On this day in 1948, social democratic labor organizer Walter Reuther was shot and nearly killed in his home. This was the second attempt to assassinate Reuther, who was a politically outspoken leader of the UAW.

Walter Reuther was an American labor leader and civil rights activist who helped turn the United Automobile Workers (UAW) into one of the most progressive labor unions in U.S. history. Reuther saw labor movements not as narrow special interest groups but as political vehicles to advance social justice and human rights.

Reuther leveraged the UAW's resources and influence to advocate for workers' rights, civil rights, women's rights, universal health care, public education, affordable housing, environmental stewardship, and nuclear nonproliferation around the world.

Reuther survived two attempted assassinations and at least one beating from anti-union forces at Henry Ford's factory. On April 20th, 1948, Reuther was struck by a 12-gauge shotgun blast fired through his kitchen window, which nearly killed him. While being treated by his neighbor, he cried "Those dirty sons of bitches! They have to shoot a man in the back. They won't come out in the open and fight.'"

Reuther's right arm was shattered into 150 bones, and a slug pierced his stomach. Upon receiving blood transfusions, he came down with both malaria and hepatitis. When Attorney General Tom Clark requested J. Edgar Hoover to get the FBI to investigate the shooting, Hoover refused, stating "I'm not going to send in the FBI every time some nigger woman gets raped."

Thirteen months later, Walter's brother Victor was shot and nearly killed, losing his right eye in a similar attack. Neither shooting was ever solved.