On September 10, 1897, roughly 300 to 400 unarmed strikers marched peacefully to a coal mine to support a newly formed United Mine Workers union. The miners, mostly consisting of Slovak and German ethnicity, were on strike fighting for safe working conditions and livable wages. On their march they were met by law enforcement officials multiple times and were asked to disperse, but kept on marching. When the strikers reached the Lattimer mine near Hazleton, Pennsylvania, they were asked to disperse once again by the sheriff and again they refused, ending in a violent scuffle where police opened fire. In today's episode, we examine the tragedy that killed at least 19 miners, wounded dozens, and marked a turning point in American labor history. 

"Crimes of the Centuries" is a podcast from the Obsessed Network exploring forgotten crimes from times past that made a mark and helped change history.

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