Flesh & Blood So Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legacy

 Marrin, Albert. Flesh & Blood So Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legacy. 2011. 196p. ISBN 9780375868894. Available at 974.71 on the library shelves.

In the 1900s, the economy of the United States was booming. Immigrants by the millions were moving from all over Europe to settle in the young country. Most of them entered through New York City, and many ended up settling in the bustling metropolis. At the time, the largest garment factories were in New England and New York, where abundant electrical power and plenty of labors facilitated the process of building and staffing factories.

Workers were at the mercy of capitalist bosses, however, with little rights and no ways to effect changes. Unions were weak and riddled with mobsters. On March 25, 1911, a fire ravaged the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City. The owners of the factory had locked emergency doors to prevent workers from sneaking in and out of work. There were not enough emergency staircases. When the fire broke out, workers had nowhere to go, and many of them jumped out of windows to their death below.

The outrage at the loss of 146 workers, mostly young women, carried far and wide into the circles of political power. This fire was the deadliest workplace incident in the history of the nation until September 11, 2021, and remains the deadliest industrial accident. A wave of activism followed the deadly fire. Immigrant women banded together and forced positive changes to workplace rules and working conditions for everyone in the country. Unions gained in strength against management. Working conditions improved dramatically, leading to less death and accidents. 

Fans of history will appreciate this well-researched book, and will gain a new understanding into some of the laws and rules we enjoy today and never really think about.  The impacts of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire continue to affect us more than a hundred years later.