BALTIMORE: IN THE SPIRIT OF 1877!
Come join us for a celebration of the Baltimore Rebellion of 1877!

When: July 20, 4:30 PM
Where: 5th Regiment Armory (Howard and Preston)
What: A radical tour of the march route of the rebellion. We will march to Camden Yards for a rally with the United Workers, speakers, music, and more!

Stand in solidarity with working people in Baltimore and learn about how folks used to respond to oppression and greed.

The United Workers are a group of day laborers at Camden Yards who are struggling against horrible wages, no job security, little organizing ability, and a life of poverty. We stand in solidarity with the UWA and want to connect their present struggle to past stuggles of the same circumstances. Their situation is no different than the situation of workers 125 years ago in Baltimore, and without resistance, it will only get worse!

COME! BRING YOUR FRIENDS!

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BACKGROUND:
In the year 1877, amidst a crushing depression, workers in Baltimore, especially in the railroad industry, suffered harshly from the effects of paycuts from companies with record profit levels. B&O cut wages 20 percent across the board in 1877.

On July 11th, B&O announced paycuts of another 10 percent after the first 10 percent earlier in the year. On the 16th, when the cuts went into effect, a pair of workers stopped their train at Camden Junction right outside of Baltimore.

This event sparked the largest strike the country had ever seen to that date. Martinsburg WV went on strike, followed by Cumberland. When the National Guard was called to break the strike in Cumberland, Baltimore rose up in resistance!

When the 5th and 6th regiments were ordered to Camden Station (now Camden Yards), they were met by thousands of Baltimore citizens in rebellion, hurling rocks, bricks, and bottles at the soldiers. 10 people we're killed by the soldiers along the way to the station, and eventually, 15 thousand people surrounded the troops, along with Mayor Latrobe, Governor Carrol, and many heads of the police.

The crowd destroyed the platform, burned railroad cars, destroyed tracks leading away from the station, and completely shut down the yard.

President Hayes, with his hands deep in the pockets of the major railroad bosses, called federal militia to come and quell the uprising. By the 21st it was all over in Baltimore, but the strike spread to Pittsburgh, Chicago, and St. Louis, among others. In St. Louis workers held the city for 3 days and a general strike was achieved for that time.

By August it was all over, and 100 people were dead. The 1877 strikes set in motion a period of long and amazing strikes that won many victories for workers across the country.
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On July 20th, we will celebrate our history by walking the route of part of the rebellion, from the 5th Regiment Armory to Camden Yards, where we will meet with the UWA (www.unitedworkers.org) to connect over 125 years of workers struggles!



COME JOIN US!

When: July 20, 4:30 PM
Where: 5th Regiment Armory (Howard and Preston)


Email to endorse the call, or simply arrive!

-1877 Baltimore Organizers
baltimore1877-AT-ziplip.com