1919 Boston Police Strike

1919 Boston Police Strike was a significant labor dispute that took place in Boston, Massachusetts, involving the Boston Police Department and the city's government, led by Mayor Andrew Peters. The strike was influenced by the American Federation of Labor and its president, Samuel Gompers, as well as the Boston Central Labor Union. It was also closely watched by other cities, including New York City and Chicago, where similar labor movements were emerging, involving figures like Mary Harris Jones and Eugene Debs.

Background

The 1919 Boston Police Strike occurred in a context of widespread social and economic change, marked by the end of World War I and the Russian Revolution, which inspired labor movements across the United States, including the Lawrence Textile Strike and the Seattle General Strike. The Boston Police Department, under the leadership of Police Commissioner Edwin U. Curtis, had been facing issues related to low wages, long hours, and poor working conditions, similar to those experienced by workers in the Textile Workers Union of America and the United Mine Workers of America. The police officers, many of whom were Irish-American and Italian-American, were also influenced by the Sacco and Vanzetti case and the Boston Irish community's strong labor traditions, which included figures like James Connolly and Mary Kenney O'Sullivan.

Causes of the Strike

The immediate causes of the strike were the police officers' desire to form a union, Boston Police Union, affiliated with the American Federation of Labor, and to address grievances related to their working conditions, similar to those of the United Steelworkers and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The police officers were also inspired by the Industrial Workers of the World and its emphasis on direct action, as well as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's fight for civil rights, led by figures like W.E.B. Du Bois and Ida B. Wells. However, the city's government, led by Mayor Andrew Peters and Governor Calvin Coolidge, opposed the unionization effort, citing the Boston Police Rule Book and the need to maintain order in the city, similar to the stance taken by Mayor John Purroy Mitchel in New York City.

The Strike

On September 9, 1919, over 1,100 police officers went on strike, leaving the city with minimal police presence, similar to the situation during the Haymarket affair and the Homestead Strike. The strike was marked by chaos and violence, with looting and rioting reported in several neighborhoods, including the North End and South Boston, which were also affected by the Boston Molasses Disaster. The city's government responded by calling in the Massachusetts State Guard, led by Colonel William H. Carr, and the United States Army, which was also involved in the Palmer Raids and the Red Summer of 1919. The strike was eventually broken, but not before it had a significant impact on the city and the nation, influencing figures like Franklin D. Roosevelt and Herbert Hoover.

Aftermath

The aftermath of the strike saw the firing of over 1,100 police officers, who were replaced by new recruits, many of whom were World War I veterans, including Theodore Roosevelt Jr. and Quentin Roosevelt. The city's government also established a new police department, with Police Commissioner Michael H. Crowley at its head, which was modeled after the New York City Police Department and the Chicago Police Department. The strike also led to changes in labor laws, including the passage of the National Labor Relations Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act, which were influenced by figures like Frances Perkins and John L. Lewis.

Legacy

The 1919 Boston Police Strike is remembered as one of the most significant labor disputes in American history, influencing the Labor Movement and the development of Labor Law in the United States, including the Wagner Act and the Taft-Hartley Act. It is also seen as a turning point in the history of the Boston Police Department, which has since become one of the most respected and professional police forces in the country, with figures like J. Edgar Hoover and Robert F. Kennedy playing a role in its development. The strike is commemorated by the Boston Police Memorial, which honors the officers who lost their lives in the line of duty, including those who died during the strike, and is also remembered by organizations like the Fraternal Order of Police and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Category:Labor disputes in the United States