Knights of Labor Miscellaneous Publications on Microfilm

The Knights of Labor (K of L), officially Noble and Holy Order of the Knights of Labor, was the largest and one of the most important American labor organizations of the 1880s.

The Knights promoted the social and cultural uplift of the workingman, rejected Socialism and radicalism, demanded the eight-hour day, and promoted the producers ethic of republicanism.

It was never well organized, and after a rapid expansion in the mid-1880s, it suddenly lost its new members and became a small operation again. It was started in 1869, reached 28,000 members in 1880, by 1885 there were 100,000 members. Nearly 800,000 members had joined by 1886, however its poor organizational structure could not cope and it quickly became a failure. Most members left the movement in 1886-1887, leaving not many more than 100,000 but 1890. The remainder of the Knights of Labor continued until 1949, when the last 50 members dropped their affiliation.