In the summer of 1892, a small steel town in Pennsylvania became the center of one of the most famous labor struggles in American history. What started as a disagreement between steelworkers and company leaders quickly grew into a fierce standoff involving locked gates, armed guards, state troops, and a community caught in the middle.
This book brings the story to life for young readers, showing how hardworking men, women, and children faced weeks of tension, uncertainty, and tough choices. Readers will step into the world of the mill-where the air was hot and smoky, the hours were long, and the work was dangerous-and see how the fight for fair pay and safer conditions unfolded.
Through vivid storytelling and real voices from the time, this book explores how the strike changed lives, shaped public opinion, and left a lasting mark on labor history. Kids will see how ordinary people stood together, the challenges they faced when power was against them, and how their struggle influenced future battles for workers' rights.
It's a gripping, human story of courage, conflict, and resilience-one that shows how history is shaped not just by big decisions in high places, but by the determination of everyday people.