On this day in Labor History the year was 2001.
That was the day that Thomas Morris Jr. died from breathing in anthrax.
A week earlier he had been exposed to the deadly poison when an envelope containing the powdery substance was opened at the mail distribution center where he worked.
Thomas Morris was a member of American Postal Workers Union.
His union brother Joseph Curseen died two days later.
Both men worked at the U.S. Postal Service Brentwood Processing and Distribution Center in Washington D.C.
The poisoned letters were addressed to Senators Tom Daschle and Patrick Leahy.
More postal workers at a distribution center in New Jersey also fell ill from exposure to anthrax poisoned mail.
In total, twenty-two people were sickened by Anthrax that fall, from letters addressed to politicians and news outlets.
In addition to the injured, five people died, including a seven-month old infant who was visiting NBC news in New York City with his mother who worked there.
Coming the month after the September 11th attacks, the anthrax poisoning sent another wave of fear of terrorism throughout the United States.
The Brentwood distribution center was closed down for decontamination until December 2003.
When it reopened, the facility was renamed for the two fallen postal workers.
The next year, Senator Joe Lieberman gave an address to the APWU.
He said, “the postal workers who were exposed to anthrax, and still got the mail out and kept our system running—they are all proud union members. I know I’ll never forget that. And America won’t forget that. All of you at the APWU deserve our respect and our support.”
One person suspected of the poisonings committed suicide and the case was closed.
No one was ever convicted of the crimes.
November 17 - Resisting Impressment
November 16 - NFL Players End Strike
November 15 - The IWW is Raided
November 14 - The Origins of CWA
November 13 - The Holland Tunnel Opens
November 12 - Striking Against Privatization
November 11 - Haymarket Martyrs are Executed
November 10 - Suicide or Murder?
November 9 - Remembering Philip Murray
November 8 - Dorothy Day is Born
November 7 - Eisenhower Wields Taft-Hartley
November 6 - The Fight for Equality
November 5 - The Everett Massacre
November 4 - Will Rogers is Born
November 3 - The Greensboro Massacre
November 2 - Sixteen Tons
November 1 - The Deadly Consequences of Scabbing
October 31 - Happy Union Made Halloween
October 30 - Wall St. Lays an Egg
October 29 - Alice Doesn’t Day
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Meaningful Life with Andrew G. Marshall
The No-Frills Teacher Podcast
Heal, Survive & Thrive!
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
The Mel Robbins Podcast