Buzz
The word 'boycott' emerged in the 1870s when Charles Cunningham Boycott, an Irish landowner, faced public exclusion. Although boycotts are typically seen as a peaceful form of protest, some instances have turned violent. In certain cases, these protests have either sparked change or attempted to.
10. Kosher Meat Boycott
In early 20th-century America, meat prices were controlled by the powerful beef tycoons, and in 1902, the cost of kosher meat soared to unprecedented levels.
The Jewish women in New York City found themselves unable to feed their families and decided to take action. Organizers encouraged whole communities to stop purchasing from local kosher butchers.
On May 15, the situation escalated when approximately 20,000 women stormed into butcher shops on the Lower East Side, starting fires. In addition to targeting the butchers, they confronted customers who defied the boycott, burning their purchases in the process.
In just one day, about 85 people were arrested, one police officer was hit with raw liver, and the media labeled the working-class women as 'ignorant.' However, by July, meat prices had dropped significantly.
9. The Sugar Boycott
After the British Parliament voted in favor of maintaining slavery in 1791, activists were prompted to resist by boycotting rum and sugar produced by enslaved individuals in the West Indies. Hundreds of thousands of pamphlets were distributed to raise awareness about the significance of the boycott.
While some pamphlets claimed that boycotting 2.3 kilograms (5 lbs) of sugar per week could save the life of a slave, others detailed the horrific practices on sugar plantations. The pamphlets reported that slaves were murdered by being boiled alive in cane sugar juice, which eventually made its way to British tea tables, with claims that every grain of sugar contained traces of the slaves' sweat and blood.
At its peak, the boycott garnered support from around 400,000 individuals. It ultimately came to an end with the onset of the French Revolution.
8. Kanawha Textbook Dispute
In 1974, around 46,000 students were enrolled in schools in Kanawha County, West Virginia. Although the Board of Education initially approved the textbooks for the year, one member later criticized them as distasteful, immoral, and offensive to people with traditional beliefs. Within days, protests erupted at school board meetings.
In the following months, protests escalated from rallies and marches to the firebombing of schools. Snipers targeted demonstrators (injuring at least one), and the county’s Board of Education building was blown up. Although the textbooks were banned in October, a November meeting aimed at reversing the decision only intensified the conflict.
Parents started to boycott schools by keeping their children at home or enrolling them in newly established Christian-based schools across the county. Despite the issue being resolved in December, protests persisted through 1977.
7. Limerick Boycott
In 1904, a renegade Catholic priest named Father John Creagh initiated a boycott against the small Jewish community in Limerick, resulting in significant repercussions.
Despite only about 150 Jewish residents in Limerick (Ireland’s third-largest city), Creagh took to the pulpit, blaming them for the city's economic struggles and encouraging a boycott of businesses linked to Jews. The media and several political figures soon echoed this anti-Semitic rhetoric.
In the following months, Limerick’s 35 Jewish families became the victims of a surge of violence. Only a few individuals were arrested for the numerous acts of assault and property damage. Meanwhile, support for the violent boycott began to grow in England. Most of the Jewish families eventually fled to the more hospitable city of Cork.
6. Tobacco Boycott
In 1890, the shah of Iran granted British traders exclusive control over the tobacco industry through a secret agreement. When this agreement was uncovered by an Iranian newspaper the following year, a swift backlash followed. As British representatives arrived to enforce the deal, protests erupted.
The leaders of the protest were exiled, which caused the Shiraz bazaars to shut down. A fatwa was issued condemning tobacco use, and mosques became havens for those protesting.
Support for the protests came from Russia, who had their own economic reasons for wanting to dismantle the British monopoly. With the entire nation of Iran participating in the tobacco boycott, the demonstrations turned violent. Authorities opened fire on protesters in Tehran, resulting in fatalities.
In 1892, when the agreement was abandoned, the financial penalties imposed on Iran plunged the country into significant debt.
5. Boycott Of Ford
Although there was never an official boycott declared against Henry Ford, the American Jewish Committee argued that such a move would only play into his hands. Nevertheless, protests erupted nationwide against Ford’s deep-seated anti-Semitism, with people targeting his cars and his newspaper.
A formal complaint was filed with Congress, and the Fox Film Corporation even threatened to transform all of their pre-movie newsreels into footage of Ford cars involved in accidents. Ford was hit with millions in lawsuits for libel, while Jews and their Christian supporters ceased purchasing Ford products.
Though Ford issued an apology in 1927, his private letters revealed that he didn’t truly believe it. He continued to express anti-Semitic sentiments from time to time. As World War II loomed, the informal boycott intensified, and Ford was compelled to offer yet another apology.
4. Bristol Bus Boycott
In the 1960s, a major civil rights movement was unfolding in Bristol, leading to a shift in English law. During this time, employers were still legally permitted to deny jobs based on race. In 1963, Guy Bailey was denied an interview with the state-owned Bristol Omnibus Company simply because of his race.
The company’s discriminatory stance sparked outrage among the city’s Caribbean community. With racial tensions already high, Bailey’s rejection became the spark for the people of Bristol to boycott the buses.
The company attempted to justify its discriminatory policy by arguing that a racially diverse workforce would harm business. However, in August 1963, they were forced to relent, announcing that race would no longer be a factor in hiring decisions.
The Race Relations Acts were subsequently passed in 1965 and 1968.
3. Alexandra Bus Boycott
Around 60,000 participants joined the 1957 Alexandra bus boycott in South Africa, opting to walk the 29 kilometers (18 miles) each day to make their stand. The protest lasted for three months, all sparked by a fare hike of one penny.
The fare increase was the tipping point, as the already overcrowded and unreliable public transportation system reached its breaking point. Protesters marching along the bus route were now crossing through the northern suburbs of Johannesburg, a wealthy, predominantly white area of the city.
The boycott concluded with the introduction of a coupon book, which cost four pennies but offered five pennies worth of rides. The protest, and the strong sense of unity that emerged from it, became a significant example of nonviolent resistance in South Africa.
2. Boycott Of The Banu Hashim
Long before Muhammad's teachings gained widespread acceptance, the leaders of the Quraish imposed a boycott on the Banu Hashim clan, the group that protected him from those who opposed his message so intensely that they sought his death. The Quraish even formalized the boycott with written agreements, prohibiting any business dealings or marriages with the Banu Hashim.
Fearing the potential for violence, the Banu Hashim fled the city and took refuge in a nearby ravine, which was easy to defend. However, they were exiled there for three long years. Struggling with limited supplies and no food sources, the ravine became a place of famine.
After three years, support for the boycott waned. When the document was reviewed, it was discovered that the words, except for the phrase 'Bismika-Allah-Hummah' ('Thy name, O God'), had been eaten away by ants. The boycott was officially lifted.
1. The 1936 Olympics
Germany was chosen to host the 1936 Olympics years before Hitler's rise to power. As the event drew closer, the United States demanded assurances that the Germans would conduct a fair and impartial competition before sending their athletes.
Avery Brundage, the president of the American Olympic Committee, was dispatched to Germany to evaluate the situation. He returned with a report declaring that all was well, despite only being allowed to interview Jewish athletes under Gestapo supervision.
Many were skeptical of his report, and the debate to boycott the Olympics raged on. When the Amateur Athletic Union held a vote, the results were 58.25% in favor of attending and 55.75% for a boycott.
The boycott was spearheaded by an Irish Catholic named Jeremiah Titus Mahoney, who was deeply skeptical of Brundage's report on the German situation. Shortly after Brundage's visit, Hitler enacted the infamous Nuremberg Laws, but the Olympics proceeded as planned.
+Further Reading
Here are more intriguing lists related to boycotts, activism, and charitable failures!
10 Attempts At Charity That Made Things Worse 10 Famous Boycotts 10 Horrible Facts About Charities 10 Woeful Attempts At Activism That Backfired Spectacularly 10 Sporting Events Plagued By Human Rights Abuses
