Monday, March 14, 2011

The Triangle Fire Tragedy

History buff that I am, I was aware of the Triangle Fire, 25 March 1911, in which almost 150 people, mostly women, were trapped and killed when the shirtwaist factory in which they worked caught on fire. The one hundredth anniversary of the fire is approaching, and late last month PBS' American Experience broadcast a very moving film on the subject (you can watch this online here). There are numerous other commemorations and exhibits, some online, where you can learn about this horrific tragedy that intersected so many themes within modern American society--worker's rights, women's rights, the American Dream, immigration issues, and workplace safety, just to name a few. It's a heartbreaking hour, but well worth viewing.

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