Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Discipline
- Keyword
Articles 1 - 2 of 2
Full-Text Articles in History
A Comprehensive Bibliography Of Nineteenth Century Bicycling Periodicals, Christopher A. Sweet
A Comprehensive Bibliography Of Nineteenth Century Bicycling Periodicals, Christopher A. Sweet
Christopher A. Sweet
Bicycling became hugely popular in the second half of the nineteenth century. At the time, bicycle manufacturing was an important American industry, bicycle racing was one of the most popular spectator sports, and joining a bicycle club was a mark of social distinction. This bicycle craze occurred at the same time as an explosion in the publishing of American periodicals. Bicycle manufacturers invested heavily in newspaper and magazine advertising which spurred the creation of new periodicals. This paper documents more than one hundred bicycling periodicals that were published in the nineteenth century. The bibliographic essay provides historical context for both …
Bicycle Messenger Boys And The Evolution Of American Labor Laws, Christopher A. Sweet
Bicycle Messenger Boys And The Evolution Of American Labor Laws, Christopher A. Sweet
Christopher A. Sweet
This article examines how bicycle messenger boys found themselves entwined in evolving American labor laws from 1890-1940. Anti-child labor organizations such as the National Child Labor Committee used exposés of the working conditions of messenger boys to help force passage of the 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act. Beyond child labor laws, bicycle messenger boys also shaped workplace liability and worker’s compensation laws. Companies who employed bicycle messengers who were injured or killed on the job usually claimed the boys owned their own bicycles and worked as independent contractors rather than employees therefore absolving themselves of liability.