Working Class History
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#OtD 11 Jan 1998 24,000 Indian villagers occupied proposed Narmada River dam sites that would have displaced 320,000 people. They succeeded in blocking the project. Pictured is a later dam protest in India, 2000 stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8305...
January 11, 2026 at 6:55 PM
#OtD 11 Jan 1998 24,000 Indian villagers occupied proposed Narmada River dam sites that would have displaced 320,000 people. They succeeded in blocking the project. Pictured is a later dam protest in India, 2000 stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8305...
#OtD 11 Jan 1908 blacklisted US actor Lionel Stander born. Most famous for playing the chauffeur in TV show Hart-to-Hart, he supported strikes and anti-racist campaigns, and was blacklisted during anti-communist hysteria of 1940s-50s. Commemorated here: shop.workingclasshistory.com/products/tso...
January 11, 2026 at 4:40 PM
#OtD 11 Jan 1908 blacklisted US actor Lionel Stander born. Most famous for playing the chauffeur in TV show Hart-to-Hart, he supported strikes and anti-racist campaigns, and was blacklisted during anti-communist hysteria of 1940s-50s. Commemorated here: shop.workingclasshistory.com/products/tso...
#OtD 11 Jan 1912 the Bread & Roses strike of @IWW women textile workers in New England against pay cuts broke out. Within a week 20k were out. Despite savage repression they held out for 2 months and won all of their demands. Learn more about IWW women: workingclasshistory.com/2018/12/02/e...
January 11, 2026 at 3:55 PM
#OtD 11 Jan 1912 the Bread & Roses strike of @IWW women textile workers in New England against pay cuts broke out. Within a week 20k were out. Despite savage repression they held out for 2 months and won all of their demands. Learn more about IWW women: workingclasshistory.com/2018/12/02/e...
#OtD 11 Jan 1913 @iww union organisers were beaten by private detectives hired by Belmont Hotel management in NYC. Frank Pease (pictured) and George Selder announced the strike, then were beaten and arrested by police. More on the IWW from this period: workingclasshistory.com/podcast/wch-...
January 11, 2026 at 1:10 PM
#OtD 11 Jan 1913 @iww union organisers were beaten by private detectives hired by Belmont Hotel management in NYC. Frank Pease (pictured) and George Selder announced the strike, then were beaten and arrested by police. More on the IWW from this period: workingclasshistory.com/podcast/wch-...
#OtD 11 Jan 1933 the Casas Viejas uprising began in Spain. Farm laborers with the @CNTsindicato anarchist union distributed food freely, then fired the mayor. Civil and Assault Guards responded by extrajudicially murdering residents of the town stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/7729...
January 11, 2026 at 12:45 PM
#OtD 11 Jan 1933 the Casas Viejas uprising began in Spain. Farm laborers with the @CNTsindicato anarchist union distributed food freely, then fired the mayor. Civil and Assault Guards responded by extrajudicially murdering residents of the town stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/7729...
#OtD 11 Jan 1924 anarchist trade unionists, Adrien Poncet and Nicolas Clos, were shot and killed by members of the French Communist Party security team during a union meeting in Paris. Several others were also injured stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8302...
January 11, 2026 at 11:25 AM
#OtD 11 Jan 1924 anarchist trade unionists, Adrien Poncet and Nicolas Clos, were shot and killed by members of the French Communist Party security team during a union meeting in Paris. Several others were also injured stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8302...
#OtD 11 Jan 1932 coordinated demonstrations by unemployed workers took place at every relief station in Chicago, demanding better benefits, part of a militant unemployed movement during the great depression stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8303...
January 11, 2026 at 9:55 AM
#OtD 11 Jan 1932 coordinated demonstrations by unemployed workers took place at every relief station in Chicago, demanding better benefits, part of a militant unemployed movement during the great depression stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8303...
#OtD 11 Jan 1943 Italian-American anarchist union organiser and newspaper editor, Carlo Tresca, was assassinated in New York. Recent research suggests he was murdered by contract killer, Carmine Galante, on the orders of fascist-sympathising mobsters stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8304...
January 11, 2026 at 7:40 AM
#OtD 11 Jan 1943 Italian-American anarchist union organiser and newspaper editor, Carlo Tresca, was assassinated in New York. Recent research suggests he was murdered by contract killer, Carmine Galante, on the orders of fascist-sympathising mobsters stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8304...
#OtD 11 January 1938 a bomb dropped by general Francisco Franco's nationalist and fascist supporters during the Spanish Civil War killed 10 people in the neighbourhood of Sant Andreu, Barcelona. More information, sources and map: stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8015...
January 11, 2026 at 5:25 AM
#OtD 11 January 1938 a bomb dropped by general Francisco Franco's nationalist and fascist supporters during the Spanish Civil War killed 10 people in the neighbourhood of Sant Andreu, Barcelona. More information, sources and map: stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8015...
#OtD 10 Jan 1859 Catalan educator and anarchist, Francesc Ferrer was born. He developed the idea of the "Modern School": radical, secular education particularly for working-class children. He was later framed and executed by the state. Learn more: shop.workingclasshistory.com/collections/...
January 10, 2026 at 8:25 PM
#OtD 10 Jan 1859 Catalan educator and anarchist, Francesc Ferrer was born. He developed the idea of the "Modern School": radical, secular education particularly for working-class children. He was later framed and executed by the state. Learn more: shop.workingclasshistory.com/collections/...
#OtD 10 Jan 1918 200 housewives marched through Barcelona calling textile workers out to strike against high cost of living. Strikes, demos and attacks on shops and coal yards continued even after a new military governor declared a state of siege stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8194...
January 10, 2026 at 1:40 PM
#OtD 10 Jan 1918 200 housewives marched through Barcelona calling textile workers out to strike against high cost of living. Strikes, demos and attacks on shops and coal yards continued even after a new military governor declared a state of siege stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8194...
#OtD 10 Jan 2007 workers in Guinea began a general strike demanding the president resign. After 18 days of the strike and dozens dead the strikers won significant concessions. These included reductions in prices of fuel and rice, and democratic reforms stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/7722...
January 10, 2026 at 11:40 AM
#OtD 10 Jan 2007 workers in Guinea began a general strike demanding the president resign. After 18 days of the strike and dozens dead the strikers won significant concessions. These included reductions in prices of fuel and rice, and democratic reforms stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/7722...
#OtD 10 Jan 1934 disabled anti-fascist construction worker, Marinus van der Lubbe, was executed by the Nazis for setting fire to the Reichstag. He'd hoped to inspire resistance to fascism; instead, the Nazis used it as a pretext to repress dissent stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8195...
January 10, 2026 at 11:10 AM
#OtD 10 Jan 1934 disabled anti-fascist construction worker, Marinus van der Lubbe, was executed by the Nazis for setting fire to the Reichstag. He'd hoped to inspire resistance to fascism; instead, the Nazis used it as a pretext to repress dissent stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8195...
#OtD 10 Jan 2021 workers at the Ferghana oil refinery in Uzbekistan walked out on strike against proposed job cuts. A little over a week later, they had begun sit down protests in the street carrying placards with slogans like: "give us work" stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/7723...
January 10, 2026 at 9:55 AM
#OtD 10 Jan 2021 workers at the Ferghana oil refinery in Uzbekistan walked out on strike against proposed job cuts. A little over a week later, they had begun sit down protests in the street carrying placards with slogans like: "give us work" stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/7723...
#OtD 10 Jan 1979 during the Winter of Discontent the number of lorry drivers across Scotland and northern England on wildcat strike against government-union pay restraint reached 50,000. Drivers picketed ports and warehouses to stop trucks moving goods stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8197...
January 10, 2026 at 6:10 AM
#OtD 10 Jan 1979 during the Winter of Discontent the number of lorry drivers across Scotland and northern England on wildcat strike against government-union pay restraint reached 50,000. Drivers picketed ports and warehouses to stop trucks moving goods stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8197...
#OtD 10 Jan 1966 biracial voting rights activist Vernon Dahmer was firebombed by the KKK in Mississippi. While he managed to save his wife and child, he died from severe burns and smoke inhalation. He had been trying to help more Black people vote stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8196...
January 10, 2026 at 5:10 AM
#OtD 10 Jan 1966 biracial voting rights activist Vernon Dahmer was firebombed by the KKK in Mississippi. While he managed to save his wife and child, he died from severe burns and smoke inhalation. He had been trying to help more Black people vote stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8196...
#OtD 9 Jan 1973 in Durban, South Africa, workers at the Coronation Brick & Tile factory went on strike. Roughly 100,000 mainly Black African workers were striking, and succeeded in doubling wages and worked towards racially mixed trade unions stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/1090...
January 9, 2026 at 11:40 PM
#OtD 9 Jan 1973 in Durban, South Africa, workers at the Coronation Brick & Tile factory went on strike. Roughly 100,000 mainly Black African workers were striking, and succeeded in doubling wages and worked towards racially mixed trade unions stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/1090...
#OtD 9 Jan 2013 three Kurdish women—two of whom were founding members of the Kurdish Workers Party—were assassinated in Paris. The murder suspect, who died before trial, had connections to the Turkish secret service. The government denies involvement shop.workingclasshistory.com/collections/...
January 9, 2026 at 10:55 PM
#OtD 9 Jan 2013 three Kurdish women—two of whom were founding members of the Kurdish Workers Party—were assassinated in Paris. The murder suspect, who died before trial, had connections to the Turkish secret service. The government denies involvement shop.workingclasshistory.com/collections/...
#OtD 9 Jan 1950 the Fonderie Riunite massacre took place in Modena, Italy. During a strike against redundancies, police killed six workers—three of whom had been in the anti-fascist resistance—and wounded around 200. A general strike broke out in response workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e77-...
January 9, 2026 at 7:10 PM
#OtD 9 Jan 1950 the Fonderie Riunite massacre took place in Modena, Italy. During a strike against redundancies, police killed six workers—three of whom had been in the anti-fascist resistance—and wounded around 200. A general strike broke out in response workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e77-...
#OtD 9 Jan 2020 Vietnamese community activist Le Dinh Kinh was shot and killed by police. Le had been an active participant in protests in Hanoi suburb of Dong Tam against the seizure of farmland for the construction of a military airport stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/1090...
January 9, 2026 at 6:10 PM
#OtD 9 Jan 2020 Vietnamese community activist Le Dinh Kinh was shot and killed by police. Le had been an active participant in protests in Hanoi suburb of Dong Tam against the seizure of farmland for the construction of a military airport stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/1090...
#OtD 9 Jan 1905 Louise Michel, Paris Communard, teacher, revolutionary and national hero who was exiled to prison in New Caledonia for years, died in Marseille, France stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/1089...
January 9, 2026 at 9:55 AM
#OtD 9 Jan 1905 Louise Michel, Paris Communard, teacher, revolutionary and national hero who was exiled to prison in New Caledonia for years, died in Marseille, France stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/1089...
#OtD 9 Jan 1945 Black radical Altheia Jones Lecointe was born in Trinidad. She was a leading activist in the British Black Panthers, and was later arrested and acquitted in the racist trial of the Mangrove 9. More on Black British women's radicalism: shop.workingclasshistory.com/collections/...
January 9, 2026 at 9:55 AM
#OtD 9 Jan 1945 Black radical Altheia Jones Lecointe was born in Trinidad. She was a leading activist in the British Black Panthers, and was later arrested and acquitted in the racist trial of the Mangrove 9. More on Black British women's radicalism: shop.workingclasshistory.com/collections/...
#OtD 9 Jan 1907 the Mexican army crushed a labour rebellion by striking textile workers asking for better pay, shorter hours and better working conditions. 200 were killed, with 400 being arrested and 1500 being sacked stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/1089...
January 9, 2026 at 7:10 AM
#OtD 9 Jan 1907 the Mexican army crushed a labour rebellion by striking textile workers asking for better pay, shorter hours and better working conditions. 200 were killed, with 400 being arrested and 1500 being sacked stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/1089...
#OtD 9 Jan 1931 a riot broke out in Adelaide, Australia, against the government decision to remove beef from unemployment rations. Workers, women and unemployed demonstrated in front of govt buildings and fought police with bricks and sticks stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/1089...
January 9, 2026 at 6:25 AM
#OtD 9 Jan 1931 a riot broke out in Adelaide, Australia, against the government decision to remove beef from unemployment rations. Workers, women and unemployed demonstrated in front of govt buildings and fought police with bricks and sticks stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/1089...
#OtD 8 Jan 1987 the Puerto Real shipyard dispute began in Spain where, after six months, workers successfully beat cuts by the Socialist government. Workers, women and the local community blocked roads and battled police in a community-wide struggle stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/1079...
January 8, 2026 at 9:25 PM
#OtD 8 Jan 1987 the Puerto Real shipyard dispute began in Spain where, after six months, workers successfully beat cuts by the Socialist government. Workers, women and the local community blocked roads and battled police in a community-wide struggle stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/1079...