Today in Labor History July 17 Pullman strike, Charles Luth was murdered, worst homelandisaster WWII

[Omaha Steve]

July 17

July 17, 1894 - During the Pullman strike, switchman Charles Luth was murdered in a St. Paul hotel by Omaha Railway Chief Clerk Charles Leonard. They had argued over the fact the railroad was housing scabs at the hotel. Thousands participated in Luth's funeral procession through St. Paul's Rice Park.


Two ammunition ships explode at Port Chicago, Calif., killing 322, including 202 African-Americans assigned by the Navy to handle explosives. It was the worst home-front disaster of World War II. The resulting refusal of 258 African-Americans to return to the dangerous work underpinned the trial and conviction of 50 of the men in what is called the Port Chicago Mutiny - 1944

Labor history found here: http://www.unionist.com/today-in-labor-history & here: http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?history_9_07_17_2011