For those who might want to participate, there are activities around the International Women’s Day Strike in Ann Arbor today, March 8 2017:
Rally and March – 5 PM, Liberty Plaza (310 S. Division St), Ann Arbor
Facebook event
Historical background:
The origins of the holiday can be traced back to March 8, 1857, when garment workers in New York City staged a protest against inhumane working conditions and low wages, according to the United Nations. The police attacked the protesters and dispersed them, but the movement continued and led to the creation of the first women’s labor union.
“Fast forward to March 8, 1908: 15,000 women marched in New York City for shorter work hours, better pay, voting rights, and an end to child labor. The slogan “Bread and Roses” emerged, with bread symbolizing economic security and roses for better living standards.
“Many of those who protested for working rights were young immigrants from Europe who came to the United States seeking better opportunities, says Carol Rosenblatt of the Coalition of Labor Union Women.”
http://www.yesmagazine.org/…/where-did-international-women-…