Jewish women made up the majority of workers in the garment industry, especially in the dress and shirtwaist trade. Poor working conditions, low wages, and frequent layoffs propelled many into the International Ladies Garment Workers Union. On March 25, 1911, 146 garment workers lost their lives in the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire in New York's Greenwich Village. Many were trapped inside because the escape exits had been locked to keep the girls in and the union organizers out. The fire was one of New York's worst industrial accidents and was covered by newspapers across the nation, including the Oklahoma State Capital, whose March 26, 1911 front page is displayed here.

Institution: Library of Congress, Serial and Government Publications Division.