Born May 1, 1830
Cork, Ireland
Died November 30, 1930
Silver Springs, Maryland

Labor organizer

As a child of Irish rebels, Mary Harris “Mother” Jones grew up understanding the injustices suffered by the poor at the hands of the powerful. She married a union organizer in 1861 and, after losing her husband and four children to yellow fever in 1867, moved to Chicago, Illinois, and became active in the labor movement. At various times affiliated with the Knights of Labor, the Industrial Workers of the World, and the United Mine Workers, Jones was, above all, an independent, unstoppable, and fiery agitator. A self-described “hellraiser,” Jones defied police officers, judges, and corporate bosses in her unwavering support for the rights of mine workers, textile workers, and child laborers.

Born to tenant farmers in Ireland

“Mother” Jones was born Mary...