1914 Ludlow Massacre took lives of 25 miners and family members during bitter strike for fair wages and conditions

The Ludlow strike was one of the most bitter and violent in U.S. labor history.

By: Robert Forrant, UMass Lowell, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: April 20, 2026

Words: 1,618

Last Updated: 3 months, 1 week ago

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By Robert Forrant, UMass Lowell

On a spring morning in 1914, miners in Ludlow, Colorado, were celebrating Greek Easter when the Colorado National Guard and a private security agency opened fire on their camp with a machine-gun-equipped armored car called the Death Special.

The miners waged a pitched battle with the National Guard for 10 days before President Woodrow Wilson ordered federal soldiers to intervene. An estimated 69 to 199 people were killed. …

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