How Did Mother Jones Contribute To Child Labor

Throughout history, many individuals have made an impact on our everyday lives one includes “Mother Jones”. Born Mary Harris (Jones) - her husband George E. Jones a ironworker and her four children lived in the poor outskirts of Memphis, Tennessee. In 1867 a widespread outbreak of yellow fever – a disease spread by mosquitoes swept through Memphis killing thousands of Americans, including Mary’s husband and four children. Jones returned to Chicago where she started a dressmaking business but tragedy hit when her business was wiped out by the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Left homeless and hopeless, Jones turned to the Knights of Labor – a union established in 1869 to promote a single labor organization that would support all workers, both skilled
Because of their small hands, children would often work among their parents at textile factories or any work they could find at that time to support their family. Because of low wages, children as young as six years old would have to go to work. In 1903 Jones led the "children's crusade," emphasizing the reform of child labor. In the year of 1903, Jones traveled from across Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania, giving fiery speeches and organizing workers to create child labor laws and overall improve work conditions for mine workers. In her famous speech Mary Harris Jones states, “It's high time you got out and worked for humanity. Christianity will take care of itself. I started in a factory. I have traveled through miles and miles of factories and there is not an inch of ground under that flag that is not stained with the blood of children” (Harris Jones). Jones illustrates that the country wouldn’t be where it is right now without children, as they were the ones who worked for countless hours to the point where some have even died. After President Roosevelt did not acknowledge the “children’s crusade”, Jones stated in a newspaper expressing her concerns about the child labor
As Clarence Darrow, an American lawyer and leading member of the American Civil Liberties Union once said about Mary Harris Jones, "In an earlier period [Mother Jones] would have joined with Peter the Hermit in leading the crusaders against the Saracens. At a later period she would have joined John Brown in his mad, heroic effort to liberate the slaves. . . . [S]he has a singleness of purpose, a personal fearlessness and a contempt for established wrongs" (qtd. in Mary 'Mother' Jones). She has never backed away from a challenge, even as a woman she continued to fight for workers suffrage across the United States. It is important to acknowledge and remember those who made an impact on American society. Often times we take advantage and never remember those who fought for our rights to live free. This is important to learn about those who impacted society so we can learn where we as a society need to reform so everyone can get an equally opportunity to pursue their desired