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Why was Tillie Olsen jailed during the 1934 San Francisco waterfront strike?
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Tillie Olsen was arrested on July 22, 1934, alongside a group of activists, for her involvement in the San Francisco waterfront strike.1
Beginning in May 1934, Olsen actively supported the strikeâwhich effectively shut down all West Coast shippingâby writing songs and skits, as well as typing fliers and newsletters. She was jailed under an alias during this period, and her identity as the author of the acclaimed work "The Iron Throat" was only revealed later through nationwide publicity, which ultimately helped secure her release.1