Secretary Haaland announced five new National Historic Landmarks, DOI’s highest recognition of a property’s historical, architectural, or archeological significance.
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) celebrated the announcement of the Charleston Cigar Factory designated as a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior. This new landmark, historically known as the American Cigar Company Building, will recognize the site where cigar factory workers – led by Black women – went on strike for better pay and working conditions, and against gender and racial discrimination on the job. The Biden-Harris Administration has invested more than $40 million to restore and support sites that recognize and elevate the stories of women who have shaped American history.
“Documenting and preserving the enduring legacy of civil rights could not be more paramount,” said Congressman James E. Clyburn. “The announcement of the Charleston Cigar Factory as a national landmark marks the conservation of a powerful history of Black women, forging a labor strike against discrimination, inadequate pay, and poor health benefits. The 1945 Charleston Cigar Factory Strike makes clear – those Black women who organized and collectively bargained, could not be silenced. This landmark will teach future generations of South Carolinians that no matter who you are, you stand on the shoulders of people who sought courage and determination to make a difference. You stand on the site of a great, historic, and extraordinary movement. It is a surprise to many that the iconic civil rights song, “We Shall Overcome,” which was popularized during the sixties – has its roots in this event.”
“As America’s storyteller, it is our privilege at the Department of the Interior, through the National Park Service, to tell our nation’s history and honor the many historical chapters and heroic communities that brought us to where we all are today,” said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. “These newly designated historic landmarks – including Charleston Cigar Factory — join a list of the nation’s premier historic and cultural places, all of which were nominated through voluntary and locally led stewardship.”
“We are honored by the designation of the Cigar Factory as a National Historic Landmark,” said Lucile Cogswell & Jay Weaver, Cigar Factory Partners. “This building represents the bravery and resilience of workers who fought for fair wages, better conditions, and racial equality. Their actions shaped both labor and civil rights movements, and we are proud to help preserve this important piece of history for future generations.”
As directed by President Biden, DOI is releasing a new report on representation of women across sites of national importance, including National Historic Landmarks, national monuments, and national park sites. The report assesses which existing federal sites are significant to women’s history and offers opportunities to improve the recognition of women’s contributions to our country across the National Park Service, including through the National Historic Landmark program.
The Cigar Factory was constructed in 1881 as a cotton manufacturing facility with the latest technological advances of the day, such as electricity, steam heat and a fire safety system. The Charleston Cigar Factory Strike lasted for five months, from October 22, 1945 to April 1, 1946. The strike resulted from the company refusing to institute raises and racial discrimination. In response, more than 1,000 Cigar Factory employees, walked off their jobs on October 22, 1945, a majority of whom were African American women. Activists in Charleston specifically demanded a pay increase of 25 cents per hour and the ability to unionize to protect their civil rights.
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