Skip to main content

The timeline can be navigated by dragging the pointer on the timeline bar, located at the bottom of the screen on the desktop version and on the left of the screen on mobile. To filter by a specific topic, make a selection on the dropdown “Filters” menu or click “Search” to do a keyword search. To learn more, click “Read More” below.

Read More
A packed crowd gathers around a Skinner and Eddy, a shipbuilding corporation, warehouse.
A strike against shipyards on the Seattle waterfront precedes the Seattle General Strike (1919). (Photo: Paul Dorpat)

General strike begins in Seattle.

1919

IM
LAB
XEN
EUR
A strike against shipyards on the Seattle waterfront precedes the Seattle General Strike (1919). (Photo: Paul Dorpat)

The Seattle General Strike marks the first recognized city-wide labor action in the United States. Arising from shipyard workers' demands for a pay raise after WWI production increases, the strike lasts one week and leads to a wave of labor conflict in the post-WWI era.

The strike is largely seen as anti-American in public opinion. Blame for the strike is placed on "dark," "undesirable aliens," which, in this case, refers to immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe.