Social Sciences · Criminology & Criminal Justice
The Boston Police Strike of 1919
Verified Faculty Resource
Ready-to-teach slide deck (60–75 min) examining the 1919 Boston Police Strike as a landmark case study in police labor relations and American political history. Covers the structural origins of the strike, Commissioner Curtis’s confrontational response, verified wage and working conditions data, the four-day walkout and public disorder, Governor Coolidge’s military response, and the long-term suppression of police unionism. Closes with a contemporary-facing slide on modern alternatives: blue flu, work-to-rule, slowdowns, and the Ferguson Effect. Free to use under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).
Who It's For
Designed for undergraduate courses in criminology, criminal justice history, labor history, or American political history. No prerequisite knowledge of police history is assumed. Works as a standalone case study lecture or within a broader unit on police institutions and reform. Graduate courses can extend the discussion using the contemporary-facing slide and assigned primary sources.
Learning Outcomes
- Students will be able to explain the structural and economic conditions that precipitated the 1919 Boston Police Strike, including verified wage data and working conditions.
- Students will be able to analyze the political responses of Commissioner Curtis and Governor Coolidge and evaluate the long-term effects of their decisions on police unionism in the United States.
- Students will be able to compare historical and contemporary forms of police labor action (blue flu, work-to-rule, slowdowns, the Ferguson Effect) and assess the policy tradeoffs involved.
- Students will be able to apply lessons from the 1919 strike to current debates about police accountability, collective bargaining rights, and public safety.
Sign in to access this resource
FP×P is a faculty-verified peer-to-peer marketplace. Create a free account to browse and download.