Karen Silkwood

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Silkwoods win case headline

Karen Silkwood
Born	Karen Gay Silkwood (1946-02-19)February 19, 1946 Longview, Texas, U.S.
Died	November 13, 1974(1974-11-13) (aged 28) Crescent, Oklahoma, U.S.
Cause of death	Car accident
Nationality	American
Occupation	Chemical technician, labor union activist
Known for	Whistleblowing on health and safety issues at the Kerr-McGee plutonium plant
Children	3

Karen Gay Silkwood (February 19, 1946 – November 13, 1974) was an American chemical technician and labor union activist known for her work at the Kerr-McGee plutonium plant near Crescent, Oklahoma. Silkwood's efforts to expose health and safety violations at the plant led to significant changes in the nuclear industry and labor rights.

Early Life

Karen Silkwood was born in Longview, Texas, and grew up in Nederland, Texas. She attended Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, where she studied medical technology. After marrying and having three children, she moved to Oklahoma City following her divorce.

Kerr-McGee and Union Activities

In 1972, Silkwood began working at the Kerr-McGee Cimarron Fuel Fabrication Site, a plant that produced plutonium pellets for nuclear reactor fuel rods. She became an active member of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union (OCAW) and was elected to the union's bargaining committee.

Silkwood was particularly concerned about the health and safety practices at the plant. She documented numerous violations, including exposure to high levels of radiation and inadequate safety measures. Her findings were intended to be presented to the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC).

Whistleblowing and Death

On November 13, 1974, Silkwood was driving to meet a New York Times reporter and a union official to share her evidence. She never arrived; her car was found run off the road, and she was dead. The circumstances of her death have been the subject of much speculation and investigation, with some suggesting foul play due to her whistleblowing activities.

Legacy

Silkwood's story brought national attention to the issues of worker safety and corporate accountability in the nuclear industry. Her life and death were the subject of the 1983 film Silkwood, starring Meryl Streep.

See Also

• Whistleblower
• Nuclear safety
• Labor rights
• Occupational safety and health

Related Pages

• Kerr-McGee
• Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union
• Atomic Energy Commission
• Silkwood (film)

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