Hilo massacre facts for kids

The Hilo massacre, also known as Bloody Monday, was an event that happened on August 1, 1938. It took place in Hilo, Hawaii. During a workers' strike, over 70 police officers tried to stop about 200 unarmed protesters. In the process, 50 of the protesters were hurt.

The police used tear gas, water hoses, and even fired their riot guns. This caused 50 injuries, but thankfully, no one died.

The protesters came from many different backgrounds. They included people of Chinese, Japanese, Native Hawaiian, Portuguese, and Filipino heritage. They also belonged to various worker groups, like the International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union. These different groups usually didn't work together. But they put aside their differences to challenge the Inter-Island Steam Navigation Company.

The unions, led by a longshoreman named Harry Kamoku, had important demands. They wanted the same pay as workers on the West Coast of the United States. They also wanted a "closed shop" or "union shop". This means that all workers in a company would have to join the union.

The strikes began on February 4, 1938. They reached their peak on August 1. On that day, 200 workers gathered to protest the arrival of the SS Waialeale. This was a steamship owned by the Inter-Island Steam Navigation Company. The protesters were told to leave, but they refused. That's when force was used, leading to many people being sent to the hospital.

Why the Hilo Massacre Happened

In 1935, the U.S. Congress passed a law called the Wagner Act. This law was part of the New Deal, which aimed to help Americans during the Great Depression. The Wagner Act made it legal for workers to join and be represented by labor unions.

At that time, Hawaii was not yet a state. Since the 1920s, five big companies, known as the "Big Five," largely controlled Hawaii. These companies were Alexander & Baldwin, C. Brewer, Castle & Cooke, American Factors, and Theo. Davies. The workers in Hawaii were often separated by their ethnic backgrounds. This made it harder for them to unite and helped keep wages low.

Harry Kamoku (1905–1957) was a key person in organizing the first real union in Hawaii that was legally recognized. Kamoku was Chinese-Hawaiian and worked as a longshoreman (a dock worker). He was born in Hilo.

On November 22, 1935, Kamoku and about 30 longshoremen from different ethnic groups formed the Hilo Longshoremen's Association. This union was successful. Other unions also formed or came to Hawaii from other places. These included the Inland Boatmen's Union (IBU), the International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union (ILWU), and the Metal Trades Council (MTC).

The Strikes Begin

The strikes started on February 4, 1938. The workers demanded equal wages with workers on the West Coast. They also wanted a "closed shop" or "union shop" system. The strikes continued through July and August.

The SS Waialeale was a ship owned by the Inter-Island Steamship Company. This company was, in turn, owned by the "Big Five" companies. The ship was scheduled to arrive in port on August 1. On that day, protesters from different unions gathered to protest the ship's docking. News reports said there were about 500 to 600 people. However, it is likely there were around 200 protesters.

What Happened During the Incident

After the ship docked, the crowd of protesters moved forward on the dock. The police had set up a "dead line" that protesters were not supposed to cross. But the protesters crossed it anyway. The police then threw about a dozen tear gas grenades into the crowd.

Some members of the Hawaii Territorial Guard were among the protesters. They threw tear gas grenades back at the police or away from the crowd. They also helped the unions by sharing police plans on how the police would react to the strike. The tear gas caused some confusion and made some protesters leave. But after they regrouped, the crowd kept moving forward.

Meanwhile, the police got ready to use fire truck hoses. They sprayed the crowd with water. At this point, the police did not try to arrest anyone. They were unsure if they had the legal power to do so. The protesters eventually regrouped again.

Most of the time, the protesters remained peaceful. They would sit down and refuse to leave when police officers confronted them.

Sheriff Henry K. Martin ordered the police officers to change their ammunition. They were told to use "birdshot" instead of "buckshot". Birdshot is less harmful and was meant to scatter the crowd without causing deaths. Police warned the protesters they would shoot if they did not leave. Few people listened to this warning.

At 10:20 a.m., Lieutenant Charles Warren injured one protester with a bayonet. Then, the police opened fire on the crowd for five minutes with birdshot. Some officers who did not hear the order still fired with buckshot. At least 16 shots were fired. At least 50 people were shot, including two women and two children.

After the Incident

Later that day, a larger crowd gathered to hear Harry Kamoku speak. Estimates of the crowd size ranged from 500 to 3000 people. Kamoku told them, "The only reason we know for them shooting at us like criminals is that we are members of our chosen unions. The order to shoot came while we were sitting down."

Joseph V. Hodgson (1899–1973) was the Attorney General for the territory. He was appointed by Governor Joseph Poindexter a few weeks before the Hilo Massacre. Hodgson later wrote the Hodgson Report, which described the Massacre.

In October 1938, a protester named Kai Uratani, who was injured, filed a lawsuit against the officers. He lost the case. Instead, he had to pay for the officers' legal costs.

Legacy of the Hilo Massacre

Even with the injuries, the strike did not immediately achieve big gains for the unions. However, within ten years, unions in Hawaii became very powerful. The anniversary of the Hilo massacre, August 1, was regularly remembered at the Hilo docks.