Image courtesy of OSHA, 2012.

Today

Decades after the Triangle Factory fire, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was created. OSHA investigates conditions and assures worker safety. OSHA is an effective agency, but many safety experts think it is underfunded, increasing the chances of another catastrophe.
Clip from a personal interview with Gerald Markowitz,  Distinguished professor at John Jay College and author of "From the Triangle Fire to the BP Explosion: A Shirt History of the Century-Long Movement for Safety Health." 
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A chart of workplace deaths before and after OSHA's founding. Courtesy of Freedom and Posterity, 2014.
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Hilda Solis speaking about the Triangle fire. Courtesy of UFA, 2011.
On the hundred year anniversary of the fire Hilda Solis, former Secretary of labor, made a statement about the tragedy.
On March 25, 1911,146 garment workers - mostly young women and girls - either burned or jumped to their deaths when a fire ignited at the Triangle Factory in New York City.  Within 18 minutes, due to hazardous working conditions, these workers were dead.  A century later, the fire resonates with us, not only because of the magnitude of the tragedy, but also because it was a galvanizing moment for women standing up to demand better working conditions, safer workplaces, and the right to have their voices heard.
In communities across the country, courageous women are still standing up for those same things.  And today, a select few of them gave us a glimpse into their lives and invited us into their struggles.  From a child care worker in Ohio, to a nanny in New York, these women are fighting not only for a voice - they're fighting for dignity and respect.
We were honored to have heard the hopeful stories of these brave women.  They were a reminder of the obstacles that must be overcome in the workplace and of the very hard work we still have to do on behalf of all working people.
Courtesy of The Obama Archives, 2011.
The Triangle fire is still remembered and honored in many ways today.
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Evans Mirageas, The Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director of Cincinnati Opera, describes how Morning Star relates to the fire. Courtesy of NPR.
"Morning Star" is a modern day opera centered around the Triangle fire. It made its debut in 2018.
A clip from "Morning Star" that shows the Triangle Factory fire. Courtesy of NPR.
 Courtesy of Remember the Triangle Fire.
We believe all workplaces should be safe by now... but they're not.
- Professor David Rosner,  part of Columbia's Mailman school of public health. Courtesy of Columbia University.