Lattimer Massacre: Immigrant Miners Gunned Down
A posse of Luzerne County deputies led by Sheriff James Martin opened fire on a column of roughly 400 unarmed immigrant coal miners marching toward Lattimer, Pennsylvania, on September 10, 1897. The miners, mostly Slavic and Italian immigrants, were striking for better wages and safer conditions. Deputies fired without warning into the rear of the column as men tried to flee, killing 19 and wounding at least 36. Many were shot in the back. The sheriff and deputies were acquitted by a jury of native-born Americans despite overwhelming evidence. The massacre galvanized the United Mine Workers of America, which tripled its membership in the following two years, and demonstrated that immigrant workers would organize despite violent opposition.
September 10, 1897
129 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on September 10
Bishops across Visigothic Gaul gathered at the Council of Agde to codify forty-seven canons governing church discipline and clerical conduct. By standardizing r…
Pope Urban II convened seventy bishops and twelve abbots at the first synod in Melfi to enforce new church laws and mend ties with the Greek Orthodox Church. Th…
John the Fearless earned his nickname at the Battle of Nicopolis in 1396, where his reckless cavalry charge contributed to a catastrophic crusader defeat. He su…
Constantinople in 1509 was still recovering from Ottoman conquest when the earth hit it with what survivors called 'The Lesser Judgment Day.' The earthquake — e…
Thomas Wolsey was the son of an Ipswich butcher who became the most powerful man in England after Henry VIII. His investiture as Cardinal in 1515 capped a rise …
English forces crushed the Scottish army at the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh, utilizing superior naval artillery and cavalry to secure a brutal victory. This rout fo…
Talk to History
Have a conversation with historical figures who witnessed this era. Ask questions, explore perspectives, and bring history to life.