Knights of Labor Mug, 1885-1900. Maine State Museum. Gift of Charles Scontras, 90.10.1.
Knights of Labor Mug, 1885-1900. Maine State Museum. Gift of Charles Scontras, 90.10.1.
This mug shows a knight shaking hands with a hammer-carrying worker, celebrating the ideals of the Knights of Labor union. By 1887, the Knights claimed 127 chapters and 27,000 members in Maine.
The Knights of Labor embraced all people engaged in "honest work." The union included skilled and unskilled laborers, regardless of gender or ethnicity. The union did not, however, consider bankers, lawyers, or those who sold liquor as workers of "honorable toil." The Knights sought to uplift humanity through the principles of cooperation. They stood in contrast to trade unions that typically limited membership to men in specific trades.