- Last Updated on Wednesday, 31 July 2019 00:52
On Saturday, August 17, the Battle of Homestead Foundation presents a book talk on “Pittsburgh’s ‘Other’ Irish: Before the Robber Barons Pump House.
” The phrase “Scotch-Irish Presbyterian” might seem synonymous with self-righteous robber barons. But take a further look back to a Western PA of farms and artisans’ workshops, when Pittsburgh’s Irish were mostly Presbyterians whose religious beliefs discouraged them from the pursuit of wealth for its own sake. Dr. Peter Gilmore will discuss his recent books Irish Presbyterians and the Shaping of Western Pennsylvania 1770–1830 and Exiles of ’98: Ulster Presbyterians in the US. The discussion will begin at 1:30 pm at the Historic Pump House, 880 E. Waterfront Dr., Munhall, PA 15210. Free admission. For more information, visit the website https://battleofhomestead.org/
On Monday, August 26, the Battle of Homestead Foundation will join the United Mineworkers and the United Steelworkers in commemorating “100 Years After the Assassination of Mineworker Organizer Fannie Sellins.” Participants will gather to remember labor martyr Fannie Sellins at three Allegheny Valley locations:
- Ducktown, Natrona Heights, 2:00 PM, where striking miners rallied and where Sellins was shot and killed in 1919
- Brackenridge, at the USW Local 1196 Union Hall (1080 Brackenridge Avenue), 3:00 PM, where there will be speeches from Fred Redmond, International Vice President USW; Levi Allen, International Secretary-Treasurer UMW; Steffi Domike of BHF and the USW; and others about Fannie’s relevance today. A dinner will be held at 5:00 pm.
- Union Cemetery in Arnold, PA, 6:45 PM, at the Fannie Sellins and Joe Strazeleski gravesite to pray for the dead and where speakers will include Rick Bloomingdale, PA AFL-CIO; Tanya James, UMW International Auditor/Teller; Ed Yankovich, UMW International VP, District 2 emeritus; and music by Tom Breiding. (2030 Freeport Rd).
Everyone welcome; for more information, see https://battleofhomestead.org/