Gabriel Prosser leads a slave revolt in Virginia
A journeymen cordwainers' union in New York City includes a closed-shop clause in its constitution
Philadelphia showmakers found guilty of criminal conspiracy after striking for higher wages
Denmark Vesey leads a slave rebellion in South Carolina
Pawtucket, Rhode Island, Textile Strike
The United Tailoresses of New York, a trade union organization for women, organized in New York City.
The Mechanics Union of Trade Associations, made up of skilled craftsmen in different trades, formed in Philadelphia - first city central federation.
Philadelphia Carpenters' Strike
Depression begins The Workingmen's Party formed in Philadelphia Paterson, New Jersey, Textile Strike
The Workingmen's Party of New York formed Carpenter Ebenezer Ford becomes the first trade unionist elected to public office in New York
New England Association of Farmers, Mechanics and other Workingmen formed Nat Turner leads a slave rebellion in Virginia Lynn, Massachusetts, Shoebinders' Protest
Boston Ship Carpenters' Ten Hour Strike
Lynn, Massachusetts, Shoebinders' Protest begins. Manayunk, Pennsylvania, Textile Strike New York City Carpenters' Strike
National Trades Union, first attempt at a national labor federation, formed in New York Lowell, Massachusetts, Mill Women's Strike Manayunk, Pennsylvania, Textile Strike
Ten-Hour Movement among skilled workers
Paterson, New Jersey, Textile Strike.
National Cooperative Association of Cordwainers, the first national union of a specific craft, formed in New York City Lowell, Massachusetts, Mill Women's Strike New York City Tailors' Strike Philadelphia Bookbinders' Strike
President Martin Van Buren establishes the ten-hour day for employees on federal public works projects.
Massachusetts Supreme Court, in Commonwealth v. Hunt, rules that labor unions, as such, are not illegal conspiracies. Anthracite Coal Strike
Lowell Female Labor Reform Association formed.
New Hampshire passes first state law fixing ten hours as the legal workday.
Pennsylvania's child labor law makes twelve the minimum age for workers in commercial occupations.
New York City Tailors' Strike.
Typographical Union founded - first national union of workers to endure to present day
Eugene V. Debs , US labor leader, is born
Iron Molders' International Union founded
New England Shoemakers' Strike
Civil War Begins American Miners' Association , the first national coal miners' union, is formed in St. Louis, Mo.
Congress Passes the Homestead Act
Emancipation Proclamation frees the slaves Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers founded
Cigar Makers' Union founded
Sixteenth Amendment ratified, abolishing slavery in the United States
National Labor Union founded - an attempt at creating a national federation of unions Molders' Lockout
Knights of St. Crispin founded - a union of factory workers in the shoe industry
First federal eight-hour law passed - applied only to laborers, workmen, and mechanics employed by the government Anthracite Coal Strike
Colored National Labor Union founded Knights of Labor organized in Philadelphia Troy, New York, Collar Laundresses' Strike
First written contract between coal operators and coal miners signed
National Labor Reform Party formed
Depression begins Miners' National Association formed
Tompkins Square Riot in New York City
Conviction of Molly Maguires for anthracite coalfield murders - twenty are eventually hanged Anthracite Coal Strike
Amalgamated Association of Iron, Steel, and Tin Workers founded Workingmen's Party founded - first Marxist party in the United States. Later becomes Socialist Labor Party Greenback Party formed
Federal and state troops are called out to crush the first nationwide strike in US history when railroad workers walk off their jobs Cigarmakers' Strike San Francisco Anti-Chinese Riots Members of the militant Molly Maguires, a rank and file anthracite coal miners' organization, are hanged after being framed by a Pinkerton spy
Socialist Labor Party founded
Greenback Labor Party organized International Labor Union founded
Miners in Springhill, Nova Scotia, form Canada's first labor union - the Provincial Workingmen's Association Joe Hill, IWW organizer, songwriter and poet, born in Gavle, Sweden
Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions of the United States and Canada founded - predecessor of the American Federation of Labor Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners founded Revolutionary Socialist Labor Party formed
First Labor Day celebration held in New York City Congress passes Chinese Exclusion Act Cohoes, New York, Cotton Mill Strike
International Working People's Association (anarchist) formed Cowboy Strike Lynchburg, Virginia, Tobacco Workers' Strike Molders' Lockout begins
Federal Bureau of Labor established in the Department of the Interior Fall River, Massachusettsm Textile Strike Union Pacific Railroad Strike
Congress passes Foran Acti to forbid immigration of laborers on contract Anti-Chinese Riots in the West Cloakmakers' General Strike McCormick Harvesting Machine Company Strike Southwest Railroad Strike Yonkers, New York, Carpet Weavers' Strike
In Chicago, 350,000 workers demonstrate for the eight-hour workday, founding May Day as an international workers' holiday Eight-hour-day movement fails "Haymarket Massacre" Police attack Haymarket Square labor rally in Chicago, sparking violence and the frame up of eight labor leaders American Federation of Labor founded with Samuel Gompers as first president Anti-Chinese riots Augusta, Georgia, Textile Strike. Cowboy Strike Eight-Hour Day Strikes McCormick Harvesting Machine Company Strike Southwest Railroad Strike Troy, New York, Collar Laundresses' Strike
Seven anarchists sentenced to death for the Haymarket bombing (five eventually executed). Port of New York Longshoremen's Strike
First federal labor relations law enacted - applied only to railroadsInternational Association of Machinists founded Burlington Railroad Strike Cincinnati Shoemakers' Lockout
Baseball Players' Revolt begins Fall River, Massachusetts, Textile Strike A. Philip Randolph, labor and civil rights leader, born
United Mine Workers of America founded in Columbus, Ohio Carpenters' Strike for the Eight-Hour Day
1891 People's (Populist) Party formed Savannah, Georgia, Black Laborers' Strike Tennessee Miners' Strike
International Longshoremen's Association founded Seamen's Union founded President Grover Cleveland elected Strike in Homestead, Pennsylvania, by iron and steel workers gains national attention Coeur d'Alene Miners' Strike New Orleans General Strike
Depression begins American Railway Union founded Western Federation of Miners founded Federal court in Louisiana applies the Sherman Antitrust Act to unions for the first time in finding a sympathy strike to be in restraint of trade National Civic Federation formed
Nationwide Rail Strike led by the American Railway Union in Pullman, Illinois paralyzes nation's transportation Coxey's Army of the unemployed marches on Washington, DC Cripple Creek, Colorado, Miners' Strike Great Northern Railroad Strike Labor Day becomes an official US holiday
U.S. Supreme Court, in In re Debs, upholds an injunction restraining the Pullman strikers based on the power of the government to regulate interstate commerce. Socialist Trade and Labor Alliance founded Haverhill, Massachusetts, Shoe Strike
President William McKinley elected Leadville, Colorado, Miners' Strike begins
Lattimer, Pennsylvania, Massacre, a sheriff and deputies gun down 19 striking miners and wound 40 others during a peaceful protest
Spanish-American War begins
Congress passes the Erdman Act providing for mediation and arbitration of railroad labor disputes. American Labor Union founded Marlboro, Massachusetts, Shoe Workers' Strike begins
Brotherhood of Teamsters founded Buffalo, New York, Grain Shovelers' Strike Cleveland, Ohio, Street Railway Workers' Strike Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Miners' Strike New York City Newsboys' Strike
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