Jacob S. Coxey

American businessman and politician

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July 16, 2026

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Jacob S. Coxey was an American businessman and political reformer known for leading "Coxey's Army" in 1894. This group of unemployed individuals marched to Washington, D.C., during a depression, hoping to persuade Congress to fund a public road-building program to create jobs. Coxey proposed printing $500 million in Treasury notes to finance this initiative.12

Although Coxey's Army was the only one of several such groups to reach the capital, their efforts did not directly influence public policy. The venture highlighted the widespread unrest among working people and inspired similar marches. Coxey and some followers were arrested for trespassing on Capitol grounds, marking an ignominious end to their protest.1

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Coxey’s Army
Led by Jacob S. Coxey, a businessman, the group left Massillon, Ohio, on March 25, 1894, with about 100 men, accompanied by a large contingent of reporters, and arrived in Washington on May 1 with about 500. Coxey hoped to persuade Congress to authorize a vast program…
Read More
Led by Jacob S. Coxey, a businessman, the group left Massillon, Ohio, on March 25, 1894, with about 100 men, accompanied by a large contingent of reporters, and arrived in Washington on May 1 with about 500. Coxey hoped to persuade Congress to authorize a vast program…
Read More