University of Virginia Library

Boredom

For the most part there was a general feeling
of boredom among the people gathered. Most
had come from similar rallies at their respective
schools where they had listened to similar
oratory all week. The people had come hoping
that Washington would be different; the only
difference, however, was in number and it
was felt by many that their time would have
been better spent continuing the strike at their
own schools.

Washington officials had braced for a major
display of violence by demonstrators. There
were trucks full of troops in the Courtyard of
the Commerce Department and in the
underground garage of the Labor Department.
A total of 5,600 regular U.S. Army troops were
on standby in the nearby federal buildings.