JOURNAL ARTICLE

America at 250: Illinois Labor.

  • Published In: Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, 2026, v. 119, n. 1. P. 23 1 of 3

  • Database: America: History and Life with Full Text 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Barrett, James R. 3 of 3

Abstract

The article focuses on Illinois as a historically significant labor state, highlighting its role as an industrial hub and a center for diverse immigrant and Black workers who shaped its economy. It details Illinois’ foundational contributions to labor organization across various industries, including early unions for women and service workers, and its history of major labor conflicts such as the Haymarket affair and the Pullman strike. The state also served as a birthplace for radical labor movements and political groups centered in Chicago. Despite deindustrialization reducing union membership, Illinois’ labor movement adapted by expanding into public sector and service industries, with unions like the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the Chicago Federation of Teachers (CTU-AFT) becoming influential. This evolution reflects ongoing changes in the state’s workforce composition and labor activism. [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society. 2026/03, Vol. 119, Issue 1, p23
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:History
  • Publication Date:2026
  • ISSN:1522-1067
  • DOI:10.5406/23283335.119.1.05
  • Accession Number:192456740
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society is the property of Illinois State Historical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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