In 1892, the Carnegie Steel Company in Homestead, Pennsylvania discharged workers from the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers Union. A bloody confrontation ensued between the workers and the hired Pinkerton security guards, ultimately killing 16 people and causing many injuries. The subsequent strike lasted for over four months. The militia marched into Homestead, Congress held hearings in Homestead, thirty-three steel workers were charged with treason, and anarchist Alexander Birkman attempted to assassinate Carnegie Steel Company Chairman Henry Clay Frick. Ultimately, the Amalgated Association union voted to end restrictions on working at the Carnegie Steel Company, leaving the union virtually destroyed. The strike inspired workers, but it highlighted how difficult it was for unions to challenge the combined power of corporations and the government. Read more about it!

The information in this guide focuses on primary source materials found in the digitized historic newspapers from the digital collection Chronicling America.

The timeline below highlights important dates related to this topic and a section of this guide provides some suggested search strategies for further research in the collection.