Don D Lescohier provides a history of the Knights of St Crispin, America's first national trade union for shoemakers. Starting with an overview of the shoemaking industry in America and its labor conditions in the mid-19th century, Lescohier traces the origins and evolution of the Knights, their internal debates and conflicts, and their eventual decline in the face of changing economic and social conditions. The book also includes an appendix of primary sources and a detailed index. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.