pound.

25 Oct, 1935 Haiti Hurricane

1935 : A major hurricane strikes Haiti leaving more than 2,000 people dead and many thousands homeless and hungry.

25 Oct, 1948 Italy Rome's "Misery Belt"

1948 : New hope is being given to the 10,000 residents of Rome's "Misery Belt" which consists of shanties and hovels made out of packing cases, sewer pipes and war wrecked cars that these people are living in on the outskirts of Rome after the loss of their homes through bombing in the war. A brand new village is to be created with 350 one, two and three bedroom homes to house 1,000 families and will include schools and a church.

25 Oct, 1950 Tibet Chinese Control

1950 : The Chinese Communists announced today that they have increased their army strength to more than 10 million men to free 3,000,000 Tibetans from Imperialist Aggression.

25 Oct, 1952 The Mousetrap Opens In London's West End

1952 : The Mousetrap a murder mystery play by Agatha Christie opens in London's West End at the New Ambassadors Theatre. The play has now run a record-breaking 23,074 performances and is running at St Martin's Theatre.

25 Oct, 1955 U.S.A. Bennies

1955 : A crackdown on the sale and use of stimulants often called "Bennies" "Golf Balls" or "Co_Pilots" in the trucking industry is occurring in many states, the truckers use them to stay awake on long journeys.

25 Oct, 1964 Zambia Independence

1964 : Zambia formerly Northern Rhodesia the home of the Victoria Falls becomes the ninth African state to gain independence from the British Rule. The new president of the country is Kenneth Kaunda from the United National Independence Party.

25 Oct, 1977 U.S.A. Statue of Liberty

1977 : Two dozen persons took over the Statue Of Liberty in a siege this morning, they have said they represent the New York Committee to Free the Puerto Rican Nationalist Prisoners.

Full Size Original Here:

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25 Oct, 1984 U.S.A. Hepatitis

1984 : Researchers have identified the virus that causes so-called non-A, non-B hepatitis.

25 Oct, 2001 U.S.A. XP

October 25th, 2001 : Microsoft releases its new operating system Windows XP.

https://www.thepeoplehistory.com/october26th.html

Tuesday Morning in the Blogosphere

 No trip to the Philippine's this November

Loss of local news is a crisis for democracy - Commercial-News

Diversity gains in nonprofit news sector - Institute for Nonprofit News

The New York Times explains its Gaza hospital blast headline change - Poynter

Belgian newspaper Metro to cease publication after 20 years - The Brussels Times

Philadelphia Inquirer redesigns for preservation and relevance - Editor & Publisher

Today in Labor History October 24th

 

Anthrax at the Post Office

With the completion of the transcontinental telegraph line, the Pony Express was discontinued. The Pony Express consisted of relays of men riding horses carrying saddlebags of mail across a 2,000-mile trail. Eventually, the service had more than 100 stations, 80 riders, and between 400 and 500 horses. The express route was extremely hazardous, but only one mail delivery was ever lost. – 1861

Black and white teamsters, salesmen and packers struck together in New Orleans, paralyzing commerce throughout the city and quickly turning into a General Strike. Workers were fighting for a 10-hour work day, overtime pay, and a preferential union shop (a situation in which the employer goes first to the union when seeking to hire new employees). They were soon joined by non-industrial workers, such as musicians, clothing workers, clerks, utility workers, streetcar drivers and printers. – 1892

The first U.S. federal minimum wage – 25 cents an hour – took effect, thanks to enactment of the Depression-era Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The law required an increase to 30 cents an hour one year from this date, and to 40 cents an hour on this date in 1945.  The FLSA also established the 40-hour work week and forbade child labor in factories. – 1938

The AFL-CIO readmitted the Teamsters Union, which had been expelled in 1957. The 35-member executive council of the AFL-CIO voted unanimously to readmit the 1.6-million member Teamsters Union despite the federal investigation into the union’s links to organized crime. – 1987

Other postal workers were also made ill. Letters containing the deadly spores had been addressed to U.S. Senate offices and media outlets. – 2001

Important Events From This day in History October 24

 

24 Oct, 1934 The MacRobertson Trophy Air Race

1934 : The MacRobertson Trophy Air Race with a prize of over $75,000 starts from RAF Mildenhall in East Anglia to Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, aircraft entered from all over the world including America, Holland, Argentina. New Zealand, Australia and more. The race was over 11,000 miles with stops at at Baghdad, Allahabad, Singapore, Darwin and Charleville, Queensland. A British built de Havilland DH.88 Comet piloted by C.W.A. Scott, T. Campbell Black won the race with an elapsed time of 71hr 0.

24 Oct, 1929 U.S.A. Wall Street Crash (Black Thursday)

1929 : One week before the Wall Street Crash an indication of things to come on "Black Thursday" right at the end of the Twenties when investors on the New York Stock Exchange dumped 13 million shares causing shares to plummet.

More about the Wall Street Crash

24 Oct, 1931 George Washington Bridge

1931 : The George Washington Bridge was opened to traffic, connecting the states of New York and New Jersey.

Full Size Original Here:

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24 Oct, 1901 Canada Niagara Falls

1901 : The first successful barrel ride over Niagara Falls occurred when Anna Edson Taylor, a school teacher, rode safely over the Falls today in a barrel. The ride through the rapids took 18 minutes.

Full Size Original Here:

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24 Oct, 1921 U.S.A. New Lower Taxes

1921 : An amendment to lower the taxes paid on income was defeated today with a majority of 46 to 28 in the Senate.

The current rate of Taxation is:

4% on income up to $4,000

8% on income from $4000

The new amendment contained the following Tax thresholds:

2% on income up to $5,000

4% on income from $5,000 to $10,000

6% on income from $10,000 to $15,000

8% on all income over $15,000

24 Oct, 1931 George Washington Bridge Opens

1931 : The upper level of the George Washington Bridge able to carry six lanes of traffic, connecting New York and New Jersey, opened to traffic. Work on the bridge on behalf of the Port of New York Authority had begun in October 1927.

24 Oct, 1939 Germany Star of David

1939 : New Rules by Nazis require Jews to wear star of David often yellow-colored to identify Jewish People. The requirement to wear the Star of David with the word Jude (German for Jew) inscribed was then extended to all Jews over the age of 6 in the Reichland.

Full Size Original Here:

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24 Oct, 1940 40 Hour Working Week

1940 : Due to the passing of the Fair Labor Standards Act (29 U.S. Code Chapter 8) in 1938 part of the New Deal the 40-hour working week goes into effect.

24 Oct, 1942 World War II El Alemain

1942 : A much refreshed and rearmed British 8th Army charged into the Axis El Alemain line today in an offensive sprung in the night by land sea and air which will prove to be the turning point in the war in Egypt.

24 Oct, 1945 U.S.A. United Nations

1945 : The United Nations is formally established as a new international body to maintain peace in the postwar world when its charter was ratified by China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and a majority of other signatories.

24 Oct, 1947 Great Britain Train Crash

1947 : Heavy fog and a mistake by a signalman causes two rush hour commuter trains to collide in South Croydon, killing 32 people.

https://www.thepeoplehistory.com/october25th.html

Monday Morning in the Blogosphere

 

Word choice matters, especially when covering a war - Poynter

Russia extends American journalist's detention into December - Axios

'I challenge you to write a solutions journalism story this week' - Journalism UK

Journalists in Gaza wrestle with issues of survival in addition to getting stories out - AP

Dozens of Alden-owned newspapers run editorial urging media to call Hamas a terrorist group - Axios

Today in Labor History October 23rd, 2023

 

An explosion and fire demolished the Phillips Petroleum refinery in Pasadena, Texas killing 23 and injuring 314.  The initial blast registered 3.5 on the Richter scale, and the fire took 10 hours to bring under control. – 1989

Important Events From This day in History October 23

 

23 Oct, 1956 Hungary Protests Against Soviet Rule

1956 : Tens of thousands of people take to the streets in Budapest, Hungary demanding end of Soviet rule.

23 Oct, 2002 Fifty Chechen rebels storm a Moscow Theater

2002 : Fifty Chechen rebels storm a Moscow Theater taking 7,000 hostages. The rebels had explosives strapped to their bodies and were demanding the withdrawal of Soviet Forces from Chechnya. Three days later after the death of two of the hostages Russian Special Forces stormed the building and during the raid most of the terrorists and 120 hostages were killed during the raid.

23 Oct, 1915 U.S.A. Suffrage Movement

1915 : As part of the women's suffrage movement 25,000 women march up Fifth Avenue in New York City demanding the right to vote.

23 Oct, 1921 U.S.A. Prohibition Laws

1921 : The prohibition laws are being flouted across the country because of the large amounts of booze by the millions of gallons is coming into the country from areas like the Bahamas, the rum runners have new fast power boats which run rings round the US revenue cutters and until the government provides fast patrol boats that can catch the smugglers. Another area that will need to be changed are the wages paid to prohibition agents (currently a prohibition agent is paid $145.00 per month) and the rum runners are offering bribes of $100,000 for them to turn the other way. If the government is serious about enforcing prohibition laws some changes and finance will need to be made available.

23 Oct, 1941 U.S.A. "Dumbo"

1941 : Dumbo is released, the fourth film in the Disney animated features, Dumbo was based upon a children's book about an elephant with big ears, who is capable of flying by using them as wings.

23 Oct, 1942 World War II French Workers

1942 : Nazis are threatening French Skilled Workers with violence against their families if they do not come forward to work for Germany's War Industry.

23 Oct, 1948 France Martial Law

1948 : France is moving closer to Martial Law following the communist Union Leaders calling for a general strike on Monday. The state has called up 50,000 troops to try to maintain law and order in the strike torn coal fields as more violence erupts and 2 more miners were killed yesterday.

23 Oct, 1950 Yugoslavia Marshall Tito

1950 : Marshall Tito the Yugoslavia leader who is defying the Communist regime has asked the US and the UK for aid to help with the drought stricken country where many are facing starvation.

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23 Oct, 1955 U.S.A. Earthquake

1955 : Police in towns and cities within a 100 mile radius of San Francisco bay reported damage including one death. The quake came in two waves with the first causing a rolling motion then severe jolting motions that caused windows to crack and buildings to shudder the worst of the quake was recorded at 5.5 on the Richter scale.

23 Oct, 1963 England "Doctor Who"

1963 : "Doctor Who" the British science fiction television program featuring "The Doctor" an alien time traveler who can travel through time and space in his time-ship / blue police box the TARDIS. The first program featured William Hartnell as "The Doctor." His enemy, the Daleks that become part of British Popular Culture ("EX-TER-MI-NATE!", "EX-TER-MI-NATE!") did not appear till December 1963. The Doctor has been played by a number of actors over the years.

Original TV Series Launched 1963

William Hartnell 1963 - 1966

Patrick Troughton 1966 - 1969

Jon Pertwee 1970 -- 1974

Tom Baker 1974 --- 1981

Peter Davison 1981 --- 1984

Colin Baker 1984 --- 1986

Sylvester McCoy 1987 --- 1989

Series Ended 1989

TV Series relaunched in 2005

David Tennant 2005 --- 2010

Matt Smith 2010 --- 2013

Peter Capaldi 2013 --- 2017

Jodie Whittaker (first female Doctor) 2017

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23 Oct, 1973 U.S.A. Gas Price Increase

October 23rd, 1973 : The price of gas increased by 400% and there were long queues at Gas Stations during the 1973 Oil Crisis. The crisis was caused by the war in the Middle East and OPEC deciding to cut oil supplies as a way of forcing the rest of the world to stop support for Israel. Toyota who had specialized in making smaller fuel efficient cars holds it's first national news conference in Los Angeles, California extolling the remarkable fuel efficiency of Toyota cars, the average American Car gave 15 MPG whereas the Japanese cars were achieving 25 MPG Plus. This provided the major Japanese manufacturers the springboard needed to make significant inroads into both the American and European cars markets.

https://www.thepeoplehistory.com/october24th.html

Today in Labor History October 19th, 2023

 

J.P. Stevens & Co Milledgeville Plant in Georgia

The National Association of Letter Carriers achieved equalization of wages for all letter carriers, meaning city delivery carriers began receiving the same wages regardless of the size of the community in which they worked. – 1949

After twenty years of virulent anti-unionism, the J.P. Stevens & Company finally signed its first-ever contract with the Amalgamated Clothing & Textile Workers Union.  The collective bargaining agreement covered more than 3,000 workers in ten plants in the Carolinas and Alabama. – 1980

Hopelessly trapped at Yorktown, Virginia, British General Lord Cornwallis surrenders 8,000 British soldiers and seamen to a larger Franco-American force, effectively bringing an end to the American Revolution. - 1781