In this episode of Only Murders on the Harbor, host Kaydee explores the 1923 murder of William McKay, a dedicated Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) organizer in Aberdeen, Washington. Known as the Wobblies, McKay and his fellow labor activists stood at the center of a fierce struggle between timber workers and powerful mill owners on the Grays Harbor coast. Through firsthand accounts, historical documents, and contemporary reporting, we delve into the brutal tactics used by company-backed vigilantes, the rise of the Citizens’ Committees, and the violent repression that culminated in McKay’s assassination. Join us as we unpack the legacy of labor resistance in the Pacific Northwest and honor the courage of workers who fought for dignity and justice in the face of deadly opposition.

Sources Used:

• Aaron Goings, May Day and the Murder of William McKay: 100 Years Past (CounterPunch, 2023)
• Industrial Worker, Vol. 5, No. 20 (May 16, 1923)
• Roderick Nash, Lumber Towns and Timber Frontiers: The Pacific Northwest, 1880–1920 (University of Washington Press, 1990)
• HistoryLink.org, Hoquiam — Thumbnail History
• Industrial Workers of the World Archives and Historical Documents (various)