Kings, Knights, and Pawns: Black Coal Miners and Racial Conflict in Washington Territory
Document Type
Article
Department or Administrative Unit
Anthropology and Museum Studies
Publication Date
Spring 2014
Abstract
Although the stalemate at Roslyn was certainly not unique, it is noteworthy because it was the first time the railroad used black laborers to break a strike in the Northwest. To understand the significance of this event, we must examine the histories of the Knights of Labor and the Kings of Capital, their motives, and their strategies in labor disputes. Both were showing signs of wear from constant warring over wages and conditions, and both were well aware of the other's tactics. What is not clear, however, is how many of the African American men on the train that began its journey in Illinois, bound for Roslyn, knew they were being employed to break a strike.
Recommended Citation
Hall, Raymond A. "Kings, Knights, and Pawns: Black Coal Miners and Racial Conflict in Washington Territory." The Pacific Northwest Quarterly 105, no. 2 (2014): 85-96.
Journal
The Pacific Northwest Quarterly
Rights
© 2014 University of Washington
Comments
This article was originally published in The Pacific Northwest Quarterly. The full-text article from the publisher can be found here.
Due to copyright restrictions, this article is not available for free download from ScholarWorks @ CWU.