Mary Harris Jones was a very inspirational matriarch. She was a leader and a fighter making sure factory workers got the labor rights they deserved. She participated and led some of the biggest strikes America had ever seen. It started in 1877 when she took part in the Great Strike. Several years later, in 1886, she participated in the Haymarket Strike. Around the 1890s she became an organizer for the United Mine Workers (UMN). In 1894 she led the Birmingham Strike with thousands of other people. Soon after she had a little disagreement with the UMN so she left them and helped create the Social Democratic Party in 1898. In my opinion, her biggest achievement was the strike she led in 1903. Her and 80 million other children, who worked in the textiles, marched to President Roosevelt’s house. Their march was a big success and they got the passage of the Child Labor Laws. In 1905 she made the Industrial Workers of the World. Mary was getting older but that didn’t stop her, in 1912 she lead a mine strike in West Virginia. During this strike, one of the state military courts convicted her of attempted murder and she was sentenced 20 years in prison. She had such an impact on the lives of other that the people started a nationwide protest and forced the governor to convict Mary of her crime. She served time in jail, she worked in terrible mine but that didn’t stop her. Even as an Eighty-year-old women she still supported strikes and helped steel workers/garment workers get fair treatment. Mary Harris Jones was a leader for the people. She stuck up for those who were afraid. She did everything for others and was a big reason why union struggles no longer exist.
“Pray for the dead, fight like hell for the living”
-Mary Harris Jones