Thoughts: The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, whose hundred year anniversary will be next month on March 25, was recently back in the news after the New York Times reported that the last six unknown victims had been identified.

It's interesting to think about this major historical event in light of the recent events in Wisconsin over public workers' rights to organize and bargain collectively.  For the Triangle Shirtwaist fire was a rallying cry for union organizers and workers, showing that there was a need for collective bargaining against the power of owners and managers.

For those of you who are interested in YA lit, the Triangle Shirtwaist fire is well-covered, with a range of perspectives.  These are just some of the titles that discuss this event:

Ashes of Roses by Mary Jane Auch
Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix (guest post at librarian by day)
Lost by Jacqueline Davies (my review)
Threads and Flames by Esther Friesner

The time might be ripe for a display about unions in history!  Such a display would be a reminder that history influences the present and helps to explain it.