New jobs in Monroe!

On February 17 1930 the Newton Steel plant in Monroe opens. The community is excited about its' new plant and the jobs it has brought. At this point 900 workers are employed at the plant.

A Growing Town

Attracting Businesses

The leaders of Monroe knew that it was necessary for businesses to move to Monroe to create more jobs and to further grow the community. The town of Monroe chose to help Newton Steel by extending railroad lines to their plant and to build roads leading to it. It was becoming common practice for a town to help a business in this way, especially if the company would bring many jobs

"I come from Monroe"

Since its' days as a French settlement in the 1700s Frenchtown, the area that would later became Monroe has fostered a strong sense of pride and loyalty between members of their community; the earliest settlers overcame the dangers of living in the frontier while protecting their neighbors and families.   During the War of 1812 the residents of the area, most of whom shared a French heritage faced the invading British military and their allies, with a battle in their very hometown. The solidarity between Monroe residents in the midst of perceived threats would be seen again in the 1930s.

Outsiders- Who is an outsider?

In its' earliest days the settlement that grew into Monroe was inhabited by settlers from France. These settlers shared many traditions and a Roman Catholic religious heritage. They also shared a common enemy- the British forces that invaded their settlement.

Monroe's location on Lake Erie made it an excellent port, allowing the exchange of goods produced in the surrounding area for trade. But this easy access made Monroe a popular place for other immigrants to settle.

Well into the early 20th century many new immigrants came from Germany, Ireland, and Britain. These immigrants came from various countries and practiced their own distinct traditions and cultures, and this was a source of resentment from the citizens who already lived in the area.

In Monroe, immigrants often would settle near the outskirts of town, and groups of immigrants from a particular country would often live close to each other. Unskilled laborers and factory workers in particular were seen as outsiders.

Not in our town

In May 1937 there were many large strikes across the nation. Labor unions including the CIO were organizing large-scale strikes and pickets. These strikes were often accompanied by violence and accusations that union members were communists. In the city of Chicago, deadly riots broke out after protesting workers clashed with police and factory security.

City officials and Citizens of Monroe grew afraid that similar violence could happen in Monroe. Adding to this worry, there was news of a "lack of law and order" in another sit-down strike in Flint, Michigan. This news came from Monroe National Guard members returning home after being sent to keep order.

After picketing by Newton Steel workers turned into a full-blown strike, Homer Martin, the president of the United Auto Workers (UAW) called for tens of thousands of their union's members to meet in Monroe to show their support and to further the national labor movement.

While Homer Martin's intention was to stage a peaceful event, the sheer number of union members being summoned left citizens and town officials in Monroe dumbstruck and in fear. In the midst of the violence, rioting, and loss of life in the Chicago strikes, officials and citizens were panicked and a Citizen's Battalion was formed to protect Monroe from harm.

"The eyes of a nation were on Monroe"

The residents of Monroe, a normally quiet town, did not expect their community to gain national attention. Being relatively far from from Chicago and the strike riots that occurred there, many residents felt immune to the pangs of the labor movement felt in larger cities in the United States. The violence that occurred in Monroe as a result of the Newton Steel strike was expected even less.