Local 1033 display, panel 12

Steelworker George Powers created a historical display for his union, Local 1033 at Republic Steel. The many panels of this display chronicle the history of steelworkers’ union activity both locally and nationally. The panels continue to be displayed at various events in the Local 1033 union hall. Panel 12 depicts events from the 1937 Little Steel Strike. During this strike, the Memorial Day Massacre occurred in which 10 strikers at the Republic plant were killed by city police and over one hundred people wounded. The photo shows the soup kitchen at Sam’s Place, a former tavern and dance hall converted to strike headquarters. The soup kitchen was run by the Women’s Auxiliary led by Southeast Chicago women, including Virginia Mrnkovich, Lucille Koche, and Dorothy Patterson. Approximately 200 women were part of the crowd, including several women at the front of the line that faced off with the police. Two women were shot in the legs, and a number of others were beaten. After the Massacre, as described by union leader Joe Cook, those women who had remained at Sam’s Place tended to the wounded and tore off strips from their own clothing to make bandages. The images of these panels were donated by union leader and former District 31 Director Ed Sadlowski.