The Long March of Coxey's Army
The Path of Protest from Populism to the New Deal
A milestone event and the changing nature of protest over time
Cloth – $110
978-0-252-05996-4
Paper – $32
978-0-252-08981-7
eBook – $19.95
978-0-252-04938-5
Publication Date
Paperback: 03/02/2027
About the Book
In 1894, hundreds of unemployed workers demonstrated in Washington, D.C., to demand jobs and relief. This march, by what came to be called Coxey’s Army, took inspiration from the ideas of businessman and activist Jacob Coxey and redefined how Americans argued about jobs and the power of government.Wesley R. Bishop explores how Coxey and his allies organized the first national protest to bring citizens to Washington, D.C. Though the march failed in its immediate goals, for the next forty years its ideas influenced America’s political parties. The demonstration pioneered marching for economic justice while its push for federal public works projects and government responsibility for unemployment helped shaped the New Deal. But in the years after the march, racism and other types of exclusion muddied hopes and tainted demands for democratic and economic fairness.
Eye-opening and insightful, The Long March of Coxey’s Army examines the influence and aftermath of an important historical event.
About the Author
Wesley R. Bishop is an associate professor of public and American history at Jacksonville State University.Related Titles
