Fred Erwin Beal Ellen Dawson Ella Mae Wiggins
68-570: Sheriff Alderholt Mayor Rankin Gov. O. Max Gardner The Loray Mill strike of 1929 in Gastonia, North Carolina , was a notable strike action in the labor history of the United States . Though largely unsuccessful in attaining its goals of better working conditions and wages, the strike was considered successful in a lasting way; it caused an immense controversy which gave the labor movement momentum in
136-922: A Fire Marshal and four inspectors, the Administration consists of the Fire Chief, Deputy Chief, Assistant Chief, Training Chief, and two Administrative assistants. Gaston County EMS (GEMS) is the county ambulance service. All public K–12 schools in Gaston County, including the city of Gastonia, are part of the Gaston County Schools (GCS). GCS operates schools at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. There are five public high schools in Gastonia: Ashbrook High School , Forestview High School , Hunter Huss High School , and Highland School of Technology , and Warlick Academy . Warlick Academy
204-478: A Law Practice (1942), provides a colorful account of his more noteworthy cases. His articles and book reviews demonstrate his wide-ranging knowledge of a nation and a world experiencing dramatic change in the way individual rights were perceived. Arthur Garfield Hays was renowned for his spirited defense of First Amendment freedoms, representing pivotal cases that shaped the American legal landscape. His involvement in
272-407: A South Carolina weaver in 1929, "while under the stretch-out I have to tend ninety looms and I couldn't do it. Three years ago I was makin' over $ 19 a week. Now I make $ 17.70." "By the late 1920s some mill workers' wages sank as low as $ 5 a week." The owners of the mills insisted on keeping prices down, which caused mill work to become extremely dangerous and dirty. Often the workdays were so long that
340-472: A female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52, and the average family size was 3.05. In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.7% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
408-417: A forty-hour workweek, a minimum $ 20 weekly wage, union recognition, and the abolition of the stretch-out system. In response, management evicted families from mill-owned homes. In an effort to retain order, Mayor Rankin asked Governor O. Max Gardner for assistance. He immediately sent 250 National Guard troops who arrived on April 3. The strike escalated throughout the month. Nearly 100 masked men destroyed
476-538: A key event in the labor movement. While manufacturing remains important to the local economy, the city also has well-developed healthcare, education, and government sectors. Gastonia is named for William Gaston , a jurist and United States Representative from North Carolina . The Loray Mill strike occurred in Gastonia in 1929. The role of organizers for Communist Party-affiliated National Textile Workers Union (NTWU) alienated religious leaders in Gastonia, who denounced
544-643: A libel suit filed against Curtis Publishing , publishers of the Saturday Evening Post magazine and its reporter Benjamin Stolberg . From the IMDB entry for Remous (France, 1935) directed by Edmond T. Greville : Albany, New York - Monday, January 23, 1939: "The French film Remous was shown Friday [January 20] to five judges of the New York State Appellate Division in proceedings in
612-544: A license. Hays, counsel for Mayer and Burstyn at yesterday's proceedings, ridiculed the objections of Irwin Esmond and the Regents to certain scenes, pointing out that the film was French and would appeal only to an educated audience. Counsel for the Regents based his plea on the film's theme of sex frustration, arguing that it would be unwise public policy to show it to all classes of people. In November 1939, Mayer and Burstyn released
680-518: A local African-American woman. Seeing the union as the best hope for her children, Wiggins became a key leader of the strike, and was very successful in rallying the workers through her songs. Some of her better known works are "Mill Mother's Lament", recorded by Pete Seeger , "Chief Aderholt", and "The Big Fat Boss and the Workers". Woody Guthrie referred to her as "the pioneer of the protest ballad". Wiggins went to Washington, D.C., and spoke with senators in
748-773: A murder they denied committing; and the Scottsboro case , in which eight black men from Alabama were convicted and sentenced to death in 1931 for allegedly attacking two white women. Hays attended the Reichstag trial in Berlin on behalf of Georgi Dimitrov , a Bulgarian Communist accused by the Nazis in 1933 of burning the Reichstag. Hays also defended labor. He defended coal miners in disputes in Pennsylvania and West Virginia (1922-1935), including
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#1732855286921816-556: A result, the judge was forced to declare a mistrial. When news of the mistrial was released, a general wave of terror ran through the countryside, with the anti-strike "Committee of One Hundred" prominent in the vigilante activity. The defense team included: Arthur Garfield Hays , who had worked briefly in the Sacco and Vanzetti case, Dr. John Randolph Neal of the Scopes Trial defense, and Leon Josephson of International Labor Defense ,
884-555: A retrial in the Alderholt case, seven men were charged with his murder, six of whom were Loray Mill employees. All were found guilty of second degree murder and sentenced to lengthy terms of imprisonment by Judge M.V. Barnhill. Beal and Miller were released on bail and fled to the Soviet Union to avoid their prison sentences. (On their ship were American Communist writer Myra Page and her husband John Markey.) Disillusioned by his life in
952-507: A revitalization with many locally owned businesses. This has created a unique atmosphere of local shopping experiences with events centered around the community. There are also a few more shopping centers across the city with other well-known national and local retailers. The Gastonia Ghost Peppers of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball , a partner of Major League Baseball , began to play in 2024 at CaroMont Health Park , which
1020-491: A universal nature." The Gastonia Novels, while well received in their time, were widely read. Some of these titles have been translated into foreign languages; the novel "Strike!" by Mary Heaton Vorse was published in German in 1932 under the title Streik . In more recent years several of them have gained a new popularity for their feminist subtexts and treatment of race and social class. "The strike novels emphasize that no lost strike
1088-521: Is Gastonia's city transit provider. The bus service operates on a fixed-route system covering most of the city and stops are clearly visible around town. Buses run Monday-Saturday, and transfer downtown Gastonia at the Bradley Station . Regular fare is $ 1.00, transfers are free. Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) is Gastonia's commuter provider to Charlotte. The Gastonia Express (Route 85X) offers Monday-Friday bus service to/from uptown Charlotte, via
1156-552: Is ever a complete defeat, just as no strike is ever a complete victory." North Carolina novelist Wiley Cash 's 2017 book The Last Ballad is a fictionalized version of the Loray Mill strike. Gastonia, North Carolina Gastonia is the most populous city in and the county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina , United States. It is the second-largest satellite city of the Charlotte area, behind Concord . The population
1224-433: Is located west of the city, near Kings Mountain . The park offers a number of hiking trails, as well as campgrounds, picnic areas, rock climbing, and fishing. Eastridge Mall , located at exit 20 on North New Hope Road, is the only indoor regional mall in the area. The mall is home to two anchors and over 80 specialty stores, a full-service food court and other services. Downtown Gastonia Historic District has undergone
1292-768: Is part of the Carolinas Geographical Union (CGU) and plays Division IV men's social rugby. The club plays in the fall (August - November) and spring (Feb - May) seasons. The club also hosts an annual rugby 7's tournament in Clover, South Carolina , during the Clover Scottish Games on the first or second Saturday in June. Gastonia's two roller derby teams are the G*Force (senior team) and Mini*Gs (junior team). Bouts take place at Kate's Skating Rink on Hudson Blvd. The city
1360-793: Is part of the Franklin Urban Sports and Entertainment (FUSE) District. The Gastonia Honey Hunters , also in the Atlantic League, played there from 2021 to 2023. Before the Honey Hunters' arrival, the Gastonia Grizzlies , a Coastal Plain League summer collegiate wood-bat team, played at Sims Legion Park from 2002 to 2020. Gastonia was home to minor league baseball , hosting the Gastonia Cardinals . The Cardinals played as members of
1428-873: Is served by the Gastonia Police Department , the Gaston County Police Department , and the Gaston County Sheriff's Office . Additionally, the Gaston College Police has jurisdiction over the city but, rarely patrols outside of the Gaston College campus. The Gastonia Fire Department consists of eight fire house spread throughout the communities within the City limits. The Gastonia Fire Department maintains 130 full-time firefighters working 3- to 24-hour shifts. The Life Safety division has
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#17328552869211496-459: Is the alternative placement schol. Students from outlying parts of Gastonia also attend Stuart W. Cramer High School , North Gaston High School , and Bessemer City High School . Private schools are also available in the city. Gaston Day School , Gaston Christian School are among various private schools offered in the Gastonia area. Gastonia also has a charter school, Piedmont Community Charter School, that serves K–12 grade students. Currently
1564-494: Is the most dangerous man in the United States. I think he Senator McCarthy is more dangerous to freedom in the United States than all the Communists we have in this country... I think he's dangerous, because without evidence, he is smearing a lot of respected and highly decent people. His greatest criticism regarded McCarthy's methods. He defended Owen Lattimore and Philip Jessup but conceded that there were "a few" communists in
1632-411: The 2020 census , there were 80,411 people, 27,796 households, and 18,361 families residing in the city. At the 2010 census , there were 71,741 people, 27,770 households, and 18,599 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,420.6 inhabitants per square mile (548.5/km ). There were 31,238 housing units at an average density of 618.6 per square mile (238.8/km ). The racial composition of
1700-584: The Anthracite Coal Strike of 1922 . He defended right-to-strike cases against Jersey City mayor Frank "Boss" Hague. He defended British writer (and CPGB member) John Strachey against deportation. He led the plaintiff in Emerson Jennings vs. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania conspiracy case. He represented the Jehovah's Witnesses . He argued for the right not to salute the American flag. In 1937, Hays
1768-707: The Class D level 1938 North Carolina State League and the Tar Heel League in 1939 and 1940, winning the 1939 league championship. Decades later, a second Cardinals team played from 1977 to 1982 as members of the Class A level Western Carolinas League and South Atlantic League , winning the 1977 league championship. The Cardinals teams hosted home games from 1938 to 1940 at the Gastonia High School Stadium and Sims Legion Park. The Gastonia Gargoyles play rugby at Gaston County's North Belmont Park. The team
1836-786: The Dionne quintuplets ). Hays took part in numerous notable cases, including the Sweet segregation case in Detroit as well as the Scopes trial (often called the "monkey trial") in 1925, in which a school teacher in Tennessee was tried for teaching evolution; the American Mercury censorship case (1926); the Sacco and Vanzetti case, in which two Italian anarchists in Boston were convicted and executed in 1927 for
1904-619: The National Register of Historic Places . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 52.22 square miles (135.2 km ), of which 51.99 square miles (134.7 km ) is land and 0.23 square miles (0.60 km ) (0.44%) is water. Gastonia occupies 14% of the total area of Gaston County. Gastonia is approximately 21 miles (34 km) west of Charlotte , 22 miles (35 km) east of Shelby , and 37 miles (60 km) south of Hickory . As of
1972-625: The Sacco and Vanzetti trial. He was a member of the Committee of 48 and a contributor to The New Republic . In 1937, he headed an independent investigation of an incident in which 19 people were killed and more than 200 wounded in Ponce, Puerto Rico , when police fired at them. His commission concluded the police had behaved as a mob and committed a massacre. Arthur Garfield Hays was born on December 12, 1881, in Rochester, New York . Three months earlier,
2040-489: The State Department and cited Alger Hiss . Hays married Blanche Marks in 1908; they divorced in 1924, after having a daughter Lora , an actress and film editor. He married Aline Davis Fleisher in 1924, and they had a daughter Jane. Aline Fleisher Hays died in 1944. Jane married the prominent American lawyer William J. Butler [ Wikidata ] . Hays died of a heart attack on December 14, 1954, at
2108-434: The poverty line . 32.5% of those under the age of 18 and 6.9% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. Many shutdowns and job losses have plagued Gastonia over the past decade. Gastonia maintains a relatively strong manufacturing workforce, but many workers are laid off and many more are facing job losses. The city had an unemployment rate of 7.9% as of 2010; 12,536 of the 71,341 residents lived and worked in
Loray Mill strike - Misplaced Pages Continue
2176-479: The Bradley Station. One-way fare to/from uptown Charlotte is $ 4.40; transfer is free when transferring to any other CATS services. Greyhound Lines serves the city. Alongside Gastonia Transit, Greyhound utilizes downtown's Bradley Station. Amtrak 's Crescent (trains 19, 20) connects Gastonia (GAS) with the cities of (to the north) New York , Philadelphia , Baltimore , Washington , and Charlotte, and (to
2244-408: The City of Gastonia and Gaston County governments, the Gaston County Schools system, CaroMont Regional Medical Center , and retailers Walmart and Advance Auto Parts , with two and six stores (plus a distribution center) respectively. Gastonia and the surrounding areas feature several notable attractions. The Schiele Museum of Natural History features a number of permanent exhibits, including
2312-871: The Hall of North Carolina Natural History and the Henry Hall of the American Indian. The museum is also home to the James H. Lynn Planetarium, the only planetarium in the Charlotte area. The Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden is located just southeast of the city in Belmont on NC 279 . The U.S. National Whitewater Center (on the Catawba River ) is located east of the city in neighboring Mecklenburg County . Crowders Mountain State Park
2380-590: The NTWU's headquarters on April 18, As a result, the NTWU started a tent city on the outskirts of town that was protected by armed strikers at all times. The situation continued throughout the next few months as the workers continued to strike despite the return to production at the Loray Mill, making their situation appear hopeless. On June 7, 150 workers marched to the mill to call out the night shift. They were attacked and dispersed by sheriff's deputies. Later that night, four officers including Police Chief Aderholt arrived at
2448-597: The New York bar. In 1905, Hays formed a law firm with two former classmates. He and his partners gained prominence during World War I representing interests of ethnic Germans in the US who were discriminated against because Germany was an enemy of the Allies during the war. In 1914-1915, he practiced law in London. Hays was active in civil liberties issues. In 1920 (or as early as 1912 ),
2516-568: The South allowed for the formation of the United Textile Workers , the "first significant breach in southern anti-unionism." Because of the violent and dramatic events surrounding the mill strikes in Gastonia, North Carolina, the labor struggle became a symbol of "the strength, courage, and tenacity" of workers in America. The recognizable incidents taken from actual strikes during the period led to
2584-483: The South. Located in the south-western piedmont of North Carolina, Gaston County had the ideal resources for manufacturing . Because of the large potential workforce of former sharecroppers and failed farmers, many northern industrialists moved south in search of a reduced cost of labor. World War I brought great prosperity to the southern cotton mills, "fueled largely by government defense orders for uniforms, tents, and war material. Thousands of new jobs opened in
2652-573: The USSR, Beal subsequently returned to the United States and surrendered to the authorities in North Carolina. He was later pardoned. Ella May Wiggins (also known as Ella Mae Wiggins) was a single mother of nine, four of whom died of whooping cough due to inadequate medical care. Rather than renting a mill-owned house in the mill town, she chose to live in a wooden shack in an African-American hamlet called "Stump Town" where her children were cared for by
2720-801: The age of 73. In 1958, New York University established the Arthur Garfield Hays Civil Liberties Program at its School of Law. Princeton University houses the Arthur Garfield Hays Papers. Hays was a partner of Hays, St John & Buckley, also known as Hays, St. John, Abramson & Heilbron, of which Osmond K. Fraenkel was later a member. Hays wrote numerous books and articles. As a gifted writer and eloquent debater, he added his perspective to virtually every individual rights issue of his day. He wrote several books and essays about civil liberties issues. His autobiography , entitled City Lawyer: The Autobiography of
2788-618: The annual lighting of the Christmas tree in the Rotary Pavilion. He was invited to light the tree along with one of the city's councilmen. Arthur Garfield Hays Arthur Garfield Hays (December 12, 1881 – December 14, 1954) was an American lawyer and champion of civil liberties issues, best known as a co-founder and general counsel of the American Civil Liberties Union and for participating in notable cases including
Loray Mill strike - Misplaced Pages Continue
2856-619: The attempt by Arthur Mayer and Joseph Burstyn to get a license to screen it in New York State. The picture has twice been denied a license, first in August 1936, when it was rejected as being "indecent," "immoral," and tending to "corrupt morals." It was again rejected in November 1937. In March 1938, it was screened for the New York Board of Regents , which on April 14 disapproved application for
2924-421: The city was 62.8% White , 27.5% Black or African American , 2.0% Asian , 0.4% Native American , 5.2% some other race , and 3.0% two or more races . 9.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino American of any race. As of the 2010 census, there were 27,770 households, out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were headed by married couples living together, 19.0% had
2992-488: The city with a major domestic/international gateway and is located 18 miles (29 km) east, in Charlotte. American Airlines has the airline's second largest hub operation at Charlotte. Gastonia has two sister cities : Gotha was Gastonia's first sister city in 1994. Santiago de Surco became an official partner in March 2004. Mayor Jennie Stultz visited Gotha in 2007. In December 2007, the mayor of Santiago de Surco visited for
3060-593: The city, with a daytime population change of +10,610. The city is the international corporate headquarters for textile company Parkdale Mills, the number one manufacturer of spun yarn in the world. The company also operated two production facilities in Gastonia and several in surrounding communities. Parkdale, like many other companies, has closed plants and moved production to other countries. Other manufacturers in Gastonia include Wix Filtration Corp., Freightliner Trucks , Stabilus, Curtiss-Wright Controls Engineered Systems and Radici Group . Other major employers include
3128-583: The city. The Gaston Gazette is Gastonia's main newspaper. It is published daily, and covers Gastonia city, Gaston County, and surrounding areas. The Charlotte Observer (North Carolina's largest newspaper) is also available, citywide. Gastonia is served by numerous FM and AM radio stations, mainly based in nearby Charlotte. The city has one licensed AM station: WGNC 1450 AM; it has two licensed FM stations: WGNC 101.1FM and WBAV 101.9 FM. Interstate 85 (I-85) links Gastonia directly with Charlotte , Greensboro , Durham , and Petersburg / Richmond (to
3196-467: The death of James A. Garfield had installed Chester A. Arthur in the U.S. presidency. His father and mother, both of German Jewish descent, belonged to prosperous families in the clothing manufacturing industry. In 1902, he graduated from Columbia College , where he was one of the early members of the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity. In 1905, he received an LLB from Columbia Law School and was admitted to
3264-515: The film in the US as Whirlpool of Desire . Film censorship in the United States was not overturned until the U.S. Supreme Court case, the Joseph Burstyn, Inc. v. Wilson (the "Miracle Decision") in 1952. In 1924, Hays served as New York State chairman of the second Progressive Party . In 1951, Hays appeared on Longines Chronoscope to provide comments on the political activities of US Senator Joseph McCarthy . Hays stated: I think he
3332-495: The hallways, trying to impress upon them the dire the working conditions of the Southern mills. On September 14, 1929, following her return to North Carolina, a pregnant Ella May Wiggins was shot in the chest as she rode in the back of a pick-up truck with her brother, Wes, and 2 other men—all headed to a union meeting in Gastonia. Two car loads of armed men pulled the truck over on the bridge leaving Bessemer City for Gastonia. The strike collapsed shortly after her murder. Overall
3400-399: The legal arm of the Communist Party of the USA . The prosecutor was Clyde R. Hoey , a brother-in-law of Governor Gardner. During the early part of September, mobs of men gathered up strikers and ran them out of the county. These actions came to a head when, on September 14, a truck containing 22 strikers was chased down and fired upon. One female striker, Ella Mae Wiggins , was killed. In
3468-478: The mills, and wages soared to all time highs." This boom was to be short-lived, however, and the prosperity that the workers enjoyed soon disappeared. The luxury items they had purchased on credit were now stretching their budgets so much that they could hardly afford to put food on the table. Managers introduced the "stretch-out" system in which spinners and weavers not only doubled their work, but also reduced their wages. "I used to tend forty-eight looms," complained
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#17328552869213536-430: The northeast) and Spartanburg , Greenville , Atlanta and Montgomery (to the southwest). Gastonia's transportation network is supplemented by one additional freeway ( US 321 ), the freeway portion of which directly connects Gastonia with transcontinental I-40 and the city of Hickory , 35 miles (56 km) north of Gastonia. Gastonia is also served by three federal highways: US 29 , US 74 (US 29 and US 74 follow
3604-419: The organizers' ideology, undermining support for the strike. The strike collapsed after the death of Gastonia's police chief, Orville Alderholt, led to a murder trial of several militants including NTWU chief organizer Fred Beal . Beal was convicted in the killing but fled to the Soviet Union. The strike largely failed in attaining its goals of better working conditions and wages, and the American labor movement
3672-424: The publishing of no less than seven strike novels within four years. These are commonly referred to as the Gastonia novels: "In each of the novels, Gastonia is given as the focus of the universal class struggle , as a set of real events operating within the context of Marxist ideology. . . . The novels take a singular, actual event and offer literary and ideological interpretations which can, in turn, be applied to
3740-412: The reader's own experiences and beliefs." Marxist critics responded favorably to the novels, seeing the strike novel as a way to "deal in one way or another with the literary and philosophical problem of the individual against the collective." Sherwood Anderson received great acclaim for Beyond Desire and the characters' exploitation and suffocation by capitalism. "Grace Lumpkin's To Make My Bread . . .
3808-690: The same route through the city), and US 321. US 29 parallels I-85 through the Carolinas, while US 74 provides direct east–west links to Charlotte and Wilmington (east), and Asheville and Cherokee (to the west). US 321 links Gastonia to central South Carolina and the Blue Ridge Mountains in northwest North Carolina. State highways include: NC 7 , NC 274 , NC 275 and NC 279 . Franklin Boulevard, Garrison Boulevard, Hudson Boulevard and Ozark/Long/Airline/Gaston Avenues are major east–west city thoroughfares. New Hope Road, Chester Street/York Road, and Marietta Street/Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, are major north–south city thoroughfares. Gastonia Transit (GT)
3876-553: The school has an Elementary campus along with a Secondary campus. A new High School campus is presently under construction. The new campus is set to open for the 2020–2021 school year. Although there are no colleges or universities within the city limits of Gastonia, higher education is well represented in the greater Gastonia area. Gaston County is home to Belmont Abbey College (Belmont; four-year) and Gaston College ( Dallas , Lincolnton (Lincoln County), and Belmont; two-year). The Gaston County Public Library has three locations in
3944-404: The south) Atlanta, Birmingham , and New Orleans . The unmanned Amtrak station is situated at 350 Hancock Street. General service: Gastonia Municipal Airport (AKH) handles most of the city's private air service needs. It is located in the southeast part of the city on Gaston Day School Road, off NC 274 (Union Road). Commercial service: Charlotte/Douglas International Airport (CLT) provides
4012-596: The strike was not a success, but during the same time period there was a series of other textile strikes throughout the South. The main objective of these strikes was the abolition of the stretch-out, and some met with a measure of success. The success was difficult to come by, though, as strikers were branded by the press as "radicals," and labor organizers as "foreign agitators." "Wherever a strike broke out, state troops were immediately sent and to this show of force were added police, deputy sheriffs, and . . . vigilantes ." Over time, this spontaneous uprising of textile workers in
4080-447: The tent city and demanded that the guards hand over their weapons. An altercation ensued and Chief Aderholt was killed. Two of his officers and several strikers were wounded. In the aftermath, 71 strikers were arrested. Eight strikers and another eight members of the NTWU, including Beal and Clarence Miller , were indicted for the murder of Sheriff Alderholt. During the trial, a juror went insane after seeing some disturbing evidence. As
4148-475: The union held its first public meeting in Gastonia. Ellen Dawson , co-director of the strike and vice president of the NTWU, urged workers to stand resolute. The "seemingly frail" woman was in fact a "tough, experienced organizer and superb stump speaker." At 3 pm, Beal took a vote and the workers voted unanimously to strike. On April 1, 1929 1,800 mill workers from the Loray Mill walked off their jobs to protest intolerable working conditions. The strikers demanded
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#17328552869214216-400: The women, who made up a considerable percentage of the workers, were rarely home to raise their children. Upon hearing about the conditions in the Loray Mill, Fred Erwin Beal of the National Textile Workers Union (NTWU), a communist labor union , as well as a member of the Trade Union Unity League , began focusing his attention on the small town of Gastonia . On Saturday, March 30, 1929,
4284-440: Was 38.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.6 males. In 2011 the estimated median income for a household in the city was $ 36,881, and the median income for a family was $ 44,576. Male full-time workers had a median income of $ 38,151 versus $ 29,590 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 19,277. 20.9% of the population and 18.3% of families were below
4352-404: Was 80,411 in the 2020 census , up from 71,741 in 2010. Gastonia is the 13th-most populous city in North Carolina. It is part of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metropolitan Statistical Area , which is part of the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC Combined Statistical Area . The city is a historic center for textile manufacturing and was the site of the Loray Mill Strike of 1929, which became
4420-472: Was appointed to lead an independent investigation with a group (called the "Hays Commission") to study an incident in which 18 people were killed and more than 200 wounded in Ponce, Puerto Rico , when police opened fire on them. They had gathered for a parade for which the permits had been withdrawn at the last minute. His commission concluded the police had behaved as a mob and committed a massacre. From 1939 to 1943, he represented sociologist Jerome Davis in
4488-415: Was hired as general counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union . From this point, his career had two tracks: he vigorously defended the individual liberty of victims of discriminatory laws, and he also kept private work. He became a wealthy lawyer who represented the interests of power and fame (his more prominent clients ranged from Wall Street brokers and best-selling authors to notorious gamblers and
4556-539: Was never able to gain a foothold among textile workers in Gastonia. The strike, however, became for a while an international cause célèbre, figuring in several novels published in the 1930s. The City Hospital-Gaston Memorial Hospital , Craig Farmstead , Downtown Gastonia Historic District , First National Bank Building , Gaston County Courthouse, Gastonia High School , David Jenkins House , Loray Mill Historic District , Robinson-Gardner Building , Third National Bank Building , and William J. Wilson House are listed on
4624-409: Was so well thought of in Party circles that it was awarded the 1932 Gorky prize, while at the same time it received a favorable review in The New York Times ." Most critics, however, agree that Olive Tilford Dargan's Call Home the Heart is "by far the best of those [books] on Gastonia. . . . of all the Gastonia novels it most successfully transcends issues of ideology and class to deal with problems of
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