We Shall Not Be Moved: The Women's Factory Strike of 1909

by Joan Dash

In the early 1900s, the shirtwaist industry in New York was very unfair to the young women employed in its factories. Now in paperback is the story of teenage workers and important female activists in their courageous fight for humane working conditions in 1909. Photos.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Joan Dash is a prizewinning author of biographies for young adults. Her early works, including A Life of One's Own: Three Gifted Women and the Men They Married, Summoned to Jerusalem: The Life of Henrietta Szold, and The Triumph of Discovery: Women Scientists Who Won the Nobel Prize, participate in the growing movement to bring to light the achievements of notable women in history. In The Triumph of Discovery, for example, Dash puts the spotlight on four women who have won the Nobel Prize since 1960; at the time of the book's creation, only ten Nobels had ever been awarded to women, including two to Marie Curie. Dash was praised for clearly elucidating the nature of these scientists' contributions, as well as placing their personal and professional life experiences in the context of their times. Perhaps most importantly, "the author communicates the excitement and satisfaction of a life in science," remarked Zena Sutherland in Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books.

Reviews

[KL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dash's book is aimed at young adults, and she has done a great job introducing topics and terms that younger ages may not be familiar with. I felt some people and events were lacking explanation for why they happened or what their significance in the strike was. Other parts contained information that was beautifully explained, and actually taught me something!

I also applaud the author for including the struggles of African Americans during this time period. Most authors with much larger works give at most a paragraph, but Dash tried to include relevant information on the subject of race over the course of several pages.

Overall, it's a book I can recommend to old and young readers alike, especially if you are new to the topic of women and American labor. It can be a daunting subject, but once you learn the bare bones, you can move onto to more complicated monographs.

[Morgan Wilson]

“We Shall Not Be Moved” was great book with a very inspiring plot. There wasn’t one main character, but a group of women who persevered together to fight for what they thought was right. Women in the workplace was something that was overlooked by many people. Women tried very hard to support their families by working long and hard hours every day. Even after all the hours of hard labor they put in, they still barely got by. Many times women were harassed by their bosses who were men. They were paid poorly and treated very unfairly. Some of the women in the workplace and also women who were witnessing the abuse taking place, decided they wanted to change what was going on.

There was not one main character in “We Shall Not Be Moved”, but a group of women who worked in the factories along with many female activists who wanted to see change. Together these women went on strike to try and show the men and people in the factories that they were worth something. Without the women working all day every day, the factories did not produce the materials they needed to stay in business. They needed the women. I can only imagine how empowering and strong this made them feel.

“We Shall Not Be Moved” took place in the early 1900’s and mostly focused on 1909. The majority of this book took place in factories and really did a good job of explaining the working environment and treatment these women had to go through on a day to day basis. The actual strike took place in 1909.

In “We Shall Not Be Moved” there were a lot of very strong themes that the author did a good job of portraying. The theme that stuck out to me the most was to never give up on what you think is right. These women were the minority and were treated like dirt. They were overpowered by men and were trained to think that this was just the way things were supposed to be. The women in this book stuck up for themselves and every other woman who was working in these poor conditions and being treated like a dog. They didn’t agree with how they were being treated and wanted to change it. This book inspired me to not hold back and to stand up for what I think is right.

I would recommend this book to the age group of eighth grade and older because I think that the more mature you are the better you will like and understand the meaning of this book. I would definitely recommend the book to all women. I am not sure some men would really like this book because it really stresses women's rights.

[Hannah Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever since teaching on the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire I've been in awe of the courage and conviction it took for so many young women to risk what little they had in the hope of something better. It's a story driven by tragedy, by sacrifice, and by the unity of the human soul.

[Aisha Manus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting and basic history of an event that help propel the women’s suffrage movement in my opinion. Simple language makes this an easy read.

[VANCE!!!!!!! Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the book “We Shall Not Be Moved” By Joan Dash. I liked how in the book it captured how the women of the time actually felt. Also how when the shirtwaist girls needed help, the richer girls who had more influence on their community helped them out. Which I think is very cool. I also liked how they told about the different cultures in the city like the Jewish people, and the Irish. Some people didn't even speak the English language so they had a hard time communicating. One thing that I thought that wasn't right was that the cops beat some of the shirtwaist girls because they went on strike and the boss’s wanted them to get back to work. Including that the company owners hired Gorillas which were there to taunt and strike fear into the picketers so they would get back to work.

The shirtwaist girls in the story were timid at first but once they figured out that they weren't alone and people were there to help them they spoke up more. They were also afraid because they made up most of the income for their families, so they wondered how they would survive. The bosses in the story were jerks. All they wanted was more profit and less bills to pay. The less they had to pay their employees the more of a profit they could get. Also because they thought guy's work was worth more money they hired mostly girl's because their work was cheap. The rich girls were sympathetic ladies, who put themselves in the shirtwaist girl’s shoes instead of just looking them over because they were poor. They thought there was change that needed to happen and they wanted to make sure it happened.

The story was about the shirtwaist girls who worked in the factories. In the beginning of the story they weren't treated well. So as time went on they got a union together. When they started to work together, the union got more publicity. So as the publicity grew more people joined the union. Then a strike became of it, and the strike won their rights for the shirtwaist girls with shorter work days and more pay.

“We Shall Not Be Moved” took place in the 1900’s in factories of the shirtwaist workers. During the book it explained nicely how the shirtwaist workers were treated throughout the days of work. The actual strike for the shirtwaist girls took place in 1909, that’s the strike that was organized between dozens of companies' employees.

I would recommend the book to boys and girls from the age of twelve all the way through high school. I think that there is a lot to learn from this book, so it would be good for them to read.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading about segregation and off to the sweatshops in the early 1900's! From Black power to women power now! "We Shall Not Be Moved" is many stories telling one story in history, the Shirtwaist Factories, the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, and sweatshops in general. Starting with general info. how the women had to work, how they were treated, how they were taken advantage of, how they were tricked etc, gives the reader a intense mood and anger inside. Especially for me as a woman too, it makes me mad how these women were treated like this. For example, once the women arrive at work they are to sit at their stools, bent down and ready for work non-stop! They are not allowed to talk to one another, to whisper, to sing or mumble a tone! Another example of the lives of the women in the early 1900's were the fact that they only earned the most $6 dollars a week! Having to balance this out with their daily payments, like rent, taxes, their rent for a stool, a machine, etc, their lunch and food, and maybe even their transportation to get to work. Leaving them with just a dollar or so or maybe even a few cents, a few cents in which they have to send back to their family. All these young ladies that work in a shortwasit factory are all immigrants, Italian immigrants or Jews. Additionally, speaking of expenses and financial issues, the company tries to trick them in many ways, for example, in order for the women to get their money they are given a slip of paper, a very small piece of paper, that is very eaily lost. As a result fo this, if they lost their paper, they don't get their weekly payment, so lose their money for a 50 to 60 hours of labor, depending on the working season.

This book reveals all the secret behind those sewing machines and into the minds of the hard laboured women in 1909. Showing the steps it took, the anger that built up in the minds of the women to fight for their rights- Women's Right, the Women's Movement in the early 1900's.

This book is just a great book! Full of emotions and facts! I've learn so much and gained so much perspective!

[Aika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Women in the early 1900s, they worked to provide food for their ever growing families and they did so by sewing shirt waist shirts. This book describes a little bit of their conditions at first. They had long hours, minimal wage, a small job... These women had to live under harsh conditions, and if they did not live up to them, they would be replaced quite easily. This short but up to the point story tells us why there was a strike to begin with in 1909, and the roles of women in society. They were not able to vote, they had to obey their husbands, and had no say in the world around them. Freedom is not as it seems and they lived the way they had to survive. Struggles, language barriers, and mistakes followed them around everywhere they went. One mistake was all it took from providing for her family to looking for another job. Women were mistreated and the strike proved that they could fight back for once to set things right, to work for something better than a corrupted company so they could make hundreds where they made dollars. It seems as if the author wanted to prove a point, which she did. Her writing might be a little strange and off, but the point is clear. This is good if you need to learn about women in the 20th century, and shirt waist factories. Keep in mind though, you have to get use to this type of writing if you would like to read it. This book is very punctual and is full of evidence to support the author's cause. This might not be for you, but it is great for your next essay.

[Alexandra Velasco · Rating 4 out of 5]

We Shall Not Be Moved was an eye opening novel that challenged my knowledge on the severity of the injustices posed on women during the 1909 women's factory strike. At first when I chose to read this book, my assumptions were that it was going to describe just the factory strike in depth; I was surprised to find that the author actually went into great detail about not only the strike, but how it affected the lives of specific feminist advocates at the time who were sent to prison. It was touching to hear the stories of the women who fought endlessly against the inequality between genders not only in the workplace, but also in politics and in society. One thing that I found really interesting about the book was that the author, Joan Dash, explained in the epilogue just how the women's ties to a female politician at the time (Eleanor Roosevelt) helped them gain the momentum they needed to start the feminists revolution. I chose to read this book because I wanted to become more knowledgeable on the feminist perspective, and it did give me a deeper understanding of the struggles that women went through in order to be represented in government.

[Martha Schwalbe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes life coincides with books for me. While reading this book about the development of the garment union I was studying the by-laws for an organization of which I am now the president. I am bewildered yet these factory workers were being educated about the union, learning Robert's Rules of Order, picketing, and trying to survive. Wow!
Several months ago the Triangle Fire was in the news several times and friends and I talked about it so reading about the garment workers so soon after the discussion made the book seem very timely although the events took place over 100 years ago.
This is a quick, engaging piece of historical writing. It's fairly fast-paced. It focuses primarily on the strike and development of the union but touches briefly on women's rights and civil rights.

[Jon Snow · Rating 1 out of 5]

More like 1.5. VERY badly written. Read this for school, and thankfully got to stop at page 52, but the book drags like crazy and is terribly organized. I've read worse. But this was still PRETTY awful.

[Stephanie Leiker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A should read for all high school students; a must read for all women. This story is a great message women should support women. Celebrate their talents and will them to succeed. A lot of history for organized labor which at that time was a hard decision to make. Very easy read and well delivered.

[Peggy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, disappointed in this book. I had seen PBS shows on the Gilded Age and the Triangle Factory Fire. Somehow, I thought this book would give me new insights into the era, but frankly, it didn't. Can't really put my finger on what was missing.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book brings out the fighter in the reader. It is a reminder that we are not done fighting yet. That there are common causes that unite us across gender, race, religion, etc. That we can still do better.


For more visit: www.ampspoetry.com

[Noel · Rating 4 out of 5]

fascinating...although the writing is a little odd at times. the author's opinion is evident.

[Ms. Randorf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Provides a quick overview of the young workers and the conditions under which they worked. For a fuller treatment read "Triangle: The Fire that Changed America" by David Von Drehle.

[Merry Packard Gravett]

It was okay. A really interesting topic, but not that well written.

[Powerwriter349 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book really went into detail on the rights of women before the 20s. It also shows how America really was against any foreign influence. A good read for history buffs.

[Caroline Lampinen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The tone of this book is nuts. It’s patriarchal and outdated, written by a woman in a way that feels disparaging to women. Can someone from 2017 please rewrite it? Because the content is important.

[Lisa Greene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn’t terribly engaging, but I’m interested in this aspect of American women’s history so it was alright.

[Josh Thies · Rating 5 out of 5]

fortitude

[Daisy Sunflower · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting history but not the kind of storytelling that is easy to read. This book chronicles the women who supported and participated in a highly influential months-long strike in 1909 that set many of the labor standards that are in place today. Not only were the young working-class girls of the garment industry involved, but many college girls and billionaire socialite women became involved in the strike that demanded better pay, shorter hours, and freedom from fees imposed by the companies for basic equipment of the job site. Socialists, suffragists, Russian Jewesses, Italian, and Black women all marched together to bring about the monumental win for working women and for all laborers.

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the black winter of 1909
When we froze and bled on the picket line
We showed the world that women could fight,
And we rose and we won with women's might.

Hail! the waistmakers of the nineteen nine,
Making their stand on the picket line,
Breaking the power of those who reign,
Pointing the way, smashing the chain.
(p. 152)

Informative, describing the factory and daily life of shirtwaist makers and the women that joined together to improve their lives, including rich and college women, not just those that suffered.

[Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very eye-opening -- when people work together things can get done, but it is overly easy to tease things apart. It occurs to me that it is rather easy to refer to "the industry" as what is evil, but one might better point to the stockholders.

[Wiralba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started reading it during a little reading slump and now my slump is resolved,,,,
Also the first hand accounts of some women are woven beautifully in the narration

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very well documented and interesting look at women's rights and the beginning of unions for women

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating and important history that we should have learned in school. Dash tells it well.