Rex Tullius
- Longed to be a minister.
- Worked as a tailor.
- Became involved in politics.
- Brought 7 Members of the Philidelphia Tailors' Union.
- Stagnant beginnings.
- 1873: Collapse of Labor Union. (Electorial Politics Failed)
January 1878-Denoting first General Assembly for all races/sexes
"Adelphon Kruptos" (Greek for "Secret Brotherhood") or simply the "AK."
5 points are symbolic to 5 principles of Universal Brotherhood: Truth, Justice, Wisdom, Industry, Economy
- Motto: "That is the most perfect government in which an injury to one is the concern of all"
- Joined the Knights in 1876.
- Secretary of a District Assembly in 1877.
- Elected Grand Master Workman in 1879 (@10,000 members)
- Served as Grand Master Workman until 1893.
January 1, 1882 when Terrence converted it into a
public organization.
Before this the norm was:
- 10 to 16 hours for six days a week.
- Child labor was normal.
- Unregulated meant health, welfare, and moral suffered.
- Called for legislation to end child and convict labor.
- Graduated income tax.
- They were eager supporters of cooperatives.
At its peak the order was said to have about 60,000 African American members.
"A candidate should not exclude him from admission, rather let the color of his mind and heart be the test."
-Terrence V. Powderly
65, 000 women in almost 400 different assemblies represented almost 10 percent of the order.
1882: Chinese Exclusion Act
One of the most significant restrictions on free immigration in U.S. history
Knights of Labor were huge supporters of the Chinese Exclusionairy Act.
- Ran for mayor of NY
- Anti-Catholic remarks
- Lost 180,000 Catholic members
- Soon thereafter down 500,000 to rival trade unions
Haymarket Riot
- A strike by the Knights in Chicago accidentally led to violence
- Knights reputation became that of violence and anarchy
- Spin-off unions stole many members
- Albert Parsons later determined to be an anarchist that penetrated the Knights
- Powderly wanted better checks on new members
Legacy
They helped advance social, gender, and racial equality in the workplace.
Without the Knight’s policies of inclusiveness the American Labor Movement would not be where it is today.
Thanks,
Questions?
"We work not selfishly for ourselves alone, but extend the hand of fellowship to all mankind"
-Terrence V. Powderly
Left: "Scab" Right: "Employer"
Replacement
Knights of Labor Seal
Terrence V. Powderly
- Early adopters = Coal Miners
- Fraternal "secret" organization > Labor Union
Removed "Noble Order"
- Ended membership rituals
- Mollify Catholic church members
Noble Order of the Knights of Labor
Uriah Stephens
James L. Wright
Samuel Grompers
- Samuel Gompers (AFL)
- Lost many skilled workers to American Federation of Labor
- Trade Union > Social Labor Union
Membership spiraled downward:
- autocratic structure
- mismanagement
- unsuccessful strikes
Knights of Labor
Henry George
- Forward thinkers: African Americans and women.
- Above: Frank Ferrell, introduce the governor of Virginia and Terrence Powderly to the assembly.
First African American Knights.
In 1955 the American Federation of Labor joined with the Congress of Industrial Organizations to form a skilled an unskilled labor union following the example first set by the Knights of Labor.