Kheel Center

On this day, we remember the 146 garment workers—mostly young immigrant women—killed in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire on March 25, 1911. A preventable tragedy that became a turning point for workplace safety and labor reform. #trianglefire #laborhistory #kheelcenter

Happy St. Patrick's Day!☘️#OnThisDay in 1959, these women were picketing instead of celebrating. #StPatricksDay #laborhistory #kheelcenter

From songs in praise of unions to songs of protest and strikes, music has long powered the labor movement—lifting spirits, building solidarity, and turning picket lines into powerful choruses. As John L. Lewis said, “A singing army is a winning army.” #kheelcenter #laborchorus

#Onthisday in 1926, New York members of the Fur and Leather Workers Union, many of them women, strike for better pay and conditions. They persevere despite beatings by police, winning a 10 percent wage increase and five-day work week. #laborhistory #FurandLeatherWorkersUnion

American labor has always had Uncle Sam's heart, 100%. Happy Valentine's Day from the archives! #laborhistory #laborlove #valentine

#OnThisDay in 1945, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt attended the Washington Labor Canteen’s 1st anniversary—featuring a performance by Ella Fitzgerald. Sponsored by the UFWA, an integrated union fighting racial discrimination in federal employment. #EleanorRoosevelt #EllaFitzgerald

#onthisdayinhistory in 1919, the Seattle General Strike begins. The city was run by a General Strike Committee for six days as tens of thousands of union members stopped work in support of 32,000 striking longshoremen. #seattlegeneralstrike #laborhistory #unionsolidarity

In 1933, a Communist International pamphlet imagined revolution on a global scale: armed struggle to overthrow bourgeois rule and replace capitalist states with an international Soviet republic—seen as a step toward a stateless world. #archivefinds #communistinternational

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we honor Dr. King’s commitment to racial and economic justice and the labor allies who stood with him. Pictured with Anne Kheel, a lifelong advocate for workers, peace, and justice. #MLKDay #LaborHistory #WorkersRights #CivilRights

A man's hands cutting a small stack of fabric with a hand tool. #garmentworkers #ILGWU

In 1951, General Electric’s New Year’s resolutions were: • Do something really heroic about production • Do something equally heroic about inflation Different year. Same problems. Do you have your resolutions finalized? #NewYearsResolution #generalelectric

Happy Holidays from the Kheel Center! This political cartoon reminds us that some of the greatest "gifts" working families have ever received didn't come from the North Pole but from union organizing. #unionstrong #unionbenefits #HappyHolidays

**UPCOMING CLOSURE ANNOUNCEMENT** The Kheel Center will be closed to the public Dec 22–Jan 9. Reference requests may be delayed. Staff will be out of the office 12/25–1/5 for winter break. Thanks for your patience!

Published in the New York Tribune in 1930, this cartoon shows the public caught between economic hardship and calls to “Buy Now!” as winter and new expenses loom. It highlights the tension between consumer pressure and uncertainty at the start of the Great Depression.

Anti-union cartoon urges workers to “protect your pocketbook” and “VOTE NO,” showing a union organizer’s arrow hitting a worker. The imagery reflects how visual messaging was used during organizing efforts, offering a glimpse into historical debates over labor and workplace power

Through vivid neighborhood studies, Whyte captures the complexities of identity and community — stories that continue to inform how we understand urban life today. A great reminder that local histories often reveal the dynamics that shape cities far beyond their borders.

This Thanksgiving, we remember the workers whose labor makes the holiday possible — from fields to kitchens, roads to care facilities. Holidays exist because workers fought for time to rest. Many still work through them. Gratitude & solidarity. #Thanksgiving #laborarchives

In the early days of the shirtwaist strike, workers marched with signs reading “Strike. 30,000 Shirt Waist Makers. Higher Wages and Shorter Hours.” #LaborHistory #UprisingOfThe20000 #onthisdayinhistory

Newly uncovered in our archives: a pamphlet found during recent survey work in the Fanny Simon records. Each discovery brings us closer to understanding and preserving our shared history. #laborarchives #laborhistory #fannysimon

Today we honor the service and sacrifice of all military veterans. We also reflect with gratitude on the stories and histories they leave behind — lives of duty, courage, and continued service to their communities. Thank you to all veterans, and to the families who support them.