A Barbecue for Labor Day
A multi-ethnic celebration brings coal miners and their families together for a day of games, dancing, and community.
The colored people of Newcastle and Franklin celebrated Labor Day by having a barbecue on the baseball ground at Newcastle, followed by sports and dancing. A fire was built and on it were roasted three sheep, a hog and half a beef, of which all partook to their satisfaction. Then came a ball game between the colored team, composed of Seattle and Newcastle men, and an Indian team, in which the former came off victorious. This was followed by foot racing and jumping and other sports and then came a dance in a tent on the ball ground. When darkness set in, the dancers withdrew to Odd Fellows' hall and continued the fun until late at night. Not only were nearly all the colored folks of Newcastle present, but fifty or sixty went from this city and a large number from Franklin, and quite a number of Japanese and Indians enjoyed the day's pleasure.
“A fire was built and on it were roasted three sheep, a hog and half a beef, of which all partook to their satisfaction.”
This report highlights a rare, documented moment of multi-ethnic labor solidarity in the coal camps of the 1890s. In a time when industry often sought to segregate workers, this community-driven celebration demonstrates the inclusive spirit found in regional labor history.
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