Jacob S. Coxey, Sr.

Who was Jacob S. Coxey, Sr.?

Jacob Sechler Coxey, Sr. sometimes known as General Coxey of Massillon, Ohio, was an American politician, who ran for elective office several times in Ohio. Twice, in 1894 and 1914, he led "Coxey's Army", a group of unemployed men who marched to Washington, D.C. to present a "Petition in Boots" demanding that the United States Congress allocate funds to create jobs for the unemployed. Although the marches failed, Coxey's Army was an early attempt to arouse political interest in an issue that grew in importance until the Social Security Act of 1935 encouraged the establishment of state unemployment insurance programs.