Mother Jones

This is a story-telling painting about Mother Jones. She was born May 1, 1830 in Cork County, Ireland. She died November 30, 1930.

The two major turning points in her life were: first, the deaths of her husband and four children during a yellow-fever epidemic in Tennessee in 1867, and secondly, the loss of her property in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Both of these events are shown in the painting. She became involved in the labor movement organizing the wives and children of striking workers in demonstrations on their behalf.

In 1903 Mother Jones organized children working in mines and mills in the "Children's Crusade," a march from Kensington, Pennsylania to Oyster Bay, New York, the home of President Theodore Roosevelt. They marched with banners demanding "We want time to play" and "We want to go to school!" The president refused to meet with the marchers, but the incident brought the issue of child labor to the attention of the American public.

A quote from Mother Jones " Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living".

She is buried in Mt. Olive, Illinois in the Union Miner's cemetery.

Acrylic/collage 32 X 40"

$4895.00

All prices retail.

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