Industrial Workers of the World Photograph Collection: Everett Massacre, 1916

The Everett Massacre, a tragic and violent event, unfolded when a group of approximately 300 Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) members attempted to dock at Everett, Washington. On the afternoon of November 5, 1916, these IWW members arrived in Everett, where they were met by a large crowd composed of local police and over 200 armed deputized citizen vigilantes. The IWW members had returned to Everett after IWW organizers were driven out of town and subjected to violence by business owner-aligned vigilantes after attempting to organize during a related strike by shingle weavers.

The IWW members had returned to stage a "Free Speech Fight," a strategy involving the deliberate influx of IWW members into an area to exercise their constitutional right to public speaking. This tactic was aimed at getting arrested and overwhelming local jails and courts, which had proven successful in several campaigns across various US locations, at times establishing a precedent of non-harassment for public speaking by local authorities.

Following tense verbal exchanges between the Snohomish County sheriff and the IWW members regarding their right to land on the dock, a shot was fired. It remains unclear which side fired the first shot, as both were armed, but it became evident that the Everett crowd was better armed during the ensuing ten-minute gunfight. One of the two IWW boats came close to capsizing, leading to the displacement of IWW passengers into the water. Some were shot, and some presumably drowned.

In the aftermath of the battle, five IWW members were confirmed dead, although the number may have been as high as a dozen, and 27 were wounded. Two citizen deputies lost their lives, with 16-20 wounded, including the Snohomish County sheriff. Ironically, the two deputies killed were struck by "friendly fire" from their fellow deputies, who shot them in the back during the chaotic melee.

Upon their return to Seattle, 74 IWW members were arrested and placed in the Snohomish County jail. Eventually, all the prisoners were released, except for one IWW leader: Thomas Tracy. Tracy faced trial for the deputies' murder, a charge from which he was ultimately acquitted.

The photograph collection holds postcards and funeral photos of the deceased IWW members, providing a somber glimpse into this tragic event.