First published 2011
Albert Marrin examines the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire that killed 146 workers in New York City on March 25, 1911. The author places this workplace disaster within the broader context of American immigration, focusing on Italian and Jewish families who came to America seeking better lives. Marrin traces how poor working conditions and employer greed created dangerous situations for garment workers, particularly women who made up most of the factory workforce. The narrative shows how locked doors and crowded conditions turned a fire into one of America's deadliest workplace tragedies before September 11, 2001. The book follows the aftermath as immigrant communities and women's groups organized to fight for worker safety. Their activism led to new labor laws that transformed workplace conditions across the nation. Marrin presents this historical moment as both a tragedy and a catalyst for lasting social change.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, non-fiction, american-history
Vibes: emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-events, social-justice
Setting: New York City, America
Period: 1911, Early 20th Century
182 pages · Library Binding · Knopf Books for Young Readers
Content warnings: death, violence