Lawrence, Massachusetts, and the 1912 Bread & Roses Strike at Street Level

The 1912 Bread & Roses Strike paralyzed Lawrence's textile manufacturing industry for nine weeks in the dead of winter. Organized by the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), the strike is known for its multiethnic participation, the prominent role of women, and its challenge to the contemporary political climate, abysmal working conditions, and wage structure. Its successful resolution in March 1912 was a pivotal moment in early twentieth-century labor history. However, local officials suppressed this history for decades. This chapter explores the interpretive activities of two historical institutions, Lawrence Heritage State Park and Lawrence History Center, leading up to, during, and after the centennial anniversary in 2012 to place the strike in the city's recent collective memory.