In 1904, seven men met in Chicago and laid the foundation for the International Workers of the World. Attendees included radicals and trade unionists from across the United States. The IWW slogan was, “Workers of the world, unite!” It was the only American union to include all workers, even those who had been excluded from other unions. Within ten years, there were more than 900 chapters in more than 350 cities across 38 American states and five Canadian provinces. Ninety publications affiliated with the IWW were published in 19 different languages.
In 1913, the Iconoclast, a socialist newspaper in Minot, called on the IWW to help organize agricultural workers. The IWW sent two representatives to organize what the IWW called “wage slaves.” More organizers arrived to help, and the crowd continued to grow. The number of those arrested continued to grow as well. There were two views of the protest. The local newspaper saw it as a riot fomented by outside agitators. Socialist newspapers reported that protesters were beaten by police. Some local businessmen urged the governor to call out the militia. So many arrests were made that the jail was full, and police began holding prisoners at the local stockyard.
The prediction that the unrest was under control proved to be somewhat optimistic. The unrest continued into September. On this date in 1913, the Bismarck Tribune reported that IWW men were attacking farmers and engaging in vandalism. Several threshing machines had been damaged, and farmers were forming a vigilance committee to prevent further destruction. Also on this date in 1913, the Fargo Forum and Daily Republican reported that one protester who was brought to trial was faking a loss of his mind to avoid prosecution. The defendant claimed he could not testify because he had lost his mind after being beaten in the head by police.
In the end, the demonstrations ended with a whimper rather than a bang. Demonstrators agreed to leave the city in exchange for not being charged with crimes. The events in Minot are remembered for their impact on the local socialist movement and the exhaustion of city resources, rather than for any legal precedent. By forcing the city to convert stockyards into temporary jails and stretching municipal budgets to a breaking point, the demonstrators influenced local civil discourse and organizational tactics more than they altered the North Dakota legal code.
Dakota Datebook written by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- Bismarck Daily Tribune. “IWW Men Attack Farmers.” Bismarck ND. 9/18/1913. Page 2.
- Ward County Independent. “Scores of Men Leave the City.” 8/28/1913. Page 1.
- Fargo Forum and Daily Republican. “IWW Fakes Loss of Mind.” Fargo ND. 9/18/1913. Page 1.
- Strang, Dean A. (2019). Keep the Wretches in Order: America's Biggest Mass Trial, the Rise of the Justice Department, and the Fall of the IWW. University of Wisconsin Press. 2019. p. 12.
- The Minot Voice. “Industrial Workers of the World Unite in Minot.” https://www.theminotvoice.com/curio/on-this-day-industrial-workers-of-the-world-unite-in-minot-34263/Accessed 8/28/2026.
- Revolutions Newstand. “Hell is Popping in Minot.” https://revolutionsnewsstand.com/2026/07/07/d-from-the-industrial-worker-vol-5-no-20-august-21-1913/Accessed 8/29/2026.
