The 25th anniversary of the Charleston Five strike marks a momentous chapter in the history of labor and civil rights in the United States, particularly in Charleston, South Carolina.
In January 2000, five International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) members—Jason Edgerton, Elijah Ford Jr., Kenneth Jefferson, Ricky Simmons, and Peter Washington Jr.—were arrested following a protest at the Port of Charleston, where union workers stood against the use of non-union labor by a Danish shipping company.
Over 600 law enforcement officers confronted about 150 peaceful picketers, sparking a violent clash and leading to the arrest of the Charleston Five on serious felony charges…