Today in Labor History March 26

 

San Francisco brewery workers began a 9-month strike as local employers followed the union-busting lead of the National Brewer’s Association and fired their unionized workers, replacing them with scabs. Two unionized brewers refused to go along, kept producing beer, prospered wildly and induced the Association to capitulate. A contract benefit since having unionized two years earlier, certainly worth defending: free beer. – 1868

Congress amended the Immigration Act of 1907 to specifically bar the entrance of “paupers, anarchists, criminals and the diseased”. The move was specifically designed to limit entry of Eastern and Southern European immigrants, many of whom were becoming radicalized by the deplorable working and living conditions in late 19th and early 20th century America. – 1910

On this day in Labor History the year was 1911. Marking one the most tragic days in US labor history. 146 women and girls died in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

A mining disaster at Jed, West Virginia killed 83 workers. – 1912

On March 26th, Chicano labor organizer Cesar Chavez started a 340-mile march from Delano to Sacramento, California, to advocate for the rights of farm workers - 1966

On March 26, 2020, new unemployment claims in the United States surged to 3.3 million, the largest weekly increase in U.S. history to date amid job losses related to the COVID-19 pandemic - 2020

Tuesday Night in the Blogosphere

 The casino has reopened

New DIY guide gives tools to engaging donors - E&P Magazine

The Green Line connects Toronto’s GenZ to news - E&P Magazine

Extra! 10 Questions Washington Reporters Need to Ask Right Now - Second Rough Draft

Mail crosses 250,000 digital subscribers and appoints first global women’s editor - Press Gazette

New report calls for £15 million a year to transform the future of local journalism - Journalism UK

Important Events From This day in History March 25

 

1965 U.S.A. The Alabama Freedom March

1965 : Following the end of the march by 25,000 civil rights supporters from Selma to Montgomery after four days and nights on the road under the protection of Army troops and federalized Alabama National Guardsmen. They were refused permission to give a petition to Governor Wallace which said:

"We have come not only five days and 50 miles but we have come from three centuries of suffering and hardship. We have come to you, the Governor of Alabama, to declare that we must have our freedom NOW. We must have the right to vote; we must have equal protection of the law and an end to police brutality."

During the rally that followed the refusal by the Governor of Alabama, Governor Wallace. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stated

"We are not about to turn around. We, are on the move now. Yes, we are on the move and no wave of racism can stop us."

1807 UK abolished Slave Trade

1807 : The British House of Commons had passed a law forbidding the capture or transport of slaves and it became law on This Day, 1807, Offending captains were fined £100 per slave found on board their ships (although this could lead to slaves being thrown overboard).

1911 New York Shirt Factory Fire

1911 : 148 Girls Perish in a New York Shirt Factory when they became trapped by a fire. The Triangle Shirtwaist Co. factory located on the eighth, ninth and tenth floors of a New York City loft building, didn't have an outside fire escape.

1920 Treaty of Versailles

1920 : France considered the possibility of giving Germany more time to pay reparation debts that it owed after World War I. They had refused to pay the 12 billion of the 20 billion gold marks (equivalent to millions of dollars) balance owed. The motion to pay this debt was agreed upon as of the signing of the World War I Treaty of Versailles, which was first signed in 1919. However, the Germans resented the conditions of the treaty, and were still fighting the terms of it well over a year later. Eventually, Germany’s refusal to comply with the peace treaty signed in 1919 lead to the Second World War.

1929 U.S.A. Mini Market Crash

1929 : The stock market experiences a mini-crash on This Day, 1929 as investors start to sell their stocks. This crash reveals a shaky foundation in the market. Borrowing and credit is effected as interest rates climb to twenty percent.

1935 Crucifixion of Jesus Christ

1935 : Hugh S. Johnson spoke out very boldly his point of view regarding the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. He said it was the Romans who had really killed him and not the Jews. He also mentioned that Jesus was “framed” and did not receive a fair trial. This argument was often made regarding the un-justification treatment of Jews. However, in Johnson’s case, he described actions against Jesus-in his own way-as an abuse of political power.

1939 Billboard Magazine Introduces Hillbilly Chart

1939 : Billboard Magazine introduced the ( country music ) hillbilly music chart. The term country music did not begin to be used until the 1940s when the earlier term hillbilly music was deemed as degrading to the style of music.

1940 England Not Working Class War

1940 : Concerns arose among the working class that the current war was an imperialistic one. Further accounts reveal that many workers of England had no desire to be a part of it. They felt that the purpose of it was to fight for the protection of French and English Possessions. Working class unions advocated against this war (World War II).

1947 U.S.A. Coal Mine Explosion

1947 : An explosion at a Coal mine in Centralia, Illinois, today trapped more than 100 miners and sent deadly gas through the mine's tunnels.

1950 Czechoslovakia Hostages

1950 : A news article printed this date in 1950 portrayed an account of a hostage situation in Czechoslovakia. On the day before, three Czech planes were held at gunpoint by Anti-Communist rebels. The pilots of these planes were forced to fly to the Erding Air Base, which is located in Germany. The planes departed from three different Czech locations-Brno, Bratislava, and Ostrava.

1957 Italy The Treaty of Rome

1957 : France, West Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg sign the treaty in Rome establishing the European Economic Community (EEC), also known as the Common Market.

1963 Korea Civilian Rule

1963 : The United States made the decision to support the return of civilian rule in Korea. This action was taken on the grounds that the military junta structure now present in Korea could lead to the continued de-stabilization of that country’s political system (government).

1967 U.S.A. Anti Vietnam War Demo

1967 : Martin Luther King, Jr., leads a march of 5,000 antiwar demonstrators in Chicago.

1971 U.S.A. Louis Armstrong

1971 : Louis Armstrong, the famous trumpet player, had undergone a temporary tracheotomy after being admitted to a New York hospital. Armstrong had received this throat operation after receiving treatment for heart trouble.

1975 Saudi Arabia King Faisal Assassinated

1975 : King Faisal is fatally wounded by his nephew Prince Faisal Ibu Musaed when he fires 3 shots directly at the king from a pistol during a royal audience. Prince Faisal bin Musaed was later found guilty of the murder of his uncle and was beheaded in public in the capital Riyadh.

1975 Britain's National Front Party

1975 : Right wing opponents who are member of Britain's National Front Party and oppose Britain's entry into the common market rally in Islington, North London.

1980 Russia Moscow Olympics Boycott

1980 : The British Olympic Association has defied the British Government and will be sending a team to the Moscow Olympics later in the year. The British and US government and other Governments around the world have called for a boycott of the Moscow Olympics. Although many governments pressured their Olympic Athletes only 16 countries did not compete including The United States, Japan, West Germany, China, Canada and 9 others. To place it in context 81 other countries athletes many in defiance of their governments wishes did compete but many as a sign of support against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan marched under the Olympic Flag, instead of their national flags.

1981 Germany Squatters

1981 : German police raided a home occupied by squatters. They were looking for evidence leading to the resolution of local crimes committed. The next day, these squatters were cleared from the building, and over a thousand youth protested in the streets. On the day after, many young people argued with authority.

1990 U.S.A. Happy Land Fire

1990 : A fire at an unlicensed social club called "Happy Land" in New York City with blocked fire escapes and no alarms or sprinkler systems kills 87 people, most of them Honduran and Dominican immigrants.

1991 Italy NATO

1991 : Three prominent NATO officers called for a year-round allied naval force to be stationed in the Mediterranean. This action would help provide heightened security for all those who pass through these waters. These new naval forces would replace the temporary ones that were currently stationed in this area. The Naval On-Call Force would usually stay in this area two times a year for up to six weeks at a time.

Today in Labor History March 25, 2025

 

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire

Coxey’s Army (Common-Wealth Army) headed to Washington DC to demand economic reform. Coxey was a wealthy businessman and Populist who proposed a plan of federal work relief on public roads to be financed by Treasury notes to end the depression of 1893. When Congress refused to pass this bill, Coxey declared, We will send a petition to Washington with “boots on“.Coxey and his lieutenants were arrested by police and about 50 people were beaten or trampled. – 1894

A federal court issued the first injunction against a union under the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. The case was brought against the Workingman’s Amalgamated Council of New Orleans for interfering with commerce. The law was a major victory for bosses. – 1893

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City killed 146 people, mostly women and young girls who were working in sweatshop conditions. As tragic as this fire was for poor, working-class women, it is estimated that over 100 workers died on the job each day in the U.S. in 1911. What was most significant was that this tragedy became a flashpoint for worker safety and public awareness of sweatshop conditions.

The Triangle workers had to work from 7:00 am until 8:00 pm, seven days a week. The work was almost non-stop. They got one break per day (30 minutes for lunch). For this, they were paid only $6.00 per week. In some cases, they had to provide their own needles and thread. Furthermore, the women were locked inside the building to minimize time lost to bathroom breaks.

A year prior to the fire, 20,000 garment workers walked off the job at 500 clothing factories in New York to protest the deplorable working conditions. They demanded a 20% raise, a 52-hour work week and overtime pay. Over 70 smaller companies conceded to the union’s demands within the first 48 hours of the strike. However, the bosses at Triangle formed an employers’ association with the owners of the other large factories. Soon after, strike leaders were arrested. Some were fined. Others were sent to labor camps. Armed thugs were also enlisted to beat up and intimidate strikers. By the end of the month, almost all of the smaller factories had conceded to the union. By February 1910, the strike was finally settled. – 1911

Heavy deposits of coal dust caused an explosion in the Centralia Coal Company’s Mine No. 5 in Centralia, Illinois, killing 111 of the 142 miners at work at the time. Following the disaster, UMWA President John L. Lewis invoked the union’s right to call memorial days and as a memorial to those killed at Centralia, the miners did not work for six days. – 1947

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled employers may sometimes favor women and members of minority groups over men and whites in hiring and promoting in order to achieve better balance in the workforce. – 1987

Important Events From This day in History March 23rd

  

1956 Pakistan Independence

1956 : The Islamic Republic of Pakistan becomes an independent republic within the British Commonwealth. Following the fighting in Pakistan and India in 1947 Muslims moved to Pakistan, creating a country where 96% of the population are Muslim. Currently Pakistan has the world's sixth largest population. Below is a table with the worlds top ten population estimates as of latest figures.

1. People's Republic of China 1,323,353,000

2. India 1,128,000,000

3. United States 303,232,774

4. Indonesia 231,627,000

5. Brazil 186,029,000

6. Pakistan 162,312,500

7. Bangladesh 158,665,000

8. Nigeria 148,093,000

9. Russia 141,849,000

10. Japan 127,790,000

1942 Japanese-Americans Evacuated

1942 : More than 600 Japanese aliens and Japanese-Americans from the Pacific Coast assembled at Pasadena's Rose Bowl under military orders to evacuate to a camp in Owens Valley, California.

1909 U.S.A. Theodore Roosevelt

1909 : Former President Theodore Roosevelt has left for a hunting trip in Africa to collect specimen's for the Smithsonian Institution on the steamer Hamburg.

1913 U.S.A. Tornadoes

1913 : A series of tornadoes near Omaha, Nebraska and in Iowa kill 115 people.

1919 The Italian National Fascist Party

1919 : Benito Mussolini establishes the Fascist Party, just 2 years later in 1922 they took over power in Italy and ruled until 1943. The party promised they could take Italy back to the times of The Great Roman Empire and make Italy once more an important world power, and expanded the Italian colonies of Tripolitania, Cyrenaica, and Fezzan until they were formally unified into the colony of Italian Libya in 1934. In 1936 they took control after much bloody fighting of Ethiopia but managed to alienate many of the world powers over the brutal war, leaving themselves with only one other country supporting them, Germany under the power of Hitler. This was possibly the main reason Italy joined the axis pact with Germany in 1936. The party was dissolved following the arrest of Benito Mussolini in 1943 and is the only party whose reformation is explicitly banned by the Constitution of Italy.

1920 U.S.A. Women’s suffrage

1920 : Delaware was the last of 36 states that needed to make a decision regarding Women’s suffrage. If this state voted “yes” to the 18th Amendment, then women would be able to vote in the upcoming November presidential election. More Details on the 18th Amendment

1930 France Debt Repayment

1930 : France has been told that a number of ministers and deputies were awaiting the receipt of delayed war debt payments. The reason for this delay given by the Prime Minister of France was that it was awaiting action by the U.S. regarding the exact terms of the debt.

1940 Romania German Oil Embargo

1940 : Germany had requested help from Romania. This assistance was initially delivered in the form of oil. However, Germany had met with Allied opposition (the countries fighting against the Nazi regime in World War II). Countries opposed to Germany during the war refused to that country oil.

1955 England Aneurin Bevan

1955 : Clement Atlee had saved Aneurin Bevan from losing his position within the British Labor Party. Bevan’s expulsion was put on the back burner and a hearing was scheduled to take place in front of a subcommittee. He had almost lost his position in office after defying Atlee’s leadership.

1963 Korea Peace Talks

1963 : An offer to schedule peace talks in Seoul, Korea was made by minister Won Woo. The military government had invited representatives from 14 different political parties as well as leaders of other organizations. This meeting was set to take place on the Wednesday after this date, in the capitol conference room.

1966 Vatican Church Leaders Meet

1966 : For the first time in more than four centuries, heads of the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches met in Vatican City.

1972 Jordan King Hussein

1972 : King Hussein, the man who was commonly referred to as the “father of Jordan”, made a plan to visit the U.S. He wanted to discuss his plans for the Middle East with President Richard Nixon. At this time, Hussein was offering a proposal for forming the United Arab Kingdom. This particular political structure would be made up of two plots of land that exist on both sides of the Jordan River. Additionally, King Hussein denied plans to create a partially self-governing entity on the West Bank of the Jordan.

1981 U.S.A. Supreme Court Abortion Ruling

1981 : The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states could require, with some exceptions, parental notification when teenage girls seek abortions.

Currently 6 states in the US do not require parental consent

Other US states require one or all of the following prior to allowing abortion.

One or both parents to be informed

One or both parents must consent

Parental notification law currently enjoined

Parental consent law currently enjoined

There are a number of other laws in each state relating to this highly charged issue and parental consent is just one of the laws used to make abortion harder or easier depending on the ideological stance in that state.

1983 Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)

1983 : President Ronald Reagan proposes that the United States starts a program to develop antimissile technology that would make the country nearly impervious to attack by nuclear missiles often called the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI).

1987 West Germany IRA Bombing

1987 : A British Army base in Rheindahlen, West Germany is targeted by a large car bomb injuring 30 as part of the ongoing war of terrorism by the IRA on British Troops.

1987 Lebanon US Hostages

1987 : In Lebanon, a group of Muslim kidnappers held an 1ll American hostage. They wanted to trade this sick hostage for 100 Arab prisoners held in Israel. Avi Pazner, aid to Prime Yitzhak Shamir, refused to consider the kidnappers’ demands. Pazner said that Israel does not negotiate with terrorists.

2001 Mir Space Station Ends

2001 : Mir Russia's and the worlds first consistently inhabited long-term research station in space ended 15 yrs in space when it is decommissioned and ends with a planned fiery plunge into the South Pacific. The space station was originally built for only Russian space exploration. The use of Mir evolved over the years as tensions between East and West eased with the ending of the cold war to become a sign that space exploration could become a truly joint project with the US Space Shuttle taking supplies and new crew members from many countries including the US and Russia.

2002 U.S.A. War Against Terrorism Funding

2002 : A news report indicates that President George Bush requested an extra $27 billion from Congress for use on the war against terrorism. While Bush was visiting in El Paso, Texas he said that the “price of freedom is never too high” as far as he was concerned.

2006 France’s marriage age is changed

2006 : The French parliament passes a law that raises the age at which a woman can get married from 15 to 18. The earlier law had set the minimum age for women to marry at 15, and men at 18, and had been introduced in 1804. The new legislation brings France into line with most of the other European Union members. The punishments for rape and assault of a spouse will now include partners and ex-partners, and sentences for murder have also been increased.

2007 Australia Burnley Tunnel Accident

2007 : A crash involving three trucks and four cars deep in the Burnley Tunnel in Melborne results in an explosion and subsequent fire which causes the death of three and the evacuation of drivers and passengers from 200 vehicles. It was estimated that at one point the fire reached temperatures in excess of 1800 °F ( 1000 °C, but for the well organised emergency services and the Tunnels design many more could have lost their lives.

2007 Royal Navy sailors captured in Iraqi/Iranian waters

2007 : Fifteen British navy personnel have been captured at gunpoint by Iranian forces. The men were seized when they boarded a boat in the Gulf, off the coast of Iraq, which they suspected was involved in smuggling. The Royal Navy has said the group was on a routine patrol in Iraqi waters, but the Iranians have said that they had illegally entered Iranian waters. The sailors were from the Type 22 frigate H.M.S. Cornwall.

2008 4000 U.S. servicemen and women dead in Iraq

2008 : The number of United States military personnel killed in Iraq since the US-led invasion has passed the 4,000 mark. The latest to die were the four soldiers whose vehicle was blown up by a bomb in southern Baghdad today. A fifth soldier was wounded in the attack, which took place about 3 p.m. E.T. This milestone has come just days after Americans marked the fifth anniversary of the war's start.

2009 United States Mount Redoubt volcano Eruption

2009 : The Mount Redoubt volcano in Alaska has erupted again, and sent a cloud of ash to around 50,000 feet. The volcano, which is 103 miles from Anchorage, had erupted on the evening of March 22nd, and four more explosions have taken place today. The volcano's ash has fallen on towns to the north of Anchorage, although the city itself has not been affected. Alaskan Airlines have canceled nineteen flights because of the ash, and aircraft at the Elmendorf Air Force Base are also being sheltered. The National Weather Service has called it 'a light dusting.'

2010 Obama signs US healthcare reform bill into law

2010 : President Obama has signed his healthcare bill, which has been hailed as the most expansive social legislation in decades, saying it enshrines "the core principle that everybody should have some basic security when it comes to their health care.” Having signed the measure, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, he spoke to an audience of of the Democratic lawmakers who have ridden the legislative process. They interrupted him repeatedly with cheers, applause and standing ovations.

2010 Virgin Galactic's Space Ship Two

2010 : Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo "VSS Enterprise" is shown to reporters from around the world on its maiden flight from the Mojave Air and Spaceport in Mojave, California, United States. Space Ship Two is designed to carry "space tourists" with tickets costing $200,000 each, under development by The Spaceship Company, a joint venture between Scaled Composites and Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group. 65,000 would-be space tourists have applied for the first batch of 100 tickets.

2011 Portuguese Prime Minister Resigns

2011 : The Prime Minister of Portugal, Jose Socrates, resigned after his austerity budget failed to pass in parliament. Failure to pass the budget meant that Portugal would likely join the ranks of Greece and Ireland in the European Union, and would need help from a bailout package similar to the ones that those two countries received in 2010. The budget aimed at tackling the harsh economic situation in the country included tax rises and spending cuts, however the five opposition parties all voted against it.

2013 US Popular Band Splits

2013 : The popular band My Chemical Romance from the US state of New Jersey announced that they would be splitting up after performing together for twelve years. The alternative group had reached their peak of mainstream popularity in the mid-2000s in the USA and worldwide.

2014 Guinea Ebola Outbreak Reaches Capital

2014 : A deadly outbreak of the Ebola virus reached the capital of Guinea, Conakry. The virus had already killed fifty-nine of the reported eighty people who had been infected in the outbreak.

Today in Labor History March 23, 2025

 

New York Postal Strike

101 Wobblies (members of the Industrial Workers of the World, IWW) went on trial in Chicago for opposing World War I. They were tried for violating the Espionage Act. In September 1917, 165 IWW leaders were arrested for conspiring to subvert the draft and encourage desertion. Their trial lasted five months, the longest criminal trial in American history up to that time. The jury found them all guilty. The judge sentenced Big Bill Haywood and 14 others to 20 years in prison. 33 others were given 10 years each. They were also fined a total of $2,500,000. The trial virtually destroyed the IWW. Haywood jumped bail and fled to the USSR, where he remained until his death 10 years later. – 1918

The Norris-La Guardia Act was passed, restricting injunctions against unions and banning yellow dog contracts, which require newly-hired workers to declare they are not union members and will not join one. – 1932

President Nixon declared a national emergency and ordered 30,000 troops to New York City to break the postal workers strike. The troops didn’t have a clue how to sort and deliver mail; a settlement came a few days later. – 1970

The Coalition of Labor Union Women was founded in Chicago by some 3,000 delegates from 58 unions and other organizations. – 1974

Fifteen workers died and another 170 were injured when a series of explosions ripped through BP’s Texas City refinery. Investigators blamed a poor safety culture at the plant and found BP management gave priority to cost savings over worker safety. – 2005

Friday Afternoon in the Blogosphere

 

Community rallies to save small town newspaper - King 5

Tomorrow’s News Trailblazers: Meet news media's rising stars - E&P Magazine

Italian newspaper says it has published world’s first AI-generated edition - The Guardian

There’s another reason the L.A. Times’ AI-generated opinion ratings are bad - Nieman Lab

Google says experiment shows news has ‘no measurable impact’ on its ad revenue - Press Gazette

Important Events From This day in History March 21

 

1940 U.S.A. Queen Mary Ocean Liner

1940 : The Queen Mary Ocean Liner is leaving the safe harbor of New York together with the Ocean Liner The Mauritania for the first time since the War started to start new lives as troop ship carriers, The Queen Elizabeth is still currently in New York undergoing changes to accommodate troop carrying duties. No information has been given on where the final destination will be in Europe as secrecy is paramount to the survival of the Ships.

1963 U.S.A. Alcatraz Closes

1963 : Alcatraz federal penitentiary known as "The Rock" was a prison based on a small island located in the middle of San Francisco Bay in California, United States. It was designed to be the most secure prison in the world and in its 29 years of operation from 1934 - 1963, the penitentiary logged no prisoners as having ever successfully escaped.

1960 South Africa Sharpeville Massacre

1960 : Afrikaner police open fire on a group of unarmed black South African demonstrators in the black township of Sharpeville, near Johannesburg, South Africa, killing 69 people and wounding 180 in a hail of submachine-gun fire.

1921 England New Irish Parliament

1921 : It was announced that a new Irish Parliament would be forming. The first Irish parliament meeting was scheduled for June 21st of this year.

1928 U.S.A. Charles A. Lindbergh

1928 : President Coolidge presented Col. Charles A. Lindbergh with the Congressional Medal of Honor.

1932 U.S.A. Tornadoes

1932 : Tornadoes killed at least 184 persons in five southern states Alabama, Georgia Tennessee, Kentucky and South Carolina yesterday and early today.

1933 British Spies In Russia

1933 : Tension between Russian and Great Britain was at an all-time high. The major conflict between these two nations was expected to influence the verdict of spy charges filed against four British citizens.

1939 U.S.A. God Bless America

1939 : Kate Smith records the patriotic song "God Bless America." It is still sung at some sports events and other celebrations in combination with the national anthem.

1940 England World War II

1940 : Nazi army forces took revenge on the British. The attack occurred along the coast of the English Channel. Three ships had sunk and lives were lost.

1945 U.S.A. Allied Bombers Germany

1945 : Allied bombers began four days of heavy raids over Germany as an exercise to soften German resistance prior to allies taking Berlin later in the year.

1955 Antarctic Ice Melting

1955 : It was believed possible that the icy Antarctica could melt at a faster rate than most people would think. If this were possible, ocean levels would rise 90 to 150 feet. An Antarctic ice survey and corresponding studies were expected to be completed between now and some time shortly after 1957.

1963 England Trains Driving Themselves

1963 : The first of a new generation of trains that drive themselves not needing a driver but controlled by computers which are controlled by picking up signals from coded electrical impulses from the rails and signaling areas and give them the intelligence to start, accelerate, coast or slow down automatically are to be used on London Underground. An operator will still be on-duty aboard the train in the drivers cabin to survey opening and closing doors and to take charge of the train if any of the electrics fail during a journey.

1963 US Monetary Aid

1963 : The agreement made by the U.S. to help Central America during its time of economic and social crisis was announced today in 1963. President John F. Kennedy had just arrived in Costa Rica a few days prior to this time. Furthermore, action has been taken since the beginning of the year to help protect and care for Central American countries from the threat of Cuba. Monetary aid in the form of $20 billion was given to this region.

1965 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

1965 : Following the Bloody Sunday March earlier in the month, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led 3,000 civil rights demonstrators in a march in Alabama from Selma to Montgomery under the protection of army units deployed by President Lyndon B. Johnson.

1969 US Underground Nuclear Test

1969 : An underground nuclear test is carried out at the Atomic Energy Commission's Nevada test site.

1972 Cambodia

1972 : Fighting at the Long Cheng base in Northern Laos continued for the fourth day in a row. Meanwhile, 200 enemy rockets destroyed three areas of Phnom Penh in Cambodia. Moreover, North Vietnamese armies invaded areas of South Vietnam. In Cambodia, 70 were killed and 120 persons were wounded. In South Vietnam, 13 government troops’ lives were taken.

1980 US Boycott Olympics

1980 : President Carter told U.S. Olympic athletes that the U.S. will be boycotting the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.

1981 England Charles / Diana Wedding

1981 : A procession was planned for the Prince Charles and Princess Diana wedding. Standing room spaces along this parade route were being offered from 90 pounds ($200.00) each on up. These spaces were being sold by offices located in prime spots offering spectacular view of this day’s festivities. This royal procession route started from the Buckingham Palace to the St. Paul’s Cathedral where the wedding took place.

1984 England EEC Refund

1984 : A fight over the amount of refund Britain receives back from the European Economic Community has reached an en pass as Mrs Thatcher the British Prime Minister asked for an annual rebate of £730m but was offered £580m. The current refunds are often based on the amount of farming subsidies the country receives and Britain often got less back than other states because of its relatively small farming industry and the fact a high percentage of the budget is made up from farm subsidies.

Today in Labor History March 21st, 2025

 

March from Selma to Montgomery

Women’s rights advocate and labor activist Alice Henry was born in Melbourne, Australia. Henry came to the U.S. in 1905 and worked for twenty years for the National Women’s Trade Union League of America in Chicago, lecturing, organizing, directing the education department, writing two books on women in the labor movement, and editing the League’s official journal. – 1857

3,200 people began the march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama to protest racial violence. Earlier efforts to hold the march had failed when police attacked demonstrators and a white minister was fatally beaten by a group of Selma whites. The five-day walk ended March 26, when 20,000 people joined the marchers in front of the Alabama state Capitol in Montgomery. Soon after, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965. – 1965

Today marked day four of the national wildcat postal strike. In New York, an effigy of Gus Johnson, president of the letter carriers’ union local, was hung at a meeting and the national union leaders were called “rats” and “creeps.” Despite the anti-strike clause in the postal worker’s contract and federal injunctions against striking, postal workers walked out in over 200 cities. – 1970

Thursday Morning in the Blogosphere

 Los Angeles City Hall under construction

Buyouts at the Sun-Times shrink the newsroom — and the dream - Poynter

New York Times bundles give European publishers a subscription boost - Nieman Lab

I learned my hometown paper died from Facebook. That’s the future we’re facing - Poynter

How Journalism Should Cover a World with the U.S. No Longer at its Center - Second Rough Draft

Why user needs have the power to stop audiences feeling overwhelmed by the news - Journalism UK

Important Events From This day in History March 20

 

1995 Japan Sarin Gas Terrorist Attack

1995 : Five two man terrorist teams from the Aum Shinrikyo religious (doomsday cult), riding on separate subway trains, converge at the Kasumigaseki station and secretly release lethal sarin gas into the air causing the death of Twelve people, and a further 5,500 treated in hospitals.

1920 U.S.A. Treaty of Versailles

1920 : A story was printed regarding the return of the Treaty of Versailles which was returned to President Wilson. It had failed Senate ratification four times the night before. This treaty was intended to mark the official end of World War I, even though a majority of the fighting had stopped in 1918. This was probably one of the most controversial documents created within the 20th Century, and was signed between Allied and Associated forces of World War I and Germany.

1922 US All Homes Must Have Mail Boxes

1922 : The US Postmaster General ( Hubert Work ) ordered all homes to get mailboxes or relinquish delivery of mail.

1933 Italy New Peace Plan

1933 : A new plan for peace was being discussed between various European countries. This plan was being facilitated by leaders such as Premiers Benito Mussolini of Italy and Premier Ramsey Mac Donald of Great Britain.

1933 US Roosevelt Resolves To Help America Out Of Great Depression

1933 : Within one month of taking office President Roosevelt set about pulling America out of the depths of the worst depression in history. He temporarily closed the nation's banks. He passed emergency legislation aimed at stabilizing financial institutions. Spoke on the nations radio airwaves giving people hope and a much needed pep talk. Signed the Economy Act into law which cut salaries of federal employees including war veterans.

1935 U.S.A. Your Hit Parade

1935 : The American radio show “Your Hit Parade” makes its debut on the airwaves. In the following years, it becomes the jumping point for many of the most successful singers and artists in the music industry.

1945 World War II Mandalay

1945 : The Japanese capture Mandalay in May 1942, and British troops liberate Mandalay, Burma from the Japanese.

1948 Australia Workers Wanted

1948 : An Australian firm had put an ad in a newspaper dated this date for the recruitment of workers. They were willing to pay up to $32.00 to each employee that referred workers to the company (upon hire). This was considered a “fair chunk of change” in this time-equivalent to approximately $276.58 in 2007.

1951 Korean War

1951 : Americans were fighting on the Central Korean front. While doing so, they came against a strong resistance. The Red Army (communists) attacked from hill positions. Furthermore, a news blackout was ordered by General MacArthur in Tokyo.

1954 Vietnam War

1954 : 60,000 Viet Minh with heavy artillery surround 16,000 French troops, but the french held out for a further 6 weeks before being overcome by the greater numbers and defeated.

1955 Americans Charged in Japan

1955 : In Japan, two Americans were charge of involuntary manslaughter after a girl was shot. These Americans were acquitted, and this situation was ruled to be an accident.

1963 U.S.A. “Chute Less” Parachutes

1963 : The U.S. Air Force made plans to start using “chute-less” parachutes. Assault troops would be exiting aircraft without them fairly soon, as of this period of time in history.

1965 U.S.A. Governor Wallace Alabama

1965 : President Lyndon B Johnson informs Governor Wallace the Alabama Governor that he will call up the Alabama National Guard to supervise and ensure the safety of a planned civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery after the last march which had been shown on Television with local police and state troopers using Billy clubs and tear gas on the marchers.

1966 England World Cup

1966 : The World Cup, was stolen while on display at Westminster Hall in London, the World Cup was on show prior to the start of the World Cup tournament in Britain later in the year. It was found 1 week later in a in South London garden wrapped in a newspapers. England did go on to win the World Cup later in the year beating West Germany in the final.

1969 John Lennon Marries Again

1969 : John Lennon of the Beatles marries Yoko Ono a Japanese avant-garde artist and musician.

1971 Ireland Major James Chichester-Clark

1971 : Major James Chichester-Clark made his resignation known. This action was said to have caused a severe political crisis in Ireland at this time. No one was immediately in line to replace Clark, whose decision to step down was largely influenced by right-wing Unionist Party members. This militant group was working to squelch Irish Republican terrorism.

1974 England Princess Anne

1974 : Princess Anne and husband Captain Mark Phillips escape a kidnapping attempt as they were returning to Buckingham Palace

1976 U.S.A. Patricia Hearst

1976 : Patricia Hearst, was convicted of taking part in a San Francisco bank robbery conducted by those who originally kidnapped her the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA).

1981 Germany Army Commissioners

1981 : Usually when the Army Commissioners had changed their prices each month all the store shelf prices would change as well. However, a new policy was established. The prices on the shelves would remain the same while the prices of new items would change.

1987 USA AZT Approved

1987 : The Food and Drug Administration approved the sale of ( azidothymidine ) AZT, a drug shown to prolong the lives of some AIDS patients. A little known fact is that it was originally intended to treat cancer in 1924 but did not do well in trials, and had an unacceptably high side effect profile. AZT does not destroy the HIV infection, but only delays the progression of the disease and the replication of virus. AZT is generally used in a cocktail of other drugs to treat AIDS Patients and also as a preventive treatment.

 

Today in Labor History March 20, 2025

 

R.B. Grover shoe factory

Michigan authorized the formation of workers’ cooperatives. Thirteen were formed in the state over a 25-year period. Labor reform organizations advocated for  “cooperation” over “competitive” capitalism following the Civil War and several thousand cooperatives opened for business across the country during this era. Participants envisioned a world free from conflict where workers would receive the full value of their labor and freely exercise democratic citizenship in the political and economic realms. – 1865

The R.B. Grover shoe factory in Brockton, Massachusetts, collapsed and burst into flames after its old boiler exploded and shot up through three floors and the roof. 58 people were killed and 150 were injured. The incident led to the passage of a national boiler safety code. – 1905

The American Federation of Labor issued a charter to a new Building Trades Department. Trades unions had formed a Structural Building Trades Alliance several years earlier to work out jurisdictional conflicts, but lacked the power to enforce Alliance rulings. – 1908

Detroit police evicted strikers from the Newton Packing Company. Three hours later, 150 police attacked sit-down strikers at a tobacco plant. By April 1, there were over 120,000 striking auto workers in Michigan. – 1937

Members of the International Union of Electrical Workers reached agreement with Westinghouse Electric Corp., ending a 156-day strike. – 1956

Three hundred family farmers at a National Pork Producers Council meeting in Iowa protested factory-style hog farms. – 1997

Wednesday Morning in the Blogosphere

 

SF Chronicle & KCRA team up on video news - E&P Magazine

Alden newspapers slam OpenAI's, Google's AI proposals - Axios

Chicago Sun-Times to lose 20% of staff after buyout offer - Chicago Sun-Times

March 25 webinar: Dramatically amplify your traffic monetization and net profits - AN

How to Successfully Go Beyond Print: Strategies, challenges and success stories - Lenfest Institute

Important Events From This day in History March 19

 

1987 U.S.A. Televangelist Jim Bakker

1987 : Televangelist Jim Bakker resigned as chairman of his PTL ministry organization and hands over control to Jerry Falwell. The PTL ministry had average viewers numbering over twelve million, amid the scandal involving a former church secretary, Jessica Hahn who was paid $279,000 from PTL funds to keep secret her allegation that he had raped her. During the earlier period the PTL ministry organization had raised millions to build Heritage USA a Christian theme park, water park and residential complex which between 1978, and 1986 was one of the top vacation destinations in the country . Following the scandal and large losses "Heritage USA" was forced to close.

In 1989, after a five week trial in Charlotte, the jury found Jim Bakker guilty on a number of accounting fraud and conspiracy charges, and Judge Robert Potter sentenced him to 45 years in federal prison and a $500,000 fine. He was released on Parole in 1993 after serving 5 years and in 1992 Jim Bakker and Tammy Faye Bakker were divorced.

1964 England New Towns Needed

1964 : A study, estimates the country's population will increase by three million by the early 1980s and highlights the need for expansion of existing cities and the creation of three new towns in the South East. The three "new towns" that were created were:

Milton Keynes formally designated as a new town on 23 January 1967 Current Population estimate 184,506.

Milton Keynes was one of the first towns / cities built in the UK that had a grid road system similar to cities in the US ( straight roads North / South and East / West )

Both Havant and Basingstoke did exist prior to 1964 but the number of houses and people living in the area significantly increased over the next two decades as green belt land was released for building.

2001 U.S.A. California Rolling Blackouts

2001 : California officials order the first of a further two days of rolling blackouts.

Rolling blackouts had began on

June 14th, 2000 due to a heatwave

January 17-18, 2001

March 19-20, 2001

May 7-8, 2001

The California electricity crisis which included extremely high prices and Rolling blackouts was a direct result from the manipulation of energy of a partially deregulated California energy system by companies like Enron and Reliant Energy.

1982 England Falkland Islands

1982 : 50 Argentines land at Leith Harbour, on South Georgia a British colony of the Falkland Islands in the south Atlantic and planted their nation's flag. Argentina invades the Falkland Islands on April 2nd and British Marines are deployed to regain the Island on April 25th

1916 U.S.A. First Use Of Air Combat

1916 : The first use of air combat by the US when Eight Curtiss "Jenny" planes of the First Aero Squadron are used in support for the 7,000 U.S. troops who invaded Mexico to capture Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa.

1918 U.S.A. Daylight Saving Time

1918 : The US Congress approves daylight-saving time. Germany started the use of DST in 1916 and other countries followed suit. Daylight saving time or British summer time is the practice of adjusting clocks forward one hour near the start of spring so that afternoons have more daylight and mornings have less, and adjusting them backwards in the Autumn by 1 hour. It is not used universally world wide but is common in Europe and North America.

1920 U.S.A. Treaty of Versailles

1920 : The senate voted to refused to ratify the treaty of Versailles that would end the nations war status.

1921 Argentina Wheat Export Tax

1921 : It was revealed that Buenos Aires would not add on a new wheat export tax. It was said that uncertainty of this decision had cause the wheat industry to be unstable for a period of time.

1931 U.S.A. Gambling

1931 : The Nevada state legislature votes to legalize gambling hoping to bring much needed money to the state in the worst of the depression years.

1932 Australia Sydney Harbor Bridge Opens

1932 : The Sydney Harbour Bridge the fourth-longest spanning-arch bridge in the world across Sydney Harbour officially opened. The bridge was designed to carry road traffic, railway traffic and a footpath on each side.

1938 Spain Civil War

1938 : Cabinet members were divided on the issue of whether or not the civil war should end. Fierce fighting occurred while the cabinet convened at the capital building. A fourth of the population of Barcelona had fled into the mountains and set up camp to hide from bombings.

1941 U.S.A. Jimmy Dorsey

1941 : Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra record the hits "Green Eyes" and "Maria Elena." The album hit the Billboard charts two months later and spent 17 weeks on it, peaking at #1 in mid-June. Both songs eventually hit #1, making the album a major hit.

1945 Japan USS Carrier Franklin

1945 : Japanese aircraft attack the USS carrier Franklin off Japan, killing about 724 of the crew. The ship did not sink and managed to limp back to Pearl Harbor for repairs.

1948 Germany Communist Demonstrators

1948 : About 70,000 demonstrators crowded the streets of Berlin. About half of them were supporters of the Communist Party, while others were supporters of the Anti-Communist movement. This event was coordinated by the “Communist-Controlled Socialist Unity Party.” All other political groups of Berlin had boycotted this event.

1953 U.S.A. Academy Awards

1953 : The Academy Awards was televised for the first time with Bob Hope as the host.

1955 U.S.A. Billy Graham

1955 : President Eisenhower and his wife had met Reverend Billy Graham in person. They exchanged cordial greetings and chatted with him after services, which took place at the National Presbyterian Church in Washington.

1967 England Sexism By Judge

1967 : Twelve women were responsible for deciding the verdict of a theft trial. They had determined in 38 minutes that the defendant was guilty. A judge was astounded, and complimented them-saying they were women, but “equal to a jury of 12 gentlemen in arriving at the truth of the matter.”

1970 Germany Leaders Meet for First Time

1970 : The leaders of East Germany and West Germany meet for the first time since the country was divided in 1949 following the end of the second world war.

1971 Turkey Nihat Erim

1971 : Nihat Erim had his work cut out for him as Turkey’s new premier (prime minister). Erim was called upon by President Cevdet Sunay to form a new Turkish government, which was in total crisis. Before Erim became premier of Turkey, he was the head of a conservative group that belonged to the Republicans People Party. His current order of business as prime minister was to form a governmental structure which would satisfy the major political parties of the country. Erim also was responsible for making sure that the new governmental set-up would satisfy military commanders threatening a takeover.

1971 Peru Earthquake

1971 : An earthquake sets off a landslide, flood and avalanche that result in the destruction of the town of Chungar, Peru, and the death of most of the towns people.