On International Women’s Day, we recall a time, more than 80 years ago, where in January 1912, 20,000 Textile Workers (mostly women) walked off their jobs in Lawrence, Massachussetts to protest the most deplorable working conditions in the country.

The average wage was .16 an hour, 36 out of every 100 workers died before the age of 25, and 46% of all deaths were those of children under the age of 6. On the eve of the strike, half the children in Lawrence, between 14 and 18 years of age, were employed in the mills.

Justifiably, the Battle Cry of the "60 Day Bread and Roses Strike" became "Better to starve fighting, than to starve working". But the words that appeared on so many banners carried by the women in their marches are words that live on today – "we want bread, and roses, too" – words that echo the sentiments of those women who were fighting for the right to live, not to just merely exist.

The Lawrence Strike resulted in major concessions that would benefit more than 250,000 textile workers throughout New England. This was largely due to the incredible organizational skills and solidarity among the women, who emerged as leaders in the strike. In the forefront on picket lines, they bore the brunt of police and militia brutality – many were jailed, some miscarried because of brutal beatings, and many children were beaten in the Railroad Station as mothers desperately tried to get them out of Lawrence.

Eventually, all this came out in Congressional Hearings held as a result of waves of protest that swept the nation demanding an investigation into the Lawrence Strike.

As a tribute to the courage and determination displayed by these women, James Oppenheim penned the words to Bread and Roses – a beautiful song that has since become an anthem to working women all over the world. And we still sing it today in the same spirit as those women of Lawrence, who ended many of their meetings and gatherings in song – because the singing brought them closer together.