On the first Sunday of May every year since 1986, several hundred persons gather at the corner of E. Russell Ave. and S. Superior St., in the Bay View neighborhood of Milwaukee to hold a Bay View Massacre Commemoration sponsored by the Wisconsin Labor History Society.
The event is to spotlight the struggles of workers in the 19th Century to obtain decent working conditions, concentrating mainly upon establishing the eight-hour-workday. On May 5, 1886, some 1500 laborers in a rally headed by the Knights of Labor marched toward the Bay View Rolling Mills site, campaigning for shorter work hours. State Militia troops stationed at the site on orders from Wisconsin Gov. Jeremiah P. Rusk fired into the crowd, killing seven.
May 3, 2026
The commemoration of the 140th anniversary of the Bay View Massacre will happen on Sunday, May 3, 2026. The commemoration will take place at 3:00 PM at the historical marker on Russell Avenue and Superior Street in the Bay View neighborhood of Milwaukee. The event will feature music from the Raging Grannies beginning at 2:45 PM, as well as a dramatic reenactment of the massacre, music, speakers, and singing “Solidarity Forever.” The music for the event will be provided by David H. B. Drake and Ojumire Charleston. Our speakers are Juan Alvarez of Iron Workers Local 8 and Nikolai Gurda and his students from Fernwood Montessori.
Prior to the event, the Young Workers Committee of the Milwaukee Area Labor Council will lead a march, tracing the same route the workers did in 1886. They will meet at Lincoln Avenue and Bay Street and step off at 2:00 PM, arriving at the historic marker site in time for the 3:00 PM commemorative ceremony.
After the event, join us at Puddler’s Hall, 2461 S. St. Clair Street, for music and fellowship. The music at Puddler’s will be “Songs of Hope and Struggle from the Bilgetea Collective,” featuring Andrew the Red and Sean Hendley, Kayla Golden, Brian Traut, and friends.
Click here for a flier for the event.
Contact info@wisconsinlaborhistory.org with any questions.