The demonstration was called by the Buildings and Construction Trades Council of Greater Boston. Busloads of workers came in from outlying construction sites to join workers from city construction projects. Many risked losing a day's pay.

As the demonstrators assembled at City Hall, a few blocks from the capitol, the workers began to chant, "We want jobs!" As the marchers proceeded to the capitol, nearly everyone picked up the chant. A dummy with the word "unemployment' written on it was hung in effigy.

When the marchers gathered at the capitol, the union officials attempted to speak. But even though they were using sound equipment, they were drowned out by the chant "We want jobs."

Sargent finally emerged from the capitol and was greeted with a loud chorus of boos. When he attempted to address the crowd every statement was met with increasingly louder boos. Even when he said, "You want jobs; I want jobs too," the sound of boos drowned him out. The union officials tried to dampen the militancy but were also drowned out by the chanting.

July 21, 1947
Harvey Jones, 23 year old farmer and war veteran of Ahoskie, North Carolina, bought a $1 lottery ticket for a $3,200 Cadillac offered by the local Kiwanis Club at a festival "to help the underprivileged." Jones won the lottery but he didn't get the Cadillac because he was a Negro. Instead he was given back his dollar.

At 1:30 in the morning Jones was awakened by Sheriff Charlie Parker, who told him his name had been drawn as winner of the Cadillac, but there had been some mistake. According to the sheriff, Jones was not eligible to attend the Kiwanis festival dance so he should not have been sold the ticket in the first place.

The ticket stated: "You do not have to be present to win."

Another drawing was then held, and the big Cadillac sedan was given to a retired white doctor.

Now, after a nation-wide storm of protest, the Kiwanis Club has promised to give Jones another Cadillac.  
 
 
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