What Capitalists Did – Lest We Forget

While the Vanderbilt ladies were vying for the title of Best Hostess in Newport, this is what the captains of industry were doing to the rest of us.   Lest we forget.

Child Labor in the Textile Mills. The Lawrence textile strike was a strike of immigrant workers in Lawrence, Massachusetts in 1912 led by the Industrial Workers of the World.

African American boy “newsie” selling The Washington Daily News – sign on his hat reads, “Have you read The News? One cent” – headline reads “Millionaire tax rends G.O.P.”  Nothing new under the sun!

“Tube boy” in the mule room of the Richmond Spinning Mill in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

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“Tube boy” – Berkshire Cotton Mills, Adams, Massachusetts

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Child labor in the coal mines.

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Boys move coal cars at the entrance to the Knoxville Iron Company’s mine near Coal Creek (now Lake City) inTennessee.

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Workers, mostly children  at the Knoxville Knitting Works in Knoxville, Tennessee.

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Two girls wearing banners with slogan “ABOLISH CHILD SLAVERY!!” in English and Yiddish, one carrying American flag.   May 1, 1909,

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Meanwhile, back at Newport

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The capitalists still employ children – there are children in Bangladesh making your shirts and blouses.

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And they will do it to workers here – and are trying their best.

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