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The Noble Order of the Knights of Labor was the most ambitious and significant labor organization of the [[Gilded Age]]. As the charismatic leader of this group, Irish Catholic [[Terence Powderly]] was America's first nationally known labor leader, the first to achieve a high degree of recognition from working people, industrialists, and politicians across the continent. To most Americans, Powderly was the Knights of Labor.  

The Noble Order of the Knights of Labor was the most ambitious and significant labor organization of the [[Gilded Age]]. As the charismatic leader of this group, Irish Catholic [[Terence Powderly]] was America's first nationally known labor leader, the first to achieve a high degree of recognition from working people, industrialists, and politicians across the continent. To most Americans, Powderly was the Knights of Labor.  

==Organization==

==Organization==

The Knights local chapters, in contrast to later AFL-affiliated unions, was built like the fraternal lodge--a popular institution in Gilded Age America. The lodges stressed ritual, sociability, social reform, and self-improvement. The structure of the Knights, however, facilitated dissension within the organization, and a number of competing groups offered alternative memberships for defectors. The Knights had overarching grandiose objectives for the reform of society, and many disgruntled members migrated to organizations with more focused religious, political, social, or economic objectives, such as fraternal lodges, temperance groups, and mutual-benefit associations. The oath of secrecy and sympathy for socialism proved to be stumbling blocks for maintaining Catholic members, since the Catholic bishops were highly distrustful of secret orders.  The Knights ended secrecy in 1882 and were generally welcomed by the bishops. Most leaders were Catholics.

The Knights local chapters, in contrast to later AFL-affiliated unions, was built like the fraternal lodge—a popular institution in Gilded Age America. The lodges stressed ritual, sociability, social reform, and self-improvement. The structure of the Knights, however, facilitated dissension within the organization, and a number of competing groups offered alternative memberships for defectors. The Knights had overarching grandiose objectives for the reform of society, and many disgruntled members migrated to organizations with more focused religious, political, social, or economic objectives, such as fraternal lodges, temperance groups, and mutual-benefit associations. The oath of secrecy and sympathy for socialism proved to be stumbling blocks for maintaining Catholic members, since the Catholic bishops were highly distrustful of secret orders.  The Knights ended secrecy in 1882 and were generally welcomed by the bishops. Most leaders were Catholics.

Under the leadership of Powderly, the Knights championed a variety of causes, sometimes through political or [[cooperative]] ventures.  Powderly hoped to achieve their ends through politics and education rather than through economic coercion. They were willing to form political coalitions with farmers, radicals, and prohibitionists, but rarely won office beyond local city elections. They did induce many states to form bureaus of labor statistics to collect nonpartisan information on the condition of workers.

Under the leadership of Powderly, the Knights championed a variety of causes, sometimes through political or [[cooperative]] ventures.  Powderly hoped to achieve their ends through politics and education rather than through economic coercion. They were willing to form political coalitions with farmers, radicals, and prohibitionists, but rarely won office beyond local city elections. They did induce many states to form bureaus of labor statistics to collect nonpartisan information on the condition of workers.

==see also==

==See also==

* [[American labor unions]]

* [[American labor unions]]

==Further reading==

==Further reading==