The true story of March 8th.
March 8th is recognized as International Women's Day, however, most people don't know its true origin.
Traditionally, it is said that the 8th of March appeared in honor of 125 North American workers who died charred in a fire that occurred in a textile factory in New York. .
Well… It's fake.
The whole truth
The so famous fire actually occurred and the 125 North American workers even died charred, but it did not occur as it is said and has nothing to do with March 8th.
The accident, and I speak of an accident, as there is no evidence that it was not, took place on March 25, 1857 at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company factory, in New York. But according to the version that circulates, it was a crime, perpetrated in retaliation for a series of strikes and workers' uprisings that took place at that time.
Whether it was an accident or a crime, the reality is that in that fire, 146 workers were charred to death, of which 125 were women.
The precarious electrical installations, combined with the type of soil where the factory was located and the large amount of fabric that served as fuel, is the most likely cause of the fire, combined with the fact that at that time, it was customary for owners to lock their employees, during the working hours, to avoid departures and low productivity.
As can be seen, neither the date coincides, except for the month, nor was there any apparent reason for such homage.
The true origin of the 8th of March
The true origin goes back to Russia, during the formation struggles of the former Soviet Union. On March 8, 1917 (February 23, according to the Russian Orthodox calendar), a huge group of women, essentially weavers and military wives, occupied the streets of Petrograd (present-day St. Peace".
They toured the city, going from factory to factory, calling on the mass of Russian workers to rise up against the monarchy, demanding the end of Russia's participation in World War I.
The revolt lasted for several days, taking on the contours of a general strike and political struggle, having been one of the pillars for the Bolshevik revolt and the fall of the Russian autocracy.
In this movement, a number of women stood out who would become famous among the Soviets. Aleksandra Kollontai, Nadyezhda Krupskaya, Inessa Armand, Anna Kalmanovich, Maria Pokrovsky, Olga Chapir e Elena Kuvchinskaya, in fact, it was considered that his performance was essential for the beginning of the revolution and the realization of the seizure of power.
Conclusion
It was in her honor (and not in honor of American women) that in 1921, at the International Conference of Communist Women, March 8 was established as Soviet Women's Day, in reference to the events of 1917, and it is this date that was later recognized by the United Nations (UN) in 1975 as World Women's Day.
What do you think of the March 8 story? Do Americans have the craze that everything important comes from the USA? We want to know your opinion, do not hesitate to comment and if you liked the article, share and give a “like/like”.
See also:
March 19 is Father's Day and World Craftsman's Day
February 14th is not just Valentine's Day
February 14th. Valentine's Day. Why?
February 13th is World Radio Day
11 February is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science
Picture: © 2020 Francisco Lopes-Santos
