Bay View massacre

Coordinates: 42°59′58.0″N 87°53′22.8″W / 42.999444°N 87.889667°W / 42.999444; -87.889667
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Bay View Massacre
Demonstrations
Parties
Wisconsin National Guard
Lead figures

Jeremiah McLain Rusk
;

Number
14,000 protesters
250+ Wisconsin National Guard
Casualties and losses
Deaths: 7
Injuries:
Arrests:
Deaths:
Injuries:

The Bay View massacre (sometimes also referred to as the Bay View Tragedy) was the result of a strike held on May 4, 1886, by 7,000 building-trades workers and 5,000 Polish laborers who had organized at

Milwaukee, Wisconsin to strike against their employers, demanding the enforcement of an eight-hour work day.[1]

By Monday, May 3, the number of participants had increased to over 14,000 workers who gathered at the

Jeremiah M. Rusk. The strikers had shut down every business in the city except the North Chicago Rolling Mills in Bay View. The guardsmen's orders were that, if the strikers were to enter the Mills, they should shoot to kill. But when the captain received the order it had a different meaning: he ordered his men to pick out a man and shoot to kill when the order was given. 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.[2][3] Several more were injured during the protest. Several contradictory newspaper accounts described other possible casualties, but the count of seven deaths is substantiated by specific names (Frank Kunkel, Frank Nowarczyk, John Marsh, Robert Erdman, Johann Zazka, Martin Jankowiak, and Michael Ruchalski).[4]

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 every year on the first Sunday in May, at the State Historical Marker site at the intersection of Superior Street and Russell Avenue, within view of the former rolling mill location.[5][6]

See also

References

  1. ISBN 0-87020-122-0
    .
  2. ISBN 0-938076-05-1
    .
  3. ^ "People". University of Milwaukee. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2009-12-22.
  4. ^ Nikolic, Nickolas (2 May 2011). "The Bay View Massacre, 125 years later". Urban Milwaukee.
  5. ^ Reinke, Jennifer (May 5, 2012). "Bay View Massacre reenactment focuses on workers' rights". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  6. ^ "Commemoration of Bayview Massacre". Wisconsin Labor History Society. Retrieved December 11, 2023.

External links

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