Kids on Strike!

Reaching the early 1900s, almost two million children were employed in the United States—sorting coal in Pennsylvania, milling cotton in New England, or selling newspapers in New York City. But children had to work long hours every day under stunningly difficult and inhumane conditions and had to resign most of their earnings to their fathers. In this book, easily read by someone of any age, we see numerous examples of children organizing and making demands for better wages, fairer housing, and safer working environments. Some strikes led by young people were successful; most were not. In all cases though, they laid the groundwork for future struggle and justice in the labor movement. Some stories are shocking, some are heartbreaking, and many are inspiring — all are testimony to the strength of mind and spirit of the children who helped build American industry.