Ludlow Massacre

The Ludlow Massacre On April 20, 1914, The Colorado National Guard attacked striking coal miners and their families, resulting in 25 deaths, including 11 children. 11,000 workers who were part of the United Mine Workers of America had been on strike for around 8 months already, having been evicted from company towns owned by Rockefellers’ Colorado Fuel and Iron Company. They set up tent colonies, the largest one housing around 1000 workers. The workers demanded a pay raise, an eight-hour working day, and the right to live and trade outside the company-owned town. Many of these demands were actually required by Colorado law, but were not enforced. The National Guard was sent to deal with the strike after company-hired detectives failed to stop the strike. Though the strikers initially believed the Guard was there to protect them, the Guard opened fire on the the tent colony at Ludlow on the morning of April 20th, prompting the strikers to fight back with pistols and hide in pits. Believing that the strikers had abandoned the colony, the soldiers burned the tents later in the evening. In the morning, the bodies of 11 children and 2 women were found burned and suffocated in a tent. The casualties suffered in the gunfight and the fire became known as the Ludlow Massacre. Initially, many people, especially worker unions were outraged and protested by going on strike and holding public demonstrations. In retaliation, miners attacked town officials and mines, forcing President Wilson to dispatch federal troops to control the miners. The strike and its aftermath officially ended in December 1914. However, there were almost no tangible benefits from the strike. There was no significant changes in working hours or pay, and though trials were held until 1920, none of the soldiers were convicted. The Ludlow Massacre was one of the bloodiest events in the history of American industry. It prompted discussion about labor and striking in Congress, but led to no real change. Though the economy and wealth of America grew as a result of the growth of industry, the common worker suffered terrible working conditions to produce and mine steel and make other products, and were brutally repressed when they did protest. It took many more deaths and strikes like the Ludlow Massacre to help workers gain actual rights and representation. Sources: https://www.britannica.com/event/Ludlow-Massacre https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/ludlow-massacre https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/militia-slaughters-strikers-at-ludlow-colorado https://www.newyorker.com/business/currency/the-ludlow-massacre-still-matters https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/ludlow-massacre/