Death of Karen Silkwood - 13th November 1974

Karen Silkwood was an American chemical technician and union activist known for reporting concerns about corporate practices relating to health and safety in an Oklahoma nuclear facility. 

She was employed at the Kerr-McGee Cimarron Fuel Fabrication site in Crescent, Oklahoma making plutonium pellets.

After testifying to the Atomic Energy Commission about her safety concerns at the plant, she was found to have plutonium contamination in her body and home.

Her story was chronicled in the 1983 Academy Award-nominated movie “Silkwood” starring Meryl Streep. 

She was killed 50 years ago on 13th November 1974 in a car crash in circumstances that have never been satisfactorily explained. 

She had attended a 5.30 pm union meeting at the Hub cafe in Crescent, leaving at 7.10 pm. She got into her Honda Civic car to drive the 30 miles toward Oklahoma City for another meeting, but less than 30 minutes later, her body was discovered in the wreckage of her vehicle approximately 7 miles from the cafe.

Her family sued Kerr-McGee for the plutonium contamination she suffered from with the company settling out of court for US$1.38 million, whilst not admitting liability.