The raised fist has been a symbol of civil rights and labor struggles for decades.
But it wasn’t until 2011 that the ubiquitous Blue Fist — a raised, Smurf-blue fist in the shape of Wisconsin, surrounded by a sea of red — was born.
The fist — which features Madison as a white star — debuted early that year amid massive demonstrations over Gov. Scott Walker’s controversial measure to all but end collective bargaining for most of Wisconsin’s public workers. The protests brought tens of thousands of people to the state Capitol for days on end.
The Blue Fist could be seen on Wisconsin state AFL-CIO posters — which typically read “Stand With Wisconsin” — carried by people filling the rotunda and marching around the Capitol.
It was on bumper stickers of cars, some of them honking to the tune of protest theme, “This is what Democracy looks like!” as they circled the Capitol Square. The fist still hangs in shop windows and homes. Some protesters had it tattooed on their arms.
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The Blue Fist has even made appearances at concerts and shows. The Decemberists displayed it when they played the song, “This is Why We Fight,” on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
The image was designed by Appleton native and former UW-Milwaukee fine arts student Carrie Worthen, who wrote on the AFL-CIO website that her goal was to make it “bold and clear, loud and simple.”
On her own website, Worthen explained the symbolism: “It shows Wisconsin as a revolutionary raised fist in Democratic blue, surrounded by an expanse of Republican red with Madison as a white star.”
In this Series
Madison in 100 Objects
Test your memory by matching photos of some of the 100 objects that define Madison.
Photos are chosen randomly — always two of each. There are easy, medium and expert levels, all of which you can play on any device, but levels below expert will appear better on phones and tablets.
