May 1, 1886: Wisconsin Bay View Massacre

[Earth_First]

The Bay View Massacre (sometimes also referred to as the Bay View Tragedy) was the culmination of events that began on Saturday May 1, 1886 when 7,000 building-trades workers joined with 5,000 Polish laborers who had organized at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to strike against their employers, demanding an eight-hour work day.

By Monday, these numbers had increased to over 14,000 workers that gathered at the Milwaukee Iron Company rolling mill in Bay View. They were met by 250 National Guardsmen under order from Republican Governor Jeremiah M. Rusk to "shoot to kill" any strikers who attempted to enter. Workers camped in the nearby fields and the Kosciuszko Militia arrived by May 4. Early the next day the crowd, which by this time contained children, approached the mill and were fired upon. Seven people died as a result, including a thirteen-year-old boy.<1> Several more were injured during the protest.

Since 1986, members of the Bay View Historical Society, the Wisconsin Labor History Society, and other community groups have held a commemorative event to honor the memories of those killed during the incident. The event is held at the State Historical Marker site at the intersection of Superior Street and Russell Avenue, within view of the former rolling mill location.



SOLIDARITY!

[hobbit709]

1. It may come to that once again the way things are going.

[plumbob]

2. I do believe that it is quickly coming to that.

I won't be surprised when workers are killed in some skirmish somewhere in the US before the 4th of July this year.

[Greybnk48]

3. Is there a link for this? I'd like to repost on Facebook.

Thank you for posting BTW. I had never heard of this and neither had my husband (longtime and lifelong Wisconsinites).

[Earth_First]

4. I reposted this from Wikipedia after reading about this in a recent article...link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_View_Massacre

[Greybnk48]

5. Thanks!

[Greybnk48]

7. I posted this as a note on Facebook. I would bet there

are many in WI that maybe have a vague notion of our past with Labor fights, but not many particulars like this. Thanks again.:hi:

[a kennedy]

6. Wow, didn't know this.....and people work 10-12-14 hours

now with NO overtime pay in some cases..... people lost their lives so we could have an 8 hour work day and now......look how far we've come and gone. Wow.

[Better Believe It]

8. Read the original Milwaukee Journal newpaper coverage from May 5 and 6, 1886

Front Page of Milwaukee Journal May 5, 1886

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=jvrRlaHg2sAC&dat=18860505&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

Front Page of Milwaukee Journal May 6, 1886

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=jvrRlaHg2sAC&dat=18860506&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

You can blow up the newspaper pages using the "zoom in" feature above the newspaper and read several other pages of the Milwaukee Journal from the above dates by using your mouse.

[reggie the dog]

10. excellent link

[reggie the dog]

9. The current governor sees this monument and thinks to himself

"hmmm, that's the trick, i will just threaten to shoot the strikers like we used to do"

except that the police union had other ideas. thankfully;

[Hannah Bell]

11. kr

[PeaceNikki]

12. kick

Solidarity.

[Earth_First]

13. Solidarity kick! n/t

[Brickbat]

14. K&R in loving and grateful memory and solidarity.

I never forget that the union benefits I enjoy were paid for in blood.

[Bozita]

15. Recommended

[Poiuyt]

16. And now, we take an 8 hour day for granted

We must never forget what others have done to help make our lives better.

[James48]

17. Please don't call the murderers "National Guardsmen".

They were no such thing.

In those days, the National Guard did not exist.

The "state militia" was what the governor called upon prior to the creation of the National Guard in the Militia Act of 1903.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Militia_Act_of_1903

Prior to that 1903 law, each state had their own state private armies.

Those of us in the National Guard are rather sensitive to this. There are enough bad things that have happened by real National Guard over the years, we don't need to be saddled with the murders done by private armies.

thank you.

[Better Believe It]

18. I understand your point but it was a government state militia, not a private army that shot people.

And the Ohio troops that fired on Kent State University students in 1970 were members of the Ohio National Guard.

State National Guard units were frequently used during the 1930's to crush labor strikes and protests. We should expect reactionary politicians to again call out the National Guard to suppress our democratic rights including assembly in the future.

[intheflow]

19. K&R