Working at Lowell in the 18 Twenties

In the 18 twenties, lowell hired what they called yankee farm girls to run the machines that spun the cotton and wool. They were given free classes to teach them to read and write. But at the same time, they're working these brutally long shifts that often went to seven p m. With only a half hour break for breakfast and a half hour for lunch. The work was literally toxic. A lot of them came down with white lung. Some of them lost fingers or limbs because these machines were so dangerous. In 18 forty, a woman named sarah bagley created the female labor reform association to demand better conditions. And iReporter: So how did you get involved