(WCIV) — U.S. Rep. James Clyburn (D, S.C.-06), is praising the recent decision to designate the Charleston Cigar Factory as a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The new landmark, located on East Bay Street, is best known for its early ties to the labor and Civil Rights movements. It’s where cigar factory workers, led by Black women, went on strike to fight for better pay and working conditions. Clyburn said the new designation speaks volumes about the rich history of the site. “Documenting and preserving the enduring legacy of civil rights could not be more paramount. The announcement of the Charleston Cigar Factory as a national landmark marks the conservation of a powerful history of Black women, forging a labor strike against discrimination, inadequate pay, and poor health benefits. The 1945 Charleston Cigar Factory Strike makes clear – those Black women who organized and collectively bargained, could not be silenced. Clyburn continued, This landmark will teach future generations of South Carolinians that no matter who you are, you stand on the shoulders of people who sought courage and determination to make a difference. You stand on the site of a great, historic, and extraordinary movement. It is a surprise to many that the iconic civil rights song, “We Shall Overcome,” which was popularized doing the sixties – has its roots in this event. The Cigar Factory was constructed in 1881 originally as a cotton manufacturing facility. The infamous Charleston Cigar Factory Strike began on Oct. 22, 1945 when more than 1,000 workers walked off their jobs. It lasted for five months and ended April 1, 1946. Categories: News, State Tags: South Carolina