First Strike Commemoration
Special Event
Join us in commemorating the nation's first strike, which took place in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, in 1824.
Hands-On Activities (10 a.m. - 1 p.m.)
Learn how thread and cloth are made! Play with a drop spindle and try your hand at weaving.
See an exhibit on the wage workers' strike of 1824, the first of its kind in the United States.
Weaving Workshop (1 p.m. - 4 p.m.)
Learn about basic paper weaving in this workshop, part of the "Lineages of Labor" project by Vin Caponigro.
Participants will combine risograph prints of contemporary and historical textiles.
More about the project:
This spring, artist Vin Caponigro has hosted a series of studio sessions on paper weaving in their workshop, located in a former textile mill in the Olneyville neighborhood of Providence.
Want to take part in a workshop? There is one more printing session: Sunday, May 10, from 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. (Snake Hair Studio, located at 50 Agnes St #209, Providence, RI). All materials are provided. Learn more at their website: vincaponigro.com/lineages-of-labor.
Specialty Tours
10:30 a.m. The Cotton Economy - Why was a cotton spinning mill built so far away from cotton plantations? Explore the close connections between the labor of enslaved peoples and the textile industry of the Blackstone River Valley.
12:30 p.m. Women’s Work: Labor History & The First Strike - Join a Park Ranger for a discussion of the intersection between women’s history and labor history and Old Slater Mill. This tour will also discuss the first wage worker's strike in Pawtucket, RI, in 1824.
2:30 p.m. Human and Machine - Take a deep dive into the collection of historic machinery at Old Slater Mill and the people who worked those machines.
Fees
This event is free to attend.
Location
Latitude and Longitude 41.877756, -71.382400
Schedule
Date:
May 30, 2026
Time:
10:00 AM
Duration:
6 hours
Contact Information
Allison Horrocks
401-318-4883
Event Type
- Cultural/Craft Demonstration
- Guided Tour
- Partner Program
Tags:
blrv, blackstone river valley , blackstone river valley national historical park , blackstone river valley nhp, free, tours, drop-in event, crafts