Triangle Shirtwaist Fire
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The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in the
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neighborhood of
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, a borough of New York City, on Saturday, March 25, 1911, was the deadliest
industrial disaster This article lists notable industrial disasters, which are disasters caused by industrial companies, either by accident, negligence or incompetence. They are a form of industrial accident where great damage, injury or loss of life are caused. O ...
in the history of the city, and one of the deadliest in U.S. history. The fire caused the deaths of 146
garment worker Clothing industry or garment industry summarizes the types of trade and industry along the production and value chain of clothing and garments, starting with the textile industry (producers of cotton, wool, fur, and synthetic fibre), embellishme ...
s—123 women and girls and 23 men—who died from the fire,
smoke inhalation Smoke inhalation is the breathing in of harmful fumes (produced as by-products of combusting substances) through the respiratory tract. This can cause smoke inhalation injury (a kind of acute inhalation injury) which is damage to the respirator ...
, falling, or jumping to their deaths. Most of the victims were recent
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or
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immigrant women and girls aged 14 to 23; of the victims whose ages are known, the oldest victim was 43-year-old Providenza Panno and the youngest were 14-year-olds Kate Leone and Rosaria "Sara" Maltese. The factory was located on the 8th, 9th, and 10th floors of the Asch Building, which had been built in 1901. Later renamed the " Brown Building", it still stands at 23–29 Washington Place near
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, on the
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(NYU) campus. The building has been designated a
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and a
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. Because the doors to the stairwells and exits were locked—a common practice at the time to prevent workers from taking unauthorized breaks and to reduce theft—many of the workers could not escape from the burning building and jumped from the high windows. There were no sprinklers in the building. The fire led to legislation requiring improved factory
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and helped spur the growth of the
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union The International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) was a labor union for employees in the women's clothing industry in the United States. It was one of the largest unions in the country, one of the first to have a primarily female membersh ...
(ILGWU), which fought for better
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for
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workers.


Background

The Triangle Waist Company factory occupied the 8th, 9th, and 10th floors of the 10-story Asch Building on the northwest corner of Greene Street and Washington Place, just east of
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, in the
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neighborhood of New York City. Under the ownership of Max Blanck and Isaac Harris, the factory produced women's blouses, known as " shirtwaists". The factory normally employed about 500 workers, mostly young Italian and Jewish
immigrant Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not usual residents or where they do not possess nationality in order to settle as permanent residents. Commuters, tourists, and other short- ...
women and girls, who worked nine hours a day on weekdays plus seven hours on Saturdays, earning for their 52 hours of work between $7 and $12 a week, the equivalent of $ to $ a week in currency, or $ to $ per hour. Owners, Max Blanck and Isaac Harris, were said to have preferred hiring immigrant women over men, because they would work for less, and were less likely to unionize against them. Often, these women were poor and young, with little to no education and poor command of English.


Fire

At approximately 4:40 pm on Saturday, March 25, 1911, as the workday was ending, a fire flared up in a scrap bin under one of the cutter's tables at the northeast corner of the 8th floor. The first fire alarm was sent at 4:45 pm by a passerby on Washington Place who saw smoke coming from the 8th floor. Both owners of the factory were in attendance and had invited their children to the factory on that afternoon. The
Fire Marshal A fire marshal, in the United States and Canada, is often a member of a state, provincial or territorial government, but may be part of a building department or a separate department altogether. Fire marshals' duties vary but usually include ...
concluded that the likely cause of the fire was the disposal of an unextinguished match or cigarette butt in a scrap bin containing two months' worth of accumulated cuttings. Beneath the table in the wooden bin were hundreds of pounds of scraps left over from the several thousand shirtwaists that had been cut at that table. The scraps piled up from the last time the bin was emptied, coupled with the hanging fabrics that surrounded it; the steel trim was the only thing that was not highly flammable. Although smoking was banned in the factory, cutters were known to sneak cigarettes, exhaling the smoke through their lapels to avoid detection. A ''
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'' article suggested that the fire had been started by the engines running the
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s. A series of articles in ''
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'' noted a pattern of
arson Arson is the act of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, watercr ...
among certain sectors of the
garment industry Clothing industry or garment industry summarizes the types of trade and industry along the production and value chain of clothing and garments, starting with the textile industry (producers of cotton, wool, fur, and synthetic fibre), embellishm ...
whenever their particular product fell out of fashion or had excess inventory in order to collect insurance. ''The Insurance Monitor'', a leading industry journal, observed that shirtwaists had recently fallen out of fashion, and that insurance for manufacturers of them was "fairly saturated with
moral hazard In economics, a moral hazard is a situation where an economic actor has an incentive to increase its exposure to risk because it does not bear the full costs associated with that risk, should things go wrong. For example, when a corporation i ...
". Although Blanck and Harris were known for having had four previous suspicious fires at their companies, arson was not suspected in this case. A bookkeeper on the 8th floor was able to warn employees on the 10th floor via telephone, but there was no audible alarm and no way to contact staff on the 9th floor. According to survivor Yetta Lubitz, the first warning of the fire on the 9th floor arrived at the same time as the fire itself. Although the floor had a number of exits, including two freight elevators, a
fire escape A fire escape is a special kind of emergency exit, usually stairs or ladders mounted to the outside of a building—occasionally inside, but separate from the main areas of the building. It provides a method of escape in the event of a fire or ...
, and stairways down to Greene Street and Washington Place, flames prevented workers from descending the Greene Street stairway, and the door to the Washington Place stairway was locked to prevent theft by the workers; the locked doors allowed managers to check the women's purses. Various historians have also ascribed the exit doors being locked to management's wanting to keep out union organizers because of management's anti-union bias. The foreman who held the stairway door key had already escaped by another route. Dozens of employees escaped the fire by going up the Greene Street stairway to the roof. Other survivors were able to jam themselves into the elevators for as long as they continued to operate. Within three minutes of the fire starting, the Greene Street stairway became unusable in both directions. Terrified employees crowded onto the single exterior fire escape, which city officials had allowed Asch to erect instead of the required third staircase. The fire escape was a flimsy and poorly anchored iron structure that may have already been broken before the fire. It soon twisted and collapsed from the heat and overload, spilling about 20 victims nearly to their deaths on the concrete pavement below. The remainder of the victims jumped to their deaths to escape the fire or were eventually overcome by smoke and flames. The
fire department A fire department (North American English) or fire brigade (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English), also known as a fire company, fire authority, fire district, fire and rescue, or fire service in some areas, is an organi ...
arrived quickly but was unable to stop the flames, as the department's ladders were long enough to reach only as high as the 7th floor. The fallen bodies and falling victims also made it difficult for the fire department to approach the building. Elevator operators
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and Gaspar Mortillaro saved many lives by traveling three times up to the 9th floor for passengers, but Mortillaro was eventually forced to give up when the rails of his elevator buckled under the heat. Some victims pried the elevator doors open and jumped into the empty shaft, trying to slide down the cables or to land on top of the car. The weight and impacts of these bodies warped the elevator car and made it impossible for Zito to make another attempt. William Gunn Shepherd, a reporter at the tragedy, would say, "I learned a new sound that day, a sound more horrible than description can picture—the thud of a speeding living body on a stone sidewalk". A large crowd of bystanders gathered on the street, witnessing 62 people jumping or falling to their deaths from the burning building. Louis Waldman, later a New York Socialist state assemblyman, described the scene years later: File:A newspaper photograph of an internal staircase in the Asch Building after the Triangle fire (5279144863).jpg, An internal staircase in the Asch building File:Negative print showing the street in front of the Asch Building, where the Triangle Waist Company fire burned (5279683220).jpg, Street in front of the Asch Building File:Police officers and fire fighters check for signs of life and collect personal items from victims of the Triangle fire. (5279681736).jpg, Police officers and fire fighters check for signs of life and collect personal items from victims of the Triangle fire. File:Illustration depicting a wrapped corpse being lowered by rope from the Asch Building following the Triangle fire (5279145839).jpg, A wrapped corpse being lowered by rope from the Asch Building after the Triangle fire


Aftermath

Although early estimates of the death toll ranged from 141 to 148, almost all modern references agree that 146 people died as a result of the fire: 123 women and girls and 23 men.von Drehle, passim Most victims died of
burns Burns may refer to: Astronomy * 2708 Burns, an asteroid * Burns (crater), on Mercury People * Burns (surname), list of people and characters named Burns ** Burns (musician), Scottish record producer Places in the United States * Burns, ...
,
asphyxiation Asphyxia or asphyxiation is a condition of deficient supply of oxygen to the body which arises from abnormal breathing. Asphyxia causes generalized hypoxia, which affects all the tissues and organs, some more rapidly than others. There are ...
, blunt impact injuries, or a combination of the three. The first person to jump was a man. Another man was seen kissing a young woman at a window before they both jumped to their deaths. Bodies of victims were taken to Charities Pier (also called Misery Lane), located at 26th Street and the
East River The East River is a saltwater Estuary, tidal estuary or strait in New York City. The waterway, which is not a river despite its name, connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island, ...
, for identification by friends and relatives. Victims were interred in 16 different cemeteries. Twenty-two victims of the fire were buried by the Hebrew Free Burial Association in a special section at Mount Richmond Cemetery. In some instances, their tombstones refer to the fire. Six victims remained unidentified until 2011, when Michael Hirsch, a historian, completed four years of researching newspaper articles and other sources for missing persons and was able to identify each of them by name. Those six victims were buried together in the
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in Brooklyn. Originally interred elsewhere on the grounds, their remains now lie beneath a monument to the tragedy, a large marble slab featuring a kneeling woman. Evergreens Cemetery reports that there were originally eight burials, one male and six females, along with some unidentified remains. One of the female victims was later identified and her body removed to another cemetery. Other accounts do not mention the unidentified remains at all. Rose Freedman was the last living survivor of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. (1893–2001)


Consequences

The company's owners, Max Blanck and Isaac Harris—both Jewish immigrants—who survived the fire by fleeing to the building's roof when it began, were indicted on charges of first- and second-degree
manslaughter Manslaughter is a common law legal term for homicide considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is sometimes said to have first been made by the ancient Athenian lawmaker Draco in the 7th ce ...
in mid-April; the pair's trial began on December 4, 1911. Max Steuer, counsel for the defendants, managed to destroy the credibility of one of the survivors, Kate Alterman, by asking her to repeat her testimony a number of times, which she did without altering key phrases. Steuer argued to the jury that Alterman and possibly other witnesses had memorized their statements and might even have been told what to say by the prosecutors. The prosecution charged that the owners knew that the exit doors were locked at the time in question. The investigation found that the locks were intended to be locked during working hours based on the findings from the fire, but the defense stressed that the prosecution failed to prove that the owners knew that. The jury acquitted the two men of first- and second-degree manslaughter, but they were found liable of
wrongful death Wrongful death is a type of legal claim or cause of action against a person who can be held liable for a death. The claim is brought in a civil action, usually by close relatives, as authorized by statute. In wrongful death cases, survivors are ...
during a subsequent
civil suit A lawsuit is a proceeding by one or more parties (the plaintiff or claimant) against one or more parties (the defendant) in a civil court of law. The archaic term "suit in law" is found in only a small number of laws still in effect today. T ...
in 1913 in which plaintiffs were awarded compensation in the amount of $75 per deceased victim. The insurance company paid Blanck and Harris about $60,000 more than the reported losses, or about $400 per casualty.
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, a prominent
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and union activist, gave a speech at the memorial meeting held in the Metropolitan Opera House on April 2, 1911, to an audience largely made up of members of the
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. She used the fire as an argument for factory workers to organize: Others in the community, and in particular in the ILGWU, believed that political reform could help. In New York City, a Committee on Public Safety was formed, headed by eyewitness
Frances Perkins Frances Perkins (born Fannie Coralie Perkins; April 10, 1880 – May 14, 1965) was an American workers-rights advocate who served as the fourth United States Secretary of Labor from 1933 to 1945, the longest serving in that position. A member o ...
—who 22 years later would be appointed United States Secretary of Labor—to identify specific problems and lobby for new legislation, such as the bill to grant workers shorter hours in a work week, known as the "54-hour Bill". The committee's representatives in Albany obtained the backing of
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's
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, the Majority Leader of the Assembly, and Robert F. Wagner, the Majority Leader of the Senate, and this collaboration of machine politicians and reformers—also known as "do-gooders" or "
goo-goos The goo-goos, or good government guys, were political groups working in the early 20th century to reform urban municipal governments in the United States that were dominated by graft and corruption. Goo-goos supported candidates who would fight for ...
"—got results, especially since Tammany's chief, Charles F. Murphy, realized the goodwill to be had as champion of the downtrodden. The
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then created the Factory Investigating Commission to "investigate factory conditions in this and other cities and to report remedial measures of legislation to prevent hazard or loss of life among employees through fire, unsanitary conditions, and occupational diseases." The Commission was chaired by Wagner and co-chaired by Al Smith. They held a series of widely publicized investigations around the state, interviewing 222 witnesses and taking 3,500 pages of testimony. They hired field agents to do on-site inspections of factories. They started with the issue of fire safety and moved on to broader issues of the risks of injury in the factory environment. Their findings led to thirty-eight new laws regulating labor in New York state, and gave them a reputation as leading progressive reformers working on behalf of the working class. In the process, they changed Tammany's reputation from mere corruption to progressive endeavors to help the workers. New York City's Fire Chief John Kenlon told the investigators that his department had identified more than 200 factories where conditions made a fire like that at the Triangle Factory possible. The State Commissions's reports helped modernize the state's labor laws, making New York State "one of the most progressive states in terms of labor reform." New laws mandated better building access and egress, fireproofing requirements, the availability of
fire extinguishers A fire extinguisher is a handheld active fire protection device usually filled with a dry or wet chemical used to extinguish or control small fires, often in emergencies. It is not intended for use on an out-of-control fire, such as one which h ...
, the installation of alarm systems and automatic sprinklers, and better eating and toilet facilities for workers, and limited the number of hours that women and children could work."At the State Archives: Online Exhibit Remembers the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire" ''New York Archives'' (Summer 2011) From 1911 to 1913, 60 of the 64 new laws recommended by the Commission were legislated with the support of Governor
William Sulzer William Sulzer (March 18, 1863 – November 6, 1941), nicknamed Plain Bill, was an American lawyer and politician. He was the 39th governor of New York serving for 10 months in 1913, and a long-serving U.S. representative from the same state. Su ...
. As a result of the fire, the
American Society of Safety Professionals The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), formerly known as American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), is a global organization of occupational safety and health (OSH) professional members who manage, supervise, research and consu ...
was founded in New York City on October 14, 1911. Harris and Blanck, after their acquittal, worked to rebuild their business, opening a factory at 16th Street and Fifth Avenue. In the summer of 1913, Blanck was once again arrested for locking the door in the factory during working hours. He was fined $20, which was the minimum amount the fine could be. In 1918, the two partners closed the Triangle Waist Company and went their separate ways. Harris resumed working as a
tailor A tailor is a person who makes or alters clothing, particularly in men's clothing. The Oxford English Dictionary dates the term to the thirteenth century. History Although clothing construction goes back to prehistory, there is evidence of ...
, while Blanck set up other companies with his brothers, the most prominent of which was Normandy Waist Company, which earned a modest profit.


Legacy

The last living survivor of the fire was Rose Freedman, née Rosenfeld, who died in
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, on February 15, 2001, at the age of 107. She was two days away from her 18th birthday at the time of the fire, which she survived by following the company's executives and being rescued from the roof of the building. As a result of her experience, she became a lifelong supporter of unions. On September 16, 2019, U.S. Senator
Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth Ann Warren (née Herring; born June 22, 1949) is an American politician and former law professor who is the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States senator from the state of Massachusetts, serving since 2013. A mem ...
delivered a speech in
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supporting her presidential campaign, a few blocks from the location of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. Sen. Warren recounted the story of the fire and its legacy before a crowd of supporters, likening activism for workers' rights after the 1911 fire to her own presidential platform.


Remember the Triangle Fire Coalition

The Remember the Triangle Fire Coalition is an alliance of more than 200 organizations and individuals formed in 2008 to encourage and coordinate nationwide activities commemorating the centennial of the fireGreenhouse, Steven
"City Room:In a Tragedy, a Mission to Remember"
''
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'' (March 19, 2011)
and to create a permanent public art memorial to honor its victims. The founding partners included
Workers United Workers United is an American and Canadian labor union which represents about 86,000 workers in the apparel, textile, commercial laundry, distribution, food service, hospitality, fitness and non-profit industries.Greenhouse, Steve"Union Rejoinin ...
, the
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,
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(the current owner of the building),
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, Museum at Eldridge Street, the
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, the
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, the Gotham Center for New York City History, the
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and others. Members of the Coalition include arts organizations, schools,
workers’ rights Labor rights or workers' rights are both legal rights and human rights relating to labor relations between workers and employers. These rights are codified in national and international labor and employment law. In general, the ...
groups,
labor unions A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...
,
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and
women's rights Women's rights are the rights and Entitlement (fair division), entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st c ...
groups, ethnic organizations, historical preservation societies,
activists Activism consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived common good. Forms of activism range from mandate build ...
, and scholars, as well as families of the victims and survivors. The Coalition grew out of a
public art Public art is art in any Media (arts), media whose form, function and meaning are created for the general public through a public process. It is a specific art genre with its own professional and critical discourse. Public art is visually and phy ...
project called Chalk, created by New York City filmmaker Ruth Sergel. Every year beginning in 2004, Sergel and volunteer artists went across New York City on the anniversary of the fire to inscribe in chalk the names, ages, and causes of death of the victims in front of their former homes, often including drawings of flowers, tombstones, or a triangle.


Centennial

From July 2009 to the weeks leading up to the 100th anniversary, the Coalition served as a clearinghouse to organize some 200 activities as varied as
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, films, theater performances, art shows, concerts, readings, awareness campaigns,
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, and parades that were held in and around New York City and in other cities across the nation, including
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,
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,
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,
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,
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, and
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The ceremony, which was held in front of the building where the fire took place, was preceded by a march through
Greenwich Village Greenwich Village, or simply the Village, is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street (Manhattan), 14th Street to the north, Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the s ...
by thousands of people, some carrying shirtwaists—women's blouses—on poles, with sashes commemorating the names of those who died in the fire. Speakers included the United States Secretary of Labor, Hilda L. Solis, U.S. Senator
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, New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, the actor
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, and Suzanne Pred Bass, the grandniece of Rosie Weiner, a young woman killed in the blaze. Most of the speakers that day called for the strengthening of workers’ rights and organized labor.Fouhy, Beth
"NYC marks 100th anniversary of Triangle fire"
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(March 25, 2011) on NBC News
At 4:45 pm EST, the moment the first fire alarm was sounded in 1911, hundreds of bells rang out in cities and towns across the nation. For this commemorative act, the Remember the Triangle Fire Coalition organized hundreds of churches, schools, fire houses, and private individuals in the New York City region and across the nation. On its website, the Coalition maintains a national map denoting each of the bells that rang that afternoon.


Memorial in Manhattan

The Coalition launched a successful effort to create a permanent
public art Public art is art in any Media (arts), media whose form, function and meaning are created for the general public through a public process. It is a specific art genre with its own professional and critical discourse. Public art is visually and phy ...
memorial A memorial is an object or place which serves as a focus for the memory or the commemoration of something, usually an influential, deceased person or a historical, tragic event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects such as home ...
for the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire at the site of the 1911 fire in lower Manhattan. In 2011, the Coalition established that the goals of the permanent memorial would be * to honor the memory of those who died from the fire; * to affirm the dignity of all workers; * to value women's work; * to remember the movement for worker safety and social justice stirred by this tragedy; and * to inspire future generations of activists. In 2012, the Coalition signed an agreement with NYU that granted the organization permission to install a memorial on the Brown Building and, in consultation with the
Landmarks Preservation Commission The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting New York City's architecturally, historically, and c ...
, indicated what elements of the building could be incorporated into the design. Architectural designer Ernesto Martinez directed an international competition for the design. A jury of representatives from fashion, public art, design, architecture, and labor history reviewed 170 entries from more than 30 countries and selected a spare yet powerful design by Richard Joon Yoo and Uri Wegman. On December 22, 2015, New York Governor
Andrew Cuomo Andrew Mark Cuomo ( , ; born December 6, 1957) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 56th governor of New York from 2011 until his resignation in 2021. A member of the Democratic Party and son of former governor Mario Cuomo, ...
announced that $1.5 million from state economic development funds would be earmarked to build the Triangle Fire Memorial. The memorial includes a steel ribbon descending from the building, before splitting into two horizontal ribbons, twelve feet above street level, on the corner of the building. The ribbons are meant to evoke mourning ribbons, which were traditionally draped on building facades by communities in mourning. The horizontal ribbons list the names and ages of all 146 victims, with the letters and numbers formed as holes in the steel. For married women, both their birth names and married names are included, in part to highlight the family connections between victims. Under the ribbon is a reflective panel, allowing visitors to see the sky through the letters and numbers on the ribbon. The reflective panel also contains quotes from eyewitnesses about the event, in English, Italian, and
Yiddish Yiddish, historically Judeo-German, is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated in 9th-century Central Europe, and provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a vernacular based on High German fused with ...
, reflecting the backgrounds of the victims. Another panel includes a description of the event and its impact, also written in English, Italian, and Yiddish. The memorial was officially unveiled on October 11, 2023, more than a century after the fire occurred. An additional vertical steel ribbon was installed in June 2024; it extends up the side of the building, dividing into two at the third floor, and eventually reaching the ninth floor, where many of the workers were trapped and from which many jumped.


Mt. Zion Cemetery Memorial

A memorial "of the Ladies Waist and Dress Makers Union Local No 25" was erected in Mt. Zion Cemetery in
Maspeth, Queens Maspeth is a residential and commercial community in the Borough (New York City), borough of Queens in New York City. It was founded in the early 17th century by Dutch and English settlers. Neighborhoods sharing borders with Maspeth are Woodside ...
(40°44'2" N 73°54'11" W). It is a series of stone columns holding a large cross beam. Much of the writing is no longer legible due to erosion.


Plaques

Three plaques on the southeast corner of the Brown Building commemorate the women and men who lost their lives in the fire.


In popular culture

Films and television * ''The Crime of Carelessness'' (1912), 14-minute Thomas A. Edison, Inc. short inspired by the Triangle Factory fire, directed by
James Oppenheim James Oppenheim (24 May 18824 August 1932) was an American poet, novelist, and editor. A lay analyst and early follower of Carl Jung, Oppenheim was also a founder and editor of ''The Seven Arts''. Life and work Oppenheim was born in St. Paul, M ...
* '' With These Hands'' (1950), directed by Jack Arnold * '' The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal'' (1979), directed by Mel Stuart, produced by Mel Brez and Ethel Brez * ''
American Pop American popular music (also referred to as "American Pop") is popular music produced in the United States and is a part of American pop culture. Distinctive styles of American popular music emerged early in the 19th century, and in the 20th ...
'' (1981), an adult animated musical drama film written by
Ronni Kern Ronni Kern is an American film and television writer and producer. Kern is best known for writing such films as ''American Pop'' and ''A Change of Seasons (film), A Change of Seasons'', as well the miniseries and television movies ''Helen of Tr ...
and directed by
Ralph Bakshi Ralph Bakshi (; born October 29, 1938) is a Mandatory Palestine-born American retired animator and filmmaker, known for his fantastical animated films. In the 1970s, he established an alternative to mainstream animation through independent anim ...
features a scene taking place in the fire. * ''Those Who Know Don't Tell: The Ongoing Battle for Workers' Health'' (1990), produced by Abby Ginzberg, narrated by
Studs Terkel Louis "Studs" Terkel (May 16, 1912 – October 31, 2008) was an American writer, historian, actor, and broadcaster. He received the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 1985 for ''The Good War'' and is best remembered for his oral histor ...
* Episode 4 of
Ric Burns Ric Burns (Eric Burns, born 1955) is an American documentary filmmaker and writer. He has written, directed and produced historical documentaries since the 1990s, beginning with his collaboration on the celebrated PBS series '' The Civil War'' (1 ...
' 1999
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
series '' New York: A Documentary Film'', "The Power and the People (1898–1918)", extensively covered the fire. * ''
The Living Century ''The Living Century'' is an American biography television series that premiered on PBS on December 3, 2000. Each episode of the half-hour series documents the life of someone who is over 100 years old. The Living Century was produced and distri ...
: Three Miracles'' (2001) premiered on
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
, focusing on the life of 107-year-old Rose Freedman (died 2001), who became the last living survivor of the fire. * ''
American Experience ''American Experience'' is a television program airing on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in the United States. The program airs documentaries, many of which have won awards, about important or interesting events and people in American his ...
: Triangle Fire'' (2011), documentary produced and directed by Jamila Wignot, narrated by Michael Murphy * ''Triangle: Remembering the Fire'' (2011) premiered on
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
on March 21, four days short of the 100th anniversary. * In season 3 episode 7 of SyFy Channel TV show ''
Warehouse 13 ''Warehouse 13'' is an American science fiction television series that originally ran from July 7, 2009, to May 19, 2014, on the Syfy network, and was executively produced by Jack Kenny and David Simkins for Universal Cable Productions. Des ...
'' (2011), characters Claudia Donovan and Steve Jinks recover an artifact from the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, a doorknob which burns people. * ''The Fire of a Movement'' (2019) Episode of
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
series ''The Future of America's Past'': "We visit the building and learn how public outcry inspired workplace safety laws that revolutionized industrial work nationwide. Descendants and activists show us how that work reverberates today." Music * "Die Fire Korbunes" (The Fire Victims), music by David Meyerowitz, 1911 * "Dos lid fun nokh dem fayer" ("The Song from after the Fire") by
Yiddish Yiddish, historically Judeo-German, is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated in 9th-century Central Europe, and provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a vernacular based on High German fused with ...
lyricist Charles Simon, 1912. * "My Little Shirtwaist Fire" by Rasputina, from their 1996 album ''
Thanks for the Ether ''Thanks for the Ether'' is the debut studio album by American rock band Rasputina, released on August 6, 1996, on Columbia Records. The album was recorded at Sear Sound Recording Studio in New York City, and produced by Jimmy Boyle and Melora ...
''. * "The Triangle Fire" by
The Brandos The Brandos are an American rock band formed in 1985 in New York City by Dave Kincaid (vocals, guitar), Ernie Mendillo (bass, vocals), Ed Rupprecht (guitar, vocals) and Larry Mason (drums, vocals). The Brandos achieved commercial success in t ...
, from their 2006 album ''Over the Border''. * "Sweatshop Fire" by Curtis Eller, from his 2008 album ''Wirewalkers and Assassins''. * "Washington Square", by
Si Kahn Si Kahn (born April 23, 1944) is an American singer-songwriter, and activist; he is the founder and former executive director of Grassroots Leadership. Biography Early life and education Kahn grew up in State College, Pennsylvania. When he was ...
, from his 2010 album ''Courage'' * ''
Fire in my mouth ''Fire in my mouth'' is an oratorio for girls' choir, women's choir, and orchestra by the American composer Julia Wolfe. The work was commissioned by the New York Philharmonic under the direction of Jaap van Zweden and was completed in August 201 ...
'' (2018), a 60-minute
oratorio An oratorio () is a musical composition with dramatic or narrative text for choir, soloists and orchestra or other ensemble. Similar to opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguisha ...
for 146 female voices and orchestra by
Julia Wolfe Julia Wolfe (born December 18, 1958) is an American composer and professor of music at New York University. According to ''The Wall Street Journal'', Wolfe's music has "long inhabited a terrain of its own, a place where classical forms are rech ...
premiered by
The Crossing (choral ensemble) The Crossing is an American professional chamber choir, conducted by Donald Nally and based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It focuses on new music, commission and premiere works, and collaborates with various venues and instrumental ensembles. ...
, The
Young People's Chorus of New York City Young People's Chorus of New York City (YPC) is a children's chorus based in New York City. YPC provides children of all ethnic, religious and economic backgrounds with a program of music education and choral performance and seeks to enrich the ...
, and The
New York Philharmonic The New York Philharmonic is an American symphony orchestra based in New York City. Known officially as the ''Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc.'', and globally known as the ''New York Philharmonic Orchestra'' (NYPO) or the ''New Yo ...
under the direction of Jaap van Zweden at
David Geffen Hall David Geffen Hall is a concert hall at Lincoln Center on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. The 2,200-seat auditorium opened in 1962, and is the home of the New York Philharmonic. The facility, designed by Max Abramovitz, was o ...
,
Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5  ...
on January 24, 2019. Theatre and dance *
Naomi Wallace Naomi Wallace (born 1960) is an American playwright, screenwriter and poet from Kentucky. She is widely known for her plays, and has received several distinguished awards for her work. Biography Naomi Wallace was born in Prospect, Kentucky, ...
's 1996 play '' Slaughter City'' includes a character, the Textile Worker, that was killed in the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, and the play itself was inspired by several labor events throughout the 20th century, including the fire. * In Ain Gordon's play ''Birdseed Bundles'' (2000), the Triangle Fire is a major dramatic engine of the story. * The musical ''
Rags Rag, rags, RAG or The Rag may refer to: Common uses * Rag, a piece of old cloth * Rags, tattered clothes * Wash rag, a small cloth used for bathing * Rag (newspaper), a publication engaging in tabloid journalism * Rag paper, or cotton paper Arts ...
'' – book by
Joseph Stein Joseph Stein (May 30, 1912 – October 24, 2010) was an American playwright best known for writing the books for such musicals as ''Fiddler on the Roof'' and '' Zorba''. Biography Born in New York City to Jewish parents, Charles and Emma ( ...
, lyrics by
Stephen Schwartz Stephen Lawrence Schwartz (born March 6, 1948) is an American musical theatre composer and lyricist. In a career spanning over five decades, Schwartz has written hit musicals such as ''Godspell'' (1971), ''Pippin (musical), Pippin'' (1972), and ...
, and music by
Charles Strouse Charles Louis Strouse (June 7, 1928 – May 15, 2025) was an American composer and lyricist best known for writing the music to the Broadway musicals ''Bye Bye Birdie'', ''Applause (musical), Applause'', and ''Annie (musical), Annie''. Backgrou ...
– incorporates the Triangle Shirtwaist fire in the second act. Literature * "Mayn Rue Platz" (My Resting Place), a poem written by former Triangle employee Morris Rosenfeld, has been set to music, in
Yiddish Yiddish, historically Judeo-German, is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated in 9th-century Central Europe, and provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a vernacular based on High German fused with ...
and English, by many artists, including
Geoff Berner Geoff Berner (born 1971) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and musician from Vancouver. Musical career Berner originally studied piano in his youth. At a party, somebody asked him why he did not play the accordion. As a result, he began learni ...
and
June Tabor June Tabor (born 31 December 1947 in Warwick, England) is an English folk singer known for her solo work and her earlier collaborations with Maddy Prior and with Oysterband. Early life June Tabor was born and grew up in Warwick, England. ...
. *
Sholem Asch Sholem Asch (, ; 1 November 1880 – 10 July 1957), also written Shalom Ash, was a Polish Jews, Polish-Jewish novelist, dramatist, and essayist in the Yiddish language who settled in the United States. Life and work Asch was born Szalom Asz in ...
's 1946 novel ''East River'' () tells the story of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire through the eyes of an Irish girl who was working at the factory at a time of the fire. * ''The Triangle Fire'' by Leon Stein, 1963 () * ''Fragments from the Fire: The Triangle Shirtwaist Company Fire of March 25, 1911'', a book of poetry by Chris Llewellyn, 1987 (). * ''Triangle: The Fire That Changed America'' by David Von Drehle, 2003 () *
Deborah Hopkinson Deborah Hopkinson (born February 4, 1952) is an American writer of over seventy children's books, primarily historical fiction, nonfiction and picture books. Personal life and education Hopkinson was born February 4, 1952, in Lowell, Massachusett ...
's 2004 historical novel for young adults, ''Hear My Sorrow: The Diary of Angela Denoto'' (). *
Mary Jane Auch Mary Jane Auch is an author and illustrator of children's books, including ''One Plus One Equals Blue'', ''Ashes of Roses'', ''The Road to Home'', ''Journey to Nowhere'' and the ''I was a Third Grade ...'' series of books for younger readers. ' ...
's 2004 historical novel for
young adults In medicine and the social sciences, a young adult is generally a person in the years following adolescence, sometimes with some overlap. Definitions and opinions on what qualifies as a young adult vary, with works such as Erik Erikson's stages ...
, ''Ashes of Roses'' () tells the tale of Margaret Rose Nolan, a young girl who works at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory at the time of the fire, along with her sister and her friends. * ''Triangle'', a 2006 novel by Katharine Weber (), tells the story of the last living survivor of the fire, whose story hides the truth of her experience on March 25, 1911, raising the questions of who owns history and whose stories prevail. *
Margaret Peterson Haddix Margaret Peterson Haddix (born April 9, 1964) is an American writer known best for the two children's series, Shadow Children (series), ''Shadow Children'' (1998–2006) and The Missing (novel series), ''The Missing'' (2008–2015). She also wro ...
's 2007 historical novel for
young adults In medicine and the social sciences, a young adult is generally a person in the years following adolescence, sometimes with some overlap. Definitions and opinions on what qualifies as a young adult vary, with works such as Erik Erikson's stages ...
, ''
Uprising Rebellion is an uprising that resists and is organized against one's government. A rebel is a person who engages in a rebellion. A rebel group is a consciously coordinated group that seeks to gain political control over an entire state or a ...
'' (), deals with
immigration Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not usual residents or where they do not possess nationality in order to settle as Permanent residency, permanent residents. Commuting, Commuter ...
,
women's rights Women's rights are the rights and Entitlement (fair division), entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st c ...
, and the
labor movement The labour movement is the collective organisation of working people to further their shared political and economic interests. It consists of the trade union or labour union movement, as well as political parties of labour. It can be considere ...
, with the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire as a central element. * "Heaven Is Full of Windows", a 2009 short story by Steve Stern, dramatizes the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire from the perspective of a Polish Jewish immigrant girl. * "
Afterlife The afterlife or life after death is a purported existence in which the essential part of an individual's Stream of consciousness (psychology), stream of consciousness or Personal identity, identity continues to exist after the death of their ...
", a 2013 short story by
Stephen King Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author. Dubbed the "King of Horror", he is widely known for his horror novels and has also explored other genres, among them Thriller (genre), suspense, crime fiction, crime, scienc ...
, centers around Isaac Harris in
Purgatory In Christianity, Purgatory (, borrowed into English language, English via Anglo-Norman language, Anglo-Norman and Old French) is a passing Intermediate state (Christianity), intermediate state after physical death for purifying or purging a soul ...
talking about the fire. * Helene Wecker's 2021 novel ''The Hidden Palace'' () is a historical fantasy that centers around a
golem A golem ( ; ) is an animated Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic being in Jewish folklore, which is created entirely from inanimate matter, usually clay or mud. The most famous golem narrative involves Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the late 16th-century ...
and a
jinn Jinn or djinn (), alternatively genies, are supernatural beings in pre-Islamic Arabian religion and Islam. Their existence is generally defined as parallel to humans, as they have free will, are accountable for their deeds, and can be either ...
i living in New York in the early 20th century. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire occurs as an event that affects multiple characters in the novel. * ''Talking to the Girls: Intimate and Political Essays on the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire'' edited by Edvige Giunta and Mary Anne Trasciatti, 2022 (). * Esther Friesner's ''Threads and Flames'' () deals with a young girl, named Raisa, who works at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory at the time of the fire. * The comic book ''
The Goon ''The Goon'' is a comic book series written and drawn by Eric Powell. The series mixes both a comical and violent atmosphere with a supernatural slant, which pit the titular character against undead creatures/zombies, ghosts, ghouls, mutants, sk ...
'' issue No. 37 tells the story of a similar fire at a girdle factory that takes the lives of 142 women who worked there. After the fire, the surviving women attempt to unionize and the Goon comes to their aid after union busters try to force them back to work. Author Eric Powell specifically cites the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire as an inspiration for the story. * Vivian Schurfranz's novel ''Rachel'' (), from the '' Sunfire'' series of historical romances for young adults, is about a Polish Jewish immigrant girl who works at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory at the time of the fire. *
Robert Pinsky Robert Pinsky (born October 20, 1940) is an American poet, essayist, literary critic, and translator. He was the first United States Poet Laureate to serve three terms. Recognized worldwide, Pinsky's work has earned numerous accolades. Pinsky ...
's poem "Shirt" describes the fire. * In
Alice Hoffman Alice Hoffman (born March 16, 1952) is an American novelist and Young adult literature, young-adult and Children's literature, children's writer, best known for her 1995 novel ''Practical Magic (novel), Practical Magic'', which was adapted for ...
's novel '' The Museum of Extraordinary Things'' (), the fire is one of the main elements of the plot. * In a section of
Edward Rutherfurd Francis Edward Wintle (born 1948), known by his pen name Edward Rutherfurd, is an English novelist. He is best known as a writer of epic historical novels that span long periods of history but are set in particular places. His debut novel, '' S ...
's novel ''
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...
'' (), a protagonist's sister, from an Italian immigrant family, dies after jumping from a window to escape the fire. * Alix E. Harrow's novel '' The Once and Future Witches'' () set in industrial-era America, describes a fire at the "Square Shirtwaist Factory" that kills dozens of workers who are locked in and more who jump to their deaths.


See also

*
2012 Dhaka garment factory fire The 2012 Dhaka garment factory fire broke out on 24 November 2012, in the Tazreen Fashion factory in the Ashulia district on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh. At least 117 people were confirmed dead in the fire, and over 200 were injured, mak ...
, a similar fire in
Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...
*
2012 Pakistan garment factory fires Factories in Pakistan's two largest cities of Karachi and Lahore caught fire on 11 September 2012. The fires occurred in a textile factory in the western part of Karachi and in a shoe factory in Lahore. The fires are considered to be the most d ...
* 2013
Rana Plaza collapse The Rana Plaza collapse (also referred to as the Savar building collapse) occurred on 24 April 2013, when the eight-story Rana Plaza commercial building collapsed due to a Structural integrity and failure, structural failure. The search for sur ...
, the deadliest garment factory disaster in history, in Dhaka *
International Women's Day International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on 8 March, commemorating women's fight for equality and liberation along with the women's rights movement. International Women's Day gives focus to issues such as gender equality, reproductive righ ...
*
List of disasters in New York City by death toll This is a list of disasters that have occurred in New York City organized by death toll. The list is general and comprehensive, comprising natural disasters (including epidemics) and man-made disasters both purposeful and accide ...
*
List of fires This article is a list of notable fires. Town and city fires Building or structure fires Transportation fires Mining (including oil and natural gas drilling) fires This is a partial list of fire due to mining: human-made structures to ex ...
*
Occupational Safety and Health Administration The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA; ) is a regulatory agency of the United States Department of Labor that originally had federal visitorial powers to inspect and examine workplaces. The United States Congress established ...
*
Rhinelander Waldo Rhinelander Waldo (May 24, 1877 – August 13, 1927) was appointed the seventh New York City Fire Commissioner by Mayor William Jay Gaynor on January 13, 1910. He resigned on May 23, 1911, less than two months after the deadly Triangle Shirtwaist ...
, NYC Fire Commissioner in 1911 * Women in labor unions *
Rose Schneiderman Rose Schneiderman (April 6, 1882 – August 11, 1972) was a Polish-born American labor organizer, feminist, and one of the most prominent female labor union leaders. As a member of the New York Women's Trade Union League, she drew attention t ...
, the labor organizer who organized much of the union response that followed.


References

Notes Bibliography * Argersinger, Jo Ann E. ed. ''The Triangle Fire: A Brief History with Documents'' (Macmillan, 2009). xviii, 137 pp. * * Further reading * * Chernoff, Alan
"Remembering the Triangle Fire 100 years later"
''CNN/Money'' (March 25, 2011) * * * Sosinsky, Leigh (2011). ''The New York City Triangle Factory Fire''. Charleston, South Carolina:
Arcadia Publishing Arcadia Publishing is an American Publishing, publisher of neighborhood, local history, local, and regional history of the United States in pictorial form.(analysis of the successful ''Images of America'' series). Arcadia Publishing also runs th ...
.


External links

General
Chronology of events

"Triangle Factory Fire"
Cornell University Library The Cornell University Library is the library system of Cornell University. As of 2014, it holds over eight million printed volumes and over a million ebooks. More than 90 percent of its current 120,000 Periodical literature, periodical ti ...

List of names of victims at Cornell University Library site

Triangle Fire Open Archive

''Booknotes'' interview with David Von Drehle on ''Triangle: The Fire That Changed America''
(October 5, 2003)
Triangle Fire
– An ''
American Experience ''American Experience'' is a television program airing on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in the United States. The program airs documentaries, many of which have won awards, about important or interesting events and people in American his ...
'' Documentary Contemporaneous accounts
A collection of articles from ''The New York Call''
at marxists.org
1911 ''McClure Magazine'' article
''(see pages 455–483)'' Trial
Complete Transcript Of Triangle Trial: People Vs. Isaac Harris and Max Blanck



1912 New York Court record
''(see pp. 48–50)''

Articles

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an List of federal agencies in the United States, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, within the US Department of the Interior. The service manages all List ...

"Remembering the Triangle Fire"
''
The Jewish Daily Forward ''The Forward'' (), formerly known as ''The Jewish Daily Forward'', is an American news media organization for a Jewish American audience. Founded in 1897 as a Yiddish-language daily socialist newspaper, ''The New York Times'' reported that Set ...
''
"Coming Full Circle on Triangle Factory Fire"
''
The Jewish Daily Forward ''The Forward'' (), formerly known as ''The Jewish Daily Forward'', is an American news media organization for a Jewish American audience. Founded in 1897 as a Yiddish-language daily socialist newspaper, ''The New York Times'' reported that Set ...
''
"Remembering Triangle"
''
Jacobin Magazine ''Jacobin'' is an American socialist magazine based in New York. Bhaskar Sunkara was its founding editor. the magazine reported a paid print circulation of 75,000 and over 3 million monthly online visitors. Established in 2010, Jacobin's cir ...
'' Memorials and centennial
Remember the Triangle Fire Coalition 1911–2011


* ttp://streetpictures.org/chalk/ CHALK: annual community commemoration
"Rosenfeld's Requiem"
a poem about the victims of the fire by Morris Rosenfeld first published in ''
The Jewish Daily Forward ''The Forward'' (), formerly known as ''The Jewish Daily Forward'', is an American news media organization for a Jewish American audience. Founded in 1897 as a Yiddish-language daily socialist newspaper, ''The New York Times'' reported that Set ...
'' on March 29, 1911
Triangle Returns
Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights The Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights, formerly known as the National Labor Committee (until 2011), was a non-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO) that investigates human and labor rights abuses committed by large multinational ...
, March 22, 2011 {{DEFAULTSORT:Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire 1911 disasters in the United States 1911 fires in the United States 1911 in New York City 1911 industrial disasters Building and structure fires in New York City Burials at Mount Zion Cemetery (New York City) Clothing industry disasters Factory fires in the United States Fire disasters involving barricaded escape routes Fires in New York City Greenwich Village High-rise fires in the United States History of labor relations in the United States International Ladies Garment Workers Union Irish-American history Italian-American culture in New York City Italian-American history Jewish-American history in New York (state) Jews and Judaism in Manhattan March 1911 in the United States Organizations based in New York City Progressive Era in the United States