Today in Labor History Oct 16 Abolitionist John Brown led 21 on a raid at Harpers Ferry

[Omaha Steve]

October 16

Abolitionist John Brown leads 18 men, including five free blacks, in an attack on the Harper's Ferry ammunition depot, the beginning of guerilla warfare against slavery - 1859

And this:
October 16, 1859 - Abolitionist John Brown led 21 followers on a raid of the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, now part of West Virginia. His goal was to obtain weapons and form an army of freed slaves and abolitionist whites that would eventually defeat the forces of slavery. Though the raid failed and Brown executed, he was revered by many and his actions escalated the growing division over the issue. "Men cannot imprison, or chain, or hang the soul," Brown write shortly before his death. "I go joyfully in behalf of millions that 'have no rights' that this great and glorious, this Christian republic, 'is bound to respect.'"

October 16, 1936 - “It is to the real advantage of every producer, every manufacturer and every merchant to cooperate in the improvement of working conditions, because the best customer of American industry is the well-paid worker.” Speech by Franklin D. Roosevelt

Labor history found here: http://www.unionist.com/today-in-labor-history & here: http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?history_9_10_16_2010