On this day in 1877, the demand of train workers in East St. Louis, Illinois for higher wages was rejected, marking the beginning of a general strike in which workers seized and destroyed property, dismantling over forty factories.

The 1877 St. Louis General Strike was one of the first general strikes in the United States, growing out of the Great Railroad Strike of 1877, a national period of strikes and rioting due to economic depression. The St. Louis strike was largely organized by the Knights of Labor and the Marxist-leaning Workingmen's Party, the main radical political party of the era.

On this day in 1877, in East St. Louis, Illinois, train workers held a secret meeting, resolving to call for an increase in wages and to strike if their demands were not met. The demand was made and rejected that same night, and so, effective at midnight, the strike began.

Within hours, strikers virtually controlled the city. Although the strike was mostly bloodless, the protesters seized the city's Union Depot, stopped freight and some passenger trains from passing through the city.

Workers attacked productive capital, including flour mills and sugar refineries, dismantling over forty factories in total. The strike ended when the National Guard and U.S. Marshals began to break up demonstrations by force five days later.

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  • President_Obama [they/them]
    ·
    2 years ago

    Today, I walked into a manga store for the first time. I've read a bunch of BL (Boy's Love, manga centered around gay relationships) online but I've never bought any manga.

    First thing I see is three young women behind the counter who make my gaydar go off like a Hawaiian nuclear alarm. I browse the tiny shop for a bit, walk up to em and ask for recommendations - I say I've never read manga before, and ask where I should start. Got Parasyte vol. 1, and then she asks if I've got any other genre I'm interested in. I sheepishly say BL, and her eyes light up. I admit I actually had read manga before, namely BL, but didn't want to share that at first.

    She totally gets it, and asks if I'm "looking for smut or...". I say the opposite, to which she says "like nearly asexual". I respond that I am asexual, and she immediately says she "gets the vibe" and her & another cashier who likes BL start plucking wholesome BL off of the shelves for me. Had a great convo.

    I've never told anyone I'm ace before, but it didn't even register that I had until after. There was such an accepting vibe in the store I just blurted it out.

    Idk man, just happy. :meow-bounce:

    • Kanna [she/her]
      ·
      2 years ago

      That sounds so wholesome :)

      I've been going to look at manga on Friday's after work lately and it's been nice. I got a compliment from the cashier on my pride mask a few weeks ago and they said they've got an aroace mask

      • President_Obama [they/them]
        ·
        2 years ago

        aroace mask

        Hell yeah, others :party-cat: Should've guessed manga stores would be queer central

        • Kanna [she/her]
          ·
          2 years ago

          What BL manga did you get? I've heard Parasyte is good

          • President_Obama [they/them]
            ·
            2 years ago

            I got "I think our son might be gay", and they gave me a bunch of recommendations: Cherry magic, My love mixup, I cannot reach you. She was raving about how cute Cherry Magic was so I bet it's good.

            • Kanna [she/her]
              ·
              2 years ago

              Nice! I haven't heard of it, though I mostly just read yuri lol. I don't buy everything I read, but I do enjoy reading a book more than scans online

              • President_Obama [they/them]
                ·
                2 years ago

                I just finished reading it - I'm using it as an excuse to show up to that shop again tomorrow to buy the next volume, since I'll leave the day after. It's OK, it's a wholesome kinda thing. Though there's certainly better "wholesome" slice-of-life out there (e.g. Sasaki to Miyano), it's great to read a physical volume.

                As far as GL is concerned, I've only ever read bloom into you & Citrus. They were great but I'm going to stick with boys :deng-cowboy:

      • President_Obama [they/them]
        ·
        2 years ago

        Maybe you should go back.

        I'm leaving this city in a few days, but I will at some point. Even if just to get the other parts of the manga I bought. Though this was a great experience, it's not like they'll remember me, so that's not what I'm going back for.