Coxey's Army
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In 1894, economic depression brought more than forty different armies of unemployed workers to Washington, DC. Jacob S. Coxey, a wealthy Populist, led the most well known of these groups. Publicity of the march worried the authorities and 1,500 soldiers were stationed in Washington to meet them. However, when they arrived on May 1, 1894, the “army” numbered only 500. Coxey was prevented from speaking at the US Capitol when he was arrested for walking on the grass. This was the first large scale protest on the National Mall.
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In 1894, economic depression brought more than forty different armies of unemployed workers to Washington, DC. Jacob S. Coxey, a wealthy Populist, led the most well known of these groups. Publicity of the march worried the authorities and 1,500 soldiers were stationed in Washington to meet them. However, when they arrived on May 1, 1894, the “army” numbered only 500. Coxey was prevented from speaking at the US Capitol when he was arrested for walking on the grass. This was the first large scale protest on the National Mall.