Mother Jones: A Dangerous Woman - 03/10/2012

Re-enactment of Mother Jones

Mother Jones will be re-enacted by SUNY Albany professor Claire Nolan, who is a professional storyteller. She has acted with The Schenectady Theater for Children and presently sits on its board of directors. She has also worked with Albany Civic Theater. Mary Harris, an Irish immigrant who gained notoriety as Mother Jones in the early 1900’s, was best known as a fiery orator and fearless fighter for workers’ rights, justice and equality. After losing her husband and four children to the yellow fever epidemic, she fought to enact and enforce child labor laws and to gain the right to vote for women. She was a strong advocate for workers’ rights all across the country, particularly miners who dubbed her “The Miners’ Angel.” She also was labeled “The Most Dangerous Woman in America” by a U.S. district attorney, and “The Grandmother of All Agitators.” by the Senate.