Tomorrow marks the 108th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire ... ahead of that, volunteers were out today taking part in the chalking project (organized by Street Pictures), writing the name and age of the victims in front of the buildings where they lived on the Lower East Side.
[EVG reader photo from 2nd Avenue]
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City on March 25, 1911, was the largest industrial disaster in the city's history ... causing the death of 146 garment workers (mostly young women) who either died from the fire or jumped to their deaths.
The Triangle Waist Company was located on the northwest corner of Greene Street and Washington Place just east of Washington Square Park.
Find more information on ceremonies tomorrow at The Remember the Triangle Fire Coalition website.
A big “thank you” to the folks doing this. It helps to be reminded that greed combined with bad working conditions can be fatal. It helps to be reminded how far we have come, thanks to unions and labor activists, so that 13 or 14 year old children are not forced to work exceedingly long days in menial jobs just to survive. It helps to be reminded how much of New York is built on an immigrant workforce.
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