Events to mark deadly Battle of Homestead
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Two events next month will commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Battle of Homestead — the deadly 1892 clash between Homestead steelworkers and townspeople and the guards hired by the Carnegie Steel Corp.
In July 1892, seven steelworkers and townspeople and two Pinkerton guards hired by the company were killed in a battle that became a landmark in the history of the American labor movement.
A presentation titled “From Milltown to Hometown — How the Homestead Strike Helped to Shape the Community” will be led Thursday by Tammy Hepps, a genealogist and storyteller, who also will discuss family history, Homestead’s Jewish community and the interdependence of the town’s merchants and mill workers. The program will begin at 7 p.m. in the Bost Building, 623 E. Eighth Ave., Homestead.
Later in the month, those interested in learning more about the steel and labor history can watch a 30-minute documentary titled “Aliquippa: The Union Comes to ‘Little Siberia’ ” followed by a panel discussion. The film, part of the PBS “Great Depression” series, documents a struggle at Jones & Laughlin Steel that led to the Supreme Court decision to uphold the Wagner Act, a 1935 law that guarantees the legal rights of private sector workers to form unions.
The film will be shown at 1:30 p.m. April 22 at The Pump House, 880 E. Waterfront Drive, Munhall.
Both events are free and open to the public. They are organized by The Battle of Homestead Foundation, which aims to preserve the history of the 1892 event and to educate the public about its legacies.
Many of the issues that were relevant to workers in 1892 — income inequality, automation and individuals’ control over their work — remain relevant today, said John Haer, president of the board of The Battle of Homestead Foundation.
“Our hope is that by looking at history, it can make us a better society,” Mr. Haer said.
More anniversary events are planned throughout the year. For information: battleofhomestead.org.