On this day in 1936, the Akron Rubber Strike began after Goodyear laid off 700 people, leading to 10,000 picketing around the factory. Goodyear funded a right-wing militia to attack strikers, but workers won after a month of protest.

During the strike, police were unable to enforce an injunction against mass picketing because of the size of the crowd. A private force of about 5,200, known as the "Law and Order League" and funded by Goodyear, was prepared to attack workers during the strike.

The Summit County Central Labor Council was able to convince the Law and Order League against initiating violence, threatening a general strike if there were attacks on picketing workers. After a month of picketing, the workers won their terms.

The event took place during a period of intense labor organization among auto factory workers in Akron, Ohio from 1933 - 1936. This group of workers were among the earliest in U.S. history to implement the "sit-down" strike, occupying their workplace as a bargaining measure.