8.29.2014

Honoring Labor: Ludlow National Historic Site




Labor Day. A day when many rest, but is a creation of the labor movement and is "dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It is a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country." 

This year a little known and studied site has been honored in awareness of the struggles of labor not only in Colorado, but across our country. Ludlow National Historic Site was a site of tragedy on April 20, 1914 where 19 men, women, and children were massacred in a labor dispute between men trying to join the United Mine Workers of America, and the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company. Today, this massacre remains in the hearts of many Coloradans, especially the descendants of the massacre itself. In Colorado, and elsewhere, it is a story not often shared in schools.

In honor of Labor Day we are sharing resources to study this important site in Colorado which also connects to the national study of labor. Check them out. They are broad and narrow, rich and thoughtful, and provide a distinct starting point for conversation, one that is still important today.

Resources to Study the Ludlow Massacre



Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection ( search Ludlow) 

Ludlow Summary from the United Mine Workers

Ludlow Resolution in Honor of the 100th Anniversary

PBS American Experience Primary Source Resources

PBS Colorado Experience Video

Denver Post Blog and Archive

Spanish Peaks Oral Histories of Coloradans Who Remember Ludlow

Bessemer Historical Society Resources

Colorado Coalfield War Project

Ludlow Special Report ( 1914 )

Ludlow National Historic Site Nomination

As part of the ongoing effort to share Colorado history with others, the Denver Post Newspaper in Education Program, the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Program,  El Pueblo Museum, and History Colorado have had an ongoing series of workshops, Google hangouts and field studies which share content and resources for educators. The links below give access to these resources: 

Using Primary Sources to Study the Ludlow Massacre: An Interview with Author Thomas Andrews

Using Primary Sources to Understand the Ludlow Massacre

The Ludlow Massacre: The Children of Ludlow Exhibit

Ludlow Resource Wiki from the Workshops ( Take a glance at the resource set! )

The Ludlow Workshop summary from NIE and TPS Colorado. (There are a few spots left for the October 11, 2014 field study! )











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