On this day in 1898, the Battle of Virden began when armed members of the United Mine Workers of America (UMW) surrounded a train full of strikebreakers and exchanged fire with company guards. 13 people were killed, dozens more wounded.

After a local chapter of the UMW began striking at a mine in Virden, Illinois, the Chicago-Virden Coal Company hired black strikebreakers from Birmingham, Alabama and shipped them to Virden by train.

The company hired armed detectives or security guards to accompany the strikebreakers, and an armed conflict broke out when armed miners surrounded the train as it arrived in town. A total of four detectives and seven striking mine workers were killed, with five guards, thirty miners, and an unrecorded number of strikebreakers wounded.

After this incident, Illinois Governor John Tanner ordered the National Guard to prevent any more strikebreakers from coming into the state by force. The next month, the Chicago-Virden Coal Company relented and allowed the unionization of its workers.

"When the last call comes for me to take my final rest, will the miners see that I get a resting place in the same clay that shelters the miners who gave up their lives on the hills of Virden, Illinois...They are responsible for Illinois being the best organized labor state in America."

Mother Jones

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  • WhatDoYouMeanPodcast [comrade/them]
    ·
    22 hours ago

    Anyone remember eating? Cutting is literally... not fun! I used to be easy going and full of energy. AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

    • Person [he/him]
      ·
      21 hours ago

      oh hey, i've been doing this too. it weirdly is fun for me, at the moment. i think mostly cuz for the past 3 years, i've been telling myself "i really need to lose some weight", but i could never sustain it for more than like 2 days, cuz i love eating food so much. but somehow something flipped in my brain and i've been sticking with it for 2 weeks now. i don't even really feel hungry? i hope i don't have a tumor or something.

    • LocalOaf [they/them]
      ·
      20 hours ago

      Getting really fiberous celery and chewing it like cud kinda helps in my experience

      Gum is probably more Normal

      🐮 creature