Marchers leaving their camp

Coxey's Army was a protest march by unemployed workers from the United States, led by the populist Jacob Coxey. They marched on Washington D.C. in 1894, the second year of a four-year economic depression that was the worst in United States history to that time. Officially named the Commonweal in Christ, its nickname came from its leader and was more enduring. It was the first significant popular protest march on Washington and the expression "Enough food to feed Coxey's Army" originates from this march. Image File history File links Coxey_commonweal_army_brightwood_leaving. ... Image File history File links Coxey_commonweal_army_brightwood_leaving. ... Populism is a political ideology or rhetorical style that holds that the common person is oppressed by the elite in society, which exists only to serve its own interests, and therefore, the instruments of the State need to be grasped from this self-serving elite and instead used for the... Jacob Sechler Coxey Sr. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... In economics, a depression is a term commonly used for a sustained downturn in the economy. ...

The purpose of the march

The purpose of the march was to protest the unemployment caused by the Panic of 1893 and to lobby for the government to create jobs which would involve building roads and other public works improvements. The march originated with 100 men in Massillon, Ohio on March 25, 1894. Various groups from around the country gathered to join the march, and its number had grown to 500 with more on the way from further west when it reached Washington on April 30, 1894. Coxey and other leaders of the movement were arrested the next day for walking on the grass of the United States Capitol, and the rest of the men scattered. The Panic of 1893 was a serious decline in the economy of the United States that began in 1893 and was precipitated in part by a run on the gold supply. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Look up Public works in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Massillon is a city located in Stark County, Ohio. ... March 25 is the 84th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (85th in leap years). ... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... April 30 is the 120th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (121st in leap years), with 245 days remaining. ... The entire front of the Capitol Building. ...

Coxey's army in culture

Among the people observing the march was L. Frank Baum, before he gained fame. There are political interpretations of his book, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which have often been related to Coxey's Army. In the novel, Dorothy, the Scarecrow (the American farmer), Tin Woodman (the industrial worker), and Cowardly Lion (political leader), march on the yellow brick road to Oz, the Capital (or Washington DC), demanding relief from the Wizard, who is interpreted to be the President. Dorothy's shoes are interpreted to symbolize using free silver instead of the gold standard (the road of yellow brick) because the shortage of gold precipitated the Panic of 1893. In the film adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, the silver shoes were turned into ruby for the cinematic effect of color, as Technicolor was still in its early years when The Wizard of Oz was produced. The Laughing Dragon of Oz, see Frank Joslyn Baum . ... Most readers in 1900 read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as a fairy tale, but cartoonists recognized that Baum and Denslow were using images that editorial cartoonists had long used to portray American politicians. ... The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a childrens story written by L. Frank Baum, illustrated by W.W. Denslow, and first published in 1900. ... Flag Seal Nickname: DC, The District Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location Location of Washington, D.C., with regard to the surrounding states of Maryland and Virginia. ... Free Silver was an important political issue in the late 19th century United States. ... The Panic of 1893 was a serious decline in the economy of the United States that began in 1893 and was precipitated in part by a run on the gold supply. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Logo celebrating Technicolors 90th Anniversary Technicolor is the trademark for a series of color film processes pioneered by Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation (a subsidiary of Technicolor, Inc. ...

See also

• List of protest marches on Washington, DC

The following is a list of protest marches on Washington, DC: April 30, 1894 - Coxeys Army. ...

References

• Schwantes, Carlos A. Coxey’s Army: An American Odyssey (1985)

External links

• Daily Bleed Calendar: March 25, 1894