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The May Day riots of 1894 were a series of violent demonstrations that occurred throughout Cleveland, Ohio on May 1, 1894 (
May Day May Day is a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer, usually celebrated on 1 May, around halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. Festivities may also be held the night before, known as May Eve. T ...
). Cleveland's unemployment rate increased dramatically during the
Panic of 1893 The Panic of 1893 was an economic depression in the United States that began in 1893 and ended in 1897. It deeply affected every sector of the economy, and produced political upheaval that led to the political realignment of 1896 and the presi ...
. Finally, riots broke out among the unemployed who condemned city leaders for their ineffective relief measures. According to the New York Times, " e desire to stop work seemed to take possession of every laborer..." on May Day of 1894.


Background

May Day, or
International Workers' Day International Workers' Day, also known as Labour Day in some countries and often referred to as May Day, is a celebration of labourers and the working classes that is promoted by the international labour movement and occurs every year on 1 May, ...
was a day for remembering the workers who died during the
Haymarket affair The Haymarket affair, also known as the Haymarket massacre, the Haymarket riot, the Haymarket Square riot, or the Haymarket Incident, was the aftermath of a bombing that took place at a labor demonstration on May 4, 1886, at Haymarket Square in ...
of 1886. During a General Strike in Chicago, Illinois, an unknown person threw a bomb into the crowd, prompting police to fire into the crowd, killing civilians and police alike. The same day in 1890, Raymond Lavigne called for international demonstrations to commemorate the day. In 1894 the
Pullman Strike The Pullman Strike was two interrelated strikes in 1894 that shaped national labor policy in the United States during a period of deep economic depression. First came a strike by the American Railway Union (ARU) against the Pullman factory in Chi ...
in Illinois, as well as this series of unemployed workers' riots on May Day in Cleveland, prompted U.S. President
Grover Cleveland Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. Cleveland is the only president in American ...
to propose a bill that would make a Labor Day a national public holiday. After the Haymarket Square riot in May, 1886, US President Grover Cleveland feared that commemorating Labor Day on May 1 could become an opportunity to commemorate the riots. May Day celebrations have diminished in the United States, because of the creation of
Labor Day Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United S ...
.


Causes

One of the major causes of the riots was the
Panic of 1893 The Panic of 1893 was an economic depression in the United States that began in 1893 and ended in 1897. It deeply affected every sector of the economy, and produced political upheaval that led to the political realignment of 1896 and the presi ...
. The panic precipitated one of the most severe depressions in American history. The closure of two major railroads and other major companies triggered a stock market collapse. The New York banks had heavily invested in the stock market, and bank failures soon began. This caused a contraction of credit, and many other, newer, businesses started to shut down as well. The depression produced widespread social unrest, mostly among the now-unemployed workers. Some people tried to create public works programs for the unemployed, but this was unsuccessful. The riot is now known to have associations with
left-wing politics Left-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy. Left-wing politics typically involve a concern for those in so ...
and communism. The
Red Scare A Red Scare is the promotion of a widespread fear of a potential rise of communism, anarchism or other leftist ideologies by a society or state. The term is most often used to refer to two periods in the history of the United States which ar ...
followed soon after the riots.


Effects

The riots of 1894, along with the Haymarket Affair, brought about a series of discussions about the workforce in America and the depression. In 1904, the International Socialist Conference meeting in Amsterdam called on "all Social Democratic Party organizations and trade unions of all countries to demonstrate energetically on May First for the legal establishment of the 8-hour day, for the class demands of the proletariat, and for universal peace." The congress made it "mandatory upon the proletarian organizations of all countries to stop work on May 1, wherever it is possible without injury to the workers."


Events

The city was suffering from an economic crisis. Eventually scores of people lost their jobs and this led to the massive demonstrations and rallies. These became violent and led to confrontations with authorities."When Is Labor Day Weekend?" When Is Labor Day Weekend? Web. 18 May 2012. . The mob consisted of around 4 000 men, who were said to be "a rabble made up chiefly of foreigners"."Day of Terror in Cleveland." The New York Times 3 May 1894. Print. The mob marched through the manufacturing district of the city, called "The Flats" armed with clubs and stones. Much property was destroyed, but they were ultimately taken down by the police. Men with flags shouted to the crowd to encourage them to join the riots, but only about a dozen boys joined them. The square was abandoned as the mob marched on. The crowd was "hooting and jeering those who didn't join them." They then attacked firemen, believing they were police. The firemen held their ground as clubs flew. They soon met up with the leader of the mob, who encouraged them to keep peace; he was ignored. They entered the foundry department, where workmen were forced to halt. One man attempted to restart his work, but was held by mob members while others fled from the building. Shops were closed and barred, while employees fled Mobmen all ran at the Standard Paint Works with the cry "Victory!" The workers of the shop joined the ranks of the men in their attack of the Upson Nut Works. People threw coal at the shop, breaking windows and knocking down workers before they had the chance to retreat. Many men on the inside of the factory were injured in the raid. The coal-throwing stopped as the mob rushed the gates. This slight resistance made the mob take "vengeance by tearing the doors and gates to pieces." The men then took complete possession over the building, and workers fled in terror. Everything breakable in the shop was destroyed. They left the destroyed shop and went down the railroad tracks to the main office of the company. The police came, which deterred the mob for a short period of time. They took over the coal carts and used them as barriers as they surrounded the police; they threw stones at them. Some of the rioters were scared by the presence of the police, and fled. The crowd of 5 000 "dwindled to half that number." The leaders of the riot planned an attack on the Faulhaber Furniture Company; but the police stopped them before there could be a repeat of the event at the Upson factory. The police grew to such numbers that they "presented a formidable appearance." They dispersed the rioters and arrested their leader, Tom Moore. The eastern part of the city was little better off. A throng of 200 Italians marched through the streets armed with clubs, iron and wire rods, and gate posts. At Gates's quarry there were speeches and threats; workers dropped their tools and joined them. The same speeches and threats were made at Neff's quarry, and more men joined. At Reader's quarry, there was little opposition. They broke into boarding houses and compelled more to join them. The Mayor urged the people not to riot, and called for police forces to be assembled. The stated that the city would use every power to maintain law and order. Armories were prepared for discharge at the mayor's order. Another mob forced the workers of the United Salt Company out. They proceeded to the
Cleveland Rolling Mill The Cleveland Rolling Mill Company was a rolling steel mill in Cleveland, Ohio. It existed as an independent entity from 1863 to 1899. Origins The company stemmed from developments initiated in 1857, when John and David I. Jones, along with Hen ...
s where they met by the police. After several minutes of serious clubbing, the mob dispersed in every direction. Seven men, all with broken heads, were arrested. Policemen were stationed in the public square to prevent any gathering there. There was also considerable fear that the rioters would gather the dynamite used by the railroad companies to blow up factories and private residences; however, there is no evidence that they did so.


Related

*
May Day riots of 1919 The Cleveland May Day riots of 1919 were a series of violent demonstrations that occurred throughout Cleveland, Ohio on May 1 (May Day), 1919. The riots occurred during the May Day parade organized by Socialist leader Charles Ruthenberg, of local ...
*
Haymarket affair The Haymarket affair, also known as the Haymarket massacre, the Haymarket riot, the Haymarket Square riot, or the Haymarket Incident, was the aftermath of a bombing that took place at a labor demonstration on May 4, 1886, at Haymarket Square in ...
, May 4, 1886 in Chicago,
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockfo ...
* Bituminous Coal Miners' Strike *
List of incidents of civil unrest in the United States Listed are major episodes of civil unrest in the United States. This list does not include the numerous incidents of destruction and violence associated with various sporting events. 18th century *1783 – Pennsylvania Mutiny of 1783, June 20. ...


References

{{Reflist, 32em 1894 in Ohio 1894 riots Anti-communism in the United States Riots and civil disorder in Cleveland Political riots in the United States May Day protests Labor-related riots in the United States 1894 labor disputes and strikes Labor disputes in Ohio Labor relations in Ohio May 1894 events