HONEA PATH, S.C. — In September 1934, the small mill town of Honea Path became the site of one of the deadliest labor strikes in American history, an event that locals rarely discuss but which played a pivotal role in shaping modern workplace protections.
The Strike at Chiquola Mill
On September 6, 1934, hundreds of striking workers and supporters gathered outside the Chiquola Cotton Mill, demanding better wages, safer conditions, and recognition of their union.
Inside the four-story mill, manager and town mayor Dan Beachman had deputized more than 100 loyal employees. Reports say a World War I-era machine gun was stationed on the roof.
When picketers sang and carried American flags at the gates, tensions escalated. Gunfire broke out, leaving six dead on the scene and a seventh dying later at the hospital. More than 30 others were wounded, all reportedly unarmed.
Aftermath and Community Silence
Funerals for the victims drew more than 10,000 people, but they were held in a field outside town because the mill-controlled churches refused to host them…