Industrial Workers of the World union founded

The Industrial Workers of the World is founded in Chicago, Illinois. “An injury to one is an injury to all” is adopted as the motto of the union, and used as the driving organizing principle behind the effort to unite all working people against the oppressive forces of capital.

The I.W.W. played a large role in organizing and carrying out the Seattle General Strike of 1919, during which over 65,000 workers from multiple industries participated in a general work stoppage from February 6–11. The strike in turn was a motivating event for the Portland laundry strikes of 1919.

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