The Charleston Hospital Workers Strike of 1969 - Walking Tour

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1. Charleston Hospital Workers Strike of 1969 Walking Tour - Medical University of South Carolina Hospital & the Strike Origins and Goals

The Charleston Hospital Workers Strike of 1969 was the largest strike in South Carolina history. It marked the intersection of race, labor, and gender in a major event five years after the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act which had outlawed employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin. The workers on strike were lower paid non-profession workers and they were predominantly African American women. The strike lasted over 100 days and in the end three of the four major grievances were resolved in favor of the strikers. You are standing near the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). In 1969 the building in front of you was the Medical College Hospital for the state of South Carolina. The historical marker noting the strike was dedicated in 2013.

2. Charleston Hospital Workers Strike of 1969 Walking Tour - Emanuel A.M.E Church & the Events of the Strike

The Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E) church was founded in Charleston in 1817 and is the oldest A.M.E church in the South. In 1822, the church was burned down by a mob of white men in the aftermath of the failed Denmark Vesey slave revolt. The church was not rebuilt until after the Civil War and the current structure you see was built in 1891, replacing the previous building that was built in 1872 and damaged by the 1886 Charleston earthquake.

3. Charleston Hospital Workers Strike of 1969 Walking Tour - Charleston City Market & the Strike Resolution

The Charleston City Market was created from land donated by Charles Cotesworth Pinckney to the city of Charleston in 1788 for the expressed use as a public market. Between 1804 and the 1830’s low buildings, or sheds, were erected and merchants would rent space to sell their goods. The Market Hall creates the entrance to the market and was built in 1841. Today, the City Market shines as one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the city, and the city’s economy has strong underpinnings to the tourist industry.

This Tour is a Walking Tour.

The Charleston Hospital Workers Strike of 1969 - Walking Tour

Created by Tom Hood on November 1st 2020, 8:41:43 pm.

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This walking tour interprets the history of the Charleston Hospital Workers Strike of 1969, the largest strike in South Carolina history. The strike was an effort by hospital workers to secure equal pay and treatment under the 1964 Civil Rights Act which outlawed employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin. The workers on strike were predominantly African American women who were being paid less and treated differently than their white counterparts.

Entries on This Tour

The Charleston Hospital Workers Strike of 1969 - Walking Tour

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