July 7, 1903: March of the Mill Children
Mary Harris “Mother” Jones began the “March of the Mill Children.”
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This Day in People's History
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July 7, 1871: Testimony at Klan Hearings by Elias Thomson
Elias Thomson, an African American who lived in Spartanburg, South Carolina, bravely shared testimony detailing violence inflicted against him because he voted for the Republican ticket in the local election.
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July 6, 2016: Philando Castile is Killed by Police
Philando Castile, an African American, was shot to death by a police officer at a traffic stop in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. Castile had worked as a nutritional supervisor at an elementary school.
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July 6, 1944: Lt. Jackie Robinson Refuses to Give Up Seat on Bus
While stationed at Camp Hood in Texas, Lieutenant Jackie Robinson refused to give up his seat on the bus and was court-martialed.
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July 6, 1892: Homestead Strike
Spies from the Pinkerton Detective Agency and striking steelworkers engaged in a major battle as part of the Homestead Strike.
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July 6, 1798: Alien Enemies Act Signed Into Law
The Alien Enemies Act, one of four laws enacted in 1798 known collectively as the Alien and Sedition Acts, permits the president to target, detain, and deport people in the United States based on their citizenship and nationality without due process.
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July 5, 1935: National Labor Relations Act Passed
The National Labor Relations Act was signed into law.
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July 4, 1976: Marion Prisoners Stage Bicentennial Hunger Strike
Inmates at United States Penitentiary (USP) Marion staged a hunger strike on the U.S. bicentennial in protest of inhumane treatment by the prison administration.
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July 4, 1965: First Annual Reminder Demonstration for Gay and Lesbian Rights
Gay and lesbian activists on the east coast protested in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia to demand equitable treatment and respect.
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July 4, 1963: Hundreds Non-Violently Protest Gwynn Oak Amusement Park’s Segregation Policy
Hundreds of civil rights demonstrators amassed on Gwynn Oak Amusement Park in Baltimore, Maryland, to protest the park’s segregation policy.
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July 4, 1963: Clyde Kennard Died
Clyde Kennard (June 12, 1927–July 4, 1963) bravely and righteously tried to pursue higher education in Mississippi. He faced the fatal wrath of the state as a result of his efforts to challenge white supremacy.
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July 4, 1940: Black World’s Fair Held in Chicago
To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the ending of slavery in the United States, the Black World’s Fair, also known as the American Negro Exposition, was held at the Chicago Coliseum from July through September 1940.
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July 4, 1917: Hubert Harrison Urges Armed Self-Defense at Harlem Rally
Hubert Harrison urges armed self-defense at Harlem protest rally in the wake of two white supremacist pogroms against African Americans in East St. Louis.
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July 4, 1910: Jack Johnson Defeats James J. Jeffries
African American heavyweight champion Jack Johnson successfully defended his title by knocking out James J. Jeffries, who had come out of retirement “to win back the title for the White race” in Reno, Nevada.
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July 4, 1876: Suffragists Crash Centennial Celebration at Independence Hall
Members of the National Woman Suffrage Association crashed the Centennial Celebration at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to present the “Declaration of the Rights of Women.”
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July 4, 1854: Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society Rally
At a rally sponsored by the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society, angry and determined abolitionists burned copies of the Fugitive Slave Act and the U.S. Constitution.
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July 3, 1919: The Battle of Brewery Gulch
A battle between Black soldiers and the local white law enforcement who targeted them in Bisbee, Arizona during Red Summer.
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July 3, 1835: Paterson Silkworkers Strike
In Paterson, New Jersey, 2,000 workers went on strike from 20 textile mills.
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July 2, 2021: Opposition Prevents Byhalia Pipeline Construction
Due to overwhelming opposition from activists and community members, construction of the Byhalia Connection oil pipeline in greater Memphis, Tennessee was canceled by its developers, Plains All American Pipeline.
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July 2, 1839: The Amistad Mutiny
Africans on the Cuban schooner Amistad rose up against their captors, seizing control of the ship, which had been transporting them to chattel slavery.
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