John McBride (1854 – October 9, 1917) was an American labor union leader. McBride was born in

Wayne County, Ohio Wayne County is a county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 116,894. Its county seat is Wooster. The county is named for General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. Wayne County comprises the Wooster, OH Micropolitan St ...

, in 1854. He started working in the coal mines at the age of nine. In 1870, McBride joined the Ohio Miners' Union, and in 1883 he became its president, a post that he retained until 1889. After serving briefly in the Ohio legislature as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

from 1884 to 1888, McBride helped found the Ohio People’s Party in 1891. In 1892, McBride was elected president of the United Mine Workers. McBride's prominence continued to rise with the growth of the

Populist Movement Populism refers to a range of political stances that emphasize the idea of "the people" and often juxtapose this group against " the elite". It is frequently associated with anti-establishment and anti-political sentiment. The term developed ...

in the American Midwest, and in 1894, McBride unseated labor icon

Samuel Gompers Samuel Gompers (; January 27, 1850December 13, 1924) was a British-born American cigar maker, labor union leader and a key figure in American labor history. Gompers founded the American Federation of Labor (AFL) and served as the organization's ...

as president of the American Federation of Labor. Not long after assuming the office, however, McBride became embroiled in conflicts with other union leaders and his popularity declined. Gompers regained the presidency the following year. McBride was standing on a street corner in

Globe, Arizona Globe ( apw, Bésh Baa Gowąh "Place of Metal") is a city in Gila County, Arizona, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 7,249. The city is the county seat of Gila County. Globe was founded c. 1875 as a mining ca ...

, when a runaway horse knocked him through a plate glass window, causing severe lacerations in his leg, a severed artery, great loss of blood, and death."John McBride, Labor Leader, Is Killed. ''New York Times.'' October 10, 1917.
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McBride, John 1854 births 1917 deaths American trade union leaders American trade unionists of Irish descent Presidents of the United Mine Workers American Federation of Labor people People from Wayne County, Ohio Ohio Populists Trade unionists from Ohio