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Bisbee Deportation

Before class preparation/set up

Set up tables and chairs for groups of 2-4 students. Arrange groups of materials around the room chronologically. This is best accomplished in U shape.

Materials include publications and selections from University of Arizona Libraries Special Collections archival collections, secondary sources, and primary sources from the Library of Congress Digital Collections.  

Tools & Materials Needed

Group 1

  1. AZ 114, Box 1, folder 1, exhibit 2. Item: Warning: The Deadly Parallel (I.W.W. poster on World War I) [UAL Special Collections]
  2. AZ 114, Box 1, folder 1, exhibit 53. Item: Statement of General Executive Board of the I.W.W. on War [UAL Special Collections]

Group 2

  1. AZ 114, box 1, folder 1A, exhibit 18. Item: Preamble and Constitution of the Industrial Workers of the World (Chicago: I.W.W. Publishing Bureau, [1916?], 32 pages.) [UAL Special Collections]
  2. AZ 114, box 1, folder 1A, exhibit 27. Item: I.W.W. Songs To Fan the Flames of Discontent (Joe Hill Memorial Edition. Chicago: I.W.W. Publishing Bureau, 1917, 59 pages.) [UAL Special Collections]

Group 3

  1. [Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.) demonstration, New York City]. [Library of Congress]
  2. Now for a round-up / W.A. Rogers. (drawing/editorial cartoon). [Library of Congress]
  3. AZ 114, Box 1 Folder 1 and 3. Item: IWW stickers [UAL Special Collections]

Group 4

  1. Bisbee, Arizona, 1916. [Library of Congress]
  2. Panorama of Bisbee, Ariz. [Library of Congress]
  3. Jerome United Verdee [sic] Mine. [Library of Congress]
  4. Photos of Bisbee. AzSwB Photo collection, Drawer 3, Folder 39, Items 2, 12, 32, 37. [UAL Special Collections]
  5. Photos of Mines and Miners in Bisbee. AzSwB Photo collection, Drawer 3, Folder 50, Items 14, 23, 25, 39. [UAL Special Collections]
  6. Arizona-New Mexico Map, 1919. [Library of Congress]

Group 5

  1. AZ 114 Box 1, folder 1, exhibit 35. Item: Telegram to William D. Haywood from F. H. Little. [UAL Special Collections]
  2. AZ 114 Box 1, folder 1, exhibit 33. Item: Telegram to William D. Haywood from Grover H. Perry. [UAL Special Collections]
  3. AZ 114 Box 1, folder 2, exhibit 90. Item: Credentials certifying that Grover Perry. [UAL Special Collections]
  4. AZ 114 Box 1, folder 2, exhibit 77. Item: Letter to Chas MacKinnen concerning the success of the strike in Jerome. [UAL Special Collections]

Group 6

  1. AZ 114 Box 1, folder 2, exhibit 71. Item: Letter from E. J. MacCasham to Grover Perry concerning an upcoming convention. [UAL Special Collections]
  2. AZ 114 Box 1, folder 2, exhibit 116. Item: Minutes of an IWW meeting at Bisbee (June 23). [UAL Special Collections]
  3. AZ 114 Box 1, folder 2, exhibit 83. Item: Letter from A. Embree to Grover Perry concerning the strike that had just been called in Bisbee (June 26). [UAL Special Collections]

Group 7

  1. Bisbee Daily Review: June 27 page 1 (2 articles: "Sheriff announces he will use force" and "Bisbee Branch I.W.W. makes demand") [Library of Congress]
  2. Bisbee Daily Review June 28, 1917 page 1 (Citizen’s Protective League). [Library of Congress]

Group 8

  1. AZ 114 Box 1, folder 2, exhibit 85. Item: Letter to Grover Perry concerning the success of multiple strikes. [UAL Special Collections]
  2. AZ 114 Box 1, folder 2, exhibit 76. Item: Letter to the Executive Committee concerning the demand of a six-hour work day. [UAL Special Collections]

Group 9

  1. Marching from Lowell [Ariz.] Deportation of I.W.W.’s July 12, 1917. [Library of Congress]
  2. Bisbee deportation photos. AzSwB Photo Collection: Drawer 3, folders 51-52. [UAL Special Collections]

Group 10

  1. Bisbee Daily Review July 13, 1917. [Library of Congress]
  2. Bisbee Daily Review July 13, 1917. [Library of Congress]

Group 11

  1. AZ 114 box 1, folder 1, exhibit 33. Item: Telegram. [UAL Special Collections]
  2. AZ 114 Box 1, folder 2, exhibit 63. Item: Letter was sent from I.W.W. members in camp to William Hayword. [UAL Special Collections]
  3. AZ 114 Box 1, folder 1 Exhibit 74. Item: Letter to Grover Perry from J. MacDonald July 23, 2917. [UAL Special Collections]
  4. AZ 115. Item: “The Truth about Bisbee”. [UAL Special Collections]
  5. Hanson, Rob. The Great Bisbee IWW Deportation of July 12, 1917. Bisbee, AZ: Signature, 1980. HD6515.M6 H36 1989. [UAL Special Collections]
  6. Watson, Fred. "Still on Strike: Recollections of a Bisbee Deportee." Journal of Arizona History 18.2 (1977): 171-184. F806.A762. [UAL Special Collections] 
  7. Medigovich, George. "Excerpts from a letter." 1979. Special Collections WL9791 Pam.11. [UAL Special Collections]

Group 12

  1. United States. Department of Labor. Report on the Bisbee Deportations. Washington: Govt. Print. Off., 1918. Special Collections H9791 B621 U58r. [UAL Special Collections]
  2. Deportations from Bisbee: And a Resume of Other Troubles in Arizona. S.l.: S.n., 1917 Deportations from Bisbee: and a resume of other troubles in Arizona. Arizona Chapter of the American Mining Congress [1917?] Special Collections H9791 B621 A51. [UAL Special Collections]
  3. Wootton, H. E. The Law of Necessity as Applied in State of Arizona vs. H.E. Wooton : Bisbee I.W.W. Deportation Case. Tucson]: Bureau of Information, 1918. Special Collections H9791 B621 L41. [UAL Special Collections]

Activities

Part 1: Introduction to Special Collections and Library of Congress digital collections (15 minutes)

Introduce students to Special Collections and archives. Provide an overview of what Special Collections holds and how to search for materials online through finding aids, the library catalog, and digital collections. Also explain policies and procedures for using materials in the Reading Room, as well as guidelines for handling materials appropriately during the exercise. Introduce the digital collections available at Library of Congress.

Part 2: Exercise overview (5 minutes)

Explain to the students that the documents in the room collectively tell the story of the Bisbee Deportation. Students will look at and derive meaning from their documents individually. Then they will discuss what they found in small groups, and each group will describe their documents to the class. At the end, a volunteer will tell their version of Bisbee Deportation based on the accounts of their classmates’ documents. 

Part 3: Individual and small group activity (15 minutes)

Instruct students to analyze their documents independently and to be prepared to present their findings to each other in their groups. Once groups begin their discussion, walk around the room and prompt them with questions such as:

  • What is it?
  • What information does it provide? What are they telling you?
  • What questions do you still have?

Part 4: Full class discussion (15 minutes)

Lead a discussion with the full class by asking each group to articulate what they learned from their documents. Then ask for volunteers to tell the full story.

Part 5: Wrap-up (10 minutes)

Use a wrap-up discussion for students to demonstrate their critical thinking skills. Ask them about other observations or conclusions drawn about the context of their documents. Possible guiding questions include:

  • Look at your documents again. Is there more that your documents are telling you?
  • What more can you add to the story?
  • How do the documents work together to make a story?
  • What else do you want to know?