Rev. John J. Curran (1859-1936)
Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Founding pastor of Holy Savior Parish in 1895. Known as the Labor Priest, he championed the workers' cause and was instrumental in settling the Anthracite Strike of 1902. He was a friend of Theodore Roosevelt, who visited here often.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
From his pulpit at Holy Savior Parish, which he founded in 1895, Rev. John J. Curran earned the name the Labor Priest for standing with the coal miners of Pennsylvania's hard-coal country. He played a key role in resolving the great Anthracite Coal Strike of 1902, a bitter standoff that drew in President Theodore Roosevelt, who counted Curran a friend and visited Wilkes-Barre often. His work placed the church squarely in the era's fierce struggles between labor and capital.
Why it matters
Curran's mediation helped end a strike that forced the federal government, for the first time, to intervene as a neutral broker between workers and industry.
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Related people
- · John J. Curran
- · Theodore Roosevelt
Related events
- · Anthracite Coal Strike of 1902
Themes & tags
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