Philadelphia’s newest mural was recently unveiled, as Black labor leader Ben Fletcher was recently honored with a new mural near the Delaware River waterfront, writes Keshler Thibert for Hidden City.

The mural highlights the 111-year anniversary of a strive that ultimately resulted in better work environments for Philly’s dock workers.

Fletcher played a key role in making that happen.

He was born in 1890 to parents who arrived in Philly as part of the First Great Migration. Historians believe his work as a laborer and affiliation with unions began around 1910.

During this period, African Americans and other racial and ethnic groups were mostly relegated to jobs in which there was no upward mobility. There were long hours, low pay, and less-than-ideal conditions all around.

This led to unionization as a strategy to improve their situations. 

Fletcher and a group of other workers from Philadelphia’s Local 8 in 1913. 

On May 14, 1913, Fletcher and 4,000 other dock workers staged a 14-day strike that halted domestic and international trade. 

This eventually led to legal troubles, as Fletcher spent 10 years in jail, but he remained determined and his impact was still felt. 

Along with the mural, a new Pennsylvania state historical marker is also in the works.

Read more about Ben Fletcher’s important legacy in Hidden City.

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