Lawrence textile strike

The Lawrence Textile Strike of 1912, also known as the "Bread and Roses" strike, was a major labor uprising in Lawrence, Massachusetts, led by the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) and involving over 20,000 mostly immigrant textile workers. Sparked by a wage cut following a new law that reduced the workweek for women and children, the strike united workers from over 50 nationalities and defied conventional beliefs about the ability of immigrant labor to organize. The strike gained national attention through dramatic tactics, such as sending strikers' children to supportive homes in other cities and enduring brutal police crackdowns. It resulted in significant wage increases and improved working conditions, though many gains were later reversed. IWW leaders Joseph Ettor and Arturo Giovannitti were jailed on false murder charges but were later acquitted. The strike marked a turning point in labor history, highlighting the power of organized, multicultural, and working-class solidarity.