Karen Silkwood

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 safety violations and contamination at the plant led to a significant public controversy and her mysterious death, which remains a subject of speculation and investigation.

Early Life and Education

Karen Silkwood was born in Longview, Texas, and raised in Nederland, Texas. She attended Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, where she studied medical technology. Silkwood married William Meadows in 1965, with whom she had three children. The couple later divorced, and Silkwood moved to Oklahoma City, where she began working at the Kerr-McGee plant.

Work at Kerr-McGee

Silkwood was employed as a chemical technician at the Kerr-McGee Cimarron Fuel Fabrication Site, where she was responsible for making plutonium pellets for nuclear reactor fuel rods. During her time at the plant, Silkwood became increasingly concerned about safety practices and the health risks posed by exposure to radioactive materials.

Whistleblowing and Union Activities

Silkwood became an active member of the Oil, Chemical & Atomic Workers Union (OCAW) and was elected to the union's bargaining committee. She began documenting safety violations and contamination incidents at the plant, including faulty fuel rods and inadequate worker protection. Silkwood collected evidence to present to the union and the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC).

Contamination and Death

In November 1974, Silkwood was found to have been contaminated with plutonium. On November 13, 1974, she was driving to meet a New York Times reporter and a union official to deliver her documentation. However, she died in a car crash under suspicious circumstances. Her car was found to have run off the road, and the documents she was carrying were never recovered.

Investigation and Legacy

Silkwood's death prompted investigations by the AEC and the FBI. The circumstances of her death led to widespread speculation about foul play, though no conclusive evidence was found. Her story was later dramatized in the 1983 film Silkwood, starring Meryl Streep.

Silkwood's case brought national attention to the issues of nuclear safety and workers' rights, leading to increased scrutiny of the nuclear industry and improvements in safety regulations.

Also see

• Whistleblower
• Nuclear safety
• Labor rights
• Plutonium
• Kerr-McGee