1919年5月4日，在北京爆發(fā)的五四愛國運動的消息，迅速傳到天津，天津的廣大愛國青年立刻響應(yīng)。5月5日，北洋大學(xué)致電北京大學(xué)進行聲援；直隸第一女子師范學(xué)生代表，倡議成立女界愛國同志會(25日正式成立),劉清揚任會長，鄧穎超、郭隆真等為評議委員。
5月6日晚，天津官立、私立中等學(xué)校以上共10所學(xué)校的代表29人，在北洋大學(xué)召開大會，首議了要北京政府即刻開釋被拘留的學(xué)生，追歸青島； 并議決了四條辦法。
5月7日，是袁世凱與日本簽訂賣國的“二十一條”國恥紀念日，各學(xué)校都召開紀念大會。
5月7日晚，天津中等以上各學(xué)校學(xué)生代表24人，又進行聚會，發(fā)表演說，匯報斗爭情況；并成立了天津?qū)W生臨時聯(lián)合會，選舉了臨時學(xué)聯(lián)的成員，諶志篤、馬駿任正、副會長。
此后，各校召開各種會議，抵制日貨、罷上日語課，進行多種形式的斗爭；接待北京來津?qū)W生，派代表進京參加學(xué)界聯(lián)合大會。第一女子師范學(xué)校，還有多名學(xué)生咬破食指，憤寫血書，聲討賣國行徑。使曹汝霖、章宗祥、陸宗輿潛逃居津的眷屬，驚恐萬狀，遷移不一。
5月11日下午3時，天津臨時學(xué)生聯(lián)合會召開會議，并有北京學(xué)生團代表27人參加。會上，除交流了京津兩地的斗爭情況外，還決定派代表同北京學(xué)生一起奔赴上海，聯(lián)合各界共同行動。會議一直持續(xù)到第二天早晨6時。學(xué)聯(lián)代表還面見教育廳長，迫使教育廳長允許學(xué)生此后可以自由集會。

·五四運動在天津

5月12日上午，紳、商、學(xué)、報各界，在省會會場召開直隸各界公民聯(lián)合會，與會代表210多人。會上，由各界推舉了公民聯(lián)合會總干事，其中教職員中有馬千里，學(xué)生代表中有馬駿等。會議決定致電北京政府，罷免賣國賊；致電巴黎和會代表不能簽字。從此，天津的五四運動，由學(xué)界擴展到紳、商、報等各界，斗爭在廣度和深度上都有了新的發(fā)展。12日下午，天津15所中等以上學(xué)校連同各界，共計2萬多人，在河北公園 (今中山公園)召開追悼大會，追悼五四運動中被慘害的北京大學(xué)學(xué)生郭田光； 會后進行游行。
5月14日下午，天津?qū)W生聯(lián)合會在水產(chǎn)學(xué)校正式召開成立大會，選舉了學(xué)聯(lián)的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)成員8人，高等工校的諶志篤、南開學(xué)校的馬駿，當(dāng)選為正副會長。學(xué)聯(lián)成立后，組織七八百人講演團，分赴各戲園講演； 與北京代表一起，南下寧、滬，報告京、津斗爭情況；在提倡國貨中印發(fā)傳單； 向各省小學(xué)宣講等。自此，天津?qū)W生聯(lián)合會和5月2s日成立的天津女界愛國同志會，成為領(lǐng)導(dǎo)天津反帝愛國運動的兩支核心力量。
5月21日下午，學(xué)聯(lián)在河北高等工業(yè)學(xué)校召集各校代表會議，研究罷課事宜。23日 上午8時開始，天津15所中等以上學(xué)校學(xué)生1萬多人舉行罷課；其后，海軍醫(yī)學(xué)校全體學(xué)生也實行罷課，加入聯(lián)合會； 天津?qū)W聯(lián)并宣布罷課宣言書。
5月24日上午，直隸教育廳急忙約集各校校長開會，研究復(fù)課之法。內(nèi)務(wù)部向直隸省下達密電，聲稱要取締學(xué)生演說；警察廳也發(fā)布了所謂維持治安之布告 。針對禁令. 學(xué)聯(lián)及時召開會議，決定講演照常進行 28日，各校講演者，較往日更多，秩序也較往日更好； 雖然巡警進行干涉，但是學(xué)生皆以好言相對，因此雙方并未發(fā)生沖突。講演的組織嚴密，分工明確，及時匯報，斟酌在報上刊登。
5月28日，京津?qū)W生聯(lián)合會還發(fā)出了致上海、南京、太原、濟南、保定、漢口、杭州等學(xué)生聯(lián)合會的電報，提出各推舉代表，在上海共組中國學(xué)生聯(lián)合總會； 天津?qū)W聯(lián)并于第二天推舉代表赴滬進行。
5月31日，天津海關(guān)、碼頭工人7000多人宣布抵制日貨。工人的參加斗爭，使五四運動發(fā)展到新的階段。
6月5日，天津?qū)W生聯(lián)合會組織各校學(xué)生千人，在南開學(xué)校操場舉行聲援北京被捕學(xué)生集會，學(xué)聯(lián)副會長馬駿帶領(lǐng)大家宣讀 “六項誓書” : 一、誓保國土； 二、誓挽國權(quán)； 三、誓雪國恥； 四、誓除國賊； 五、誓共安危；六、誓同始終。會后，沖破警察的圍阻，上街游行。邊游行，邊講演，邊散布傳單，其愛國之舉感天動地。
6月6日，在學(xué)生愛國行動推動下，天津各界群眾2萬多人，在河北公園召開公民大會。標志著天津的愛國運動突破了學(xué)生和知識分子范圍，進入了各階層參加的階段。正像公園亭子的紅柱上貼的一幅對聯(lián)所說： “振民心合民力萬眾一心，御國敵除國賊匹夫有責(zé)?！碧旖蚩偵虝诠と?、學(xué)生和愛國商人的敦促下，6月10日開始罷市。當(dāng)天下午，給北京政府發(fā)出急電，要求懲辦曹、陸、章及保護學(xué)生. 以謝國人，而救目前。北京政府在全國工人罷工、學(xué)生罷課、商人罷市的強大壓力下，連夜召開緊急會議，罷免了曹汝霖、陸宗輿、章宗祥3個賣國賊的職務(wù)，并派參議員曾毓雋趕來天津宣布此事。6月28日，出席巴黎和會的中國代表團，也在全國人民的壓力下，奉令拒絕在和約上簽字。
五四運動終于取得了一定的勝利。為了使運動持久、深入地開展下去，天津?qū)W聯(lián)決定籌辦《天津?qū)W生聯(lián)合會報》,由周恩來主編，作為革命輿論的喉舌，對反帝愛國運動起到了重要作用，7月21日，周恩來主編的《天津?qū)W生聯(lián)合會報》創(chuàng)刊。
8月下旬，周恩來、劉清揚、郭隆真、馬駿等天津?qū)W生，分批赴京向北京政府請愿，并要求釋放被捕學(xué)生； 9月16日，周恩來、劉清揚、郭隆真、馬駿、鄧穎超等創(chuàng)辦了覺晤社，成為天津愛國運動的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)核心。
News of the May Fourth Movement spred overTianjin quickly. Patriotic youth in Tianjin immediatelyresponded. In May 5,Beiyang University telegraphedPeking University to support this movement.Representatives from No. 1 Zhili Women NormalUniversity proposed to set up Women PatrioticAssociation which was then formally founded in May25. Liu Qingyang was elected as the chairperson ofthe association,Deng Yingchao and Guo Longzhen asmembers of the committee.
On the evening of May 6,29 representatives fromten public and private middle schools held an assemblyat Beiyang University. At the assembly,they put forwardtwo requests. They asked Beijing government to setfree students arrested and to fight for the returning ofQingdao in all means. They discussed four ways for thetwo requests.
On May7,schools and universities held memorialassembly for it was the National Shame day for theTwenty One Treaties signed by Yuan Shikai withJapan. In the evening of May 7th,24 representativesfrom middle and above schools in Tianjin held anotherassembly. They also founded Tianjin Temporary StudentUnion which was formally founded in May 14 andelected members of the union including six secretaries.Zhan Zhidu and Ma Jun was elected the chairman andvice chairman of the union.
After the assembly,schools and universities inTianjin held many meetings. They rejected Japanesecommodity and refused to take Japanese classes. Theyreceived student representatives from Beijing,sentrepresentatives to attend united assemblies of intellectualcircle in Beijing. Several students in No.1 WomenNormal School bit their first fingers to write bloodletters to condemn treachery. These activities terrifiedfamilies of Cao Rulin,Zhang Zongxiang and Lu Zongyuwho fled to Tianjin from Beijing,therefore they movedto other places.
At three o`clock in the afternoon on May 11,Tianjin Temporary Student Union held a meeting.Representatives from nine schools in Tianjin and27 representatives from Beijing Students` Delegateattended the meeting. At the meeting,they exchangedthe struggle information in Beijing and Tianjin. Theydecided to send representatives with those from Beijingto Shanghai to unite all circles for united actions. Themeeting lasted till six in the next morning. On May 11,representatives from the union met the director of theEducation Department of Tianjin to request more rightsfor the assemblies. The director was forced to allow freeassembly of students.
On the morning of May 12,representatives fromgentries,industries,schools and public media helda united assembly in the provincial meeting room.More than 210 representatives attended the assembly.At the assembly,they elected the general secretariesof the united assembly,including Ma Qianli from theteachers and Ma Jun from the students. They decided totelegraph Beijing government asking for the dismissingof quislings,and to telegraph representatives in Parisasking them not to sign on the treaty. From then on,theMay Fourth Movement in Tianjin extended from schoolsto gentries,industries and public media. The strugglemade new progress.
In the afternoon of May 14,Tianjin Student Unionheld a general meeting for establishment at the School ofAquatic Product,electing Tang Jun as Acting Chairmanof the meeting. Zhan Zhidu from Hebei IndustrialCollege and Ma Jun from Nankai School were electedas Chairman and Vice Chairman respectively. After theestablishment,the Student Union organized a lecturegroup of 700-800 to make speeches at tea shops. Theyalso went to Ning and Hu to report struggles in Beijinand Tianjin with Beijing representatives. They alsohanded out fly sheets promoting the purchase of Chineseproducts and delivered speeches for students of primaryschools in each province. Tianjin Student Union andTianjin Woman Patriotic Association became the twokey powers leading the struggle against the imperialistsin Tianjin.
In the afternoon of May 21,Tianjin Student Unionheld a general assembly about students` strike at HebeiIndustrial College. At eight in the morning of 23,10,000students from 15 schools went on a strike. Then all thestudents of the Marine Medicine School went on strikeand joined the Student Union. Tianjin Student Unionofficially announced the declaration of the studentsstrike.

·五四運動中天津?qū)W生示威游行隊伍

On the morning of 24,the Education Bureau ofZhili held meetings with the presidents of the schoolsand discussed the resume of classes. The Departmentof Inner Affairs issued secret telegram to Zhili Provinceabout the canceling of students` speeches. The policebureau also issued notification about the so- calledmaintenance of social security. The Student Union heldmeetings against the injunction and kept on deliveringspeeches. On 28,the speakers were more than before inbetter order. Although the police interfered sometimes,the students persuaded them in good words,so therewere no conflicts. At 15:00 everyday,the feedbackof speaking were accumulated by each school andsubmitted to the chief general,who decided thepublication in newspapers.
On 28,the Student Union of Beijing and Tianjinissued telegraphs to the Student Unions of Shanghai,Nanjing,Taiyuan,Jinan,Baoding,Hankou andHangzhou. They elected representatives to set up theNational Student Union of China. The reprehensive ofTianjin Student Union went to Shanghai on 29.
On May 31,7000 workers of Tianjin Customsand ports declared the resistance of Japanese goods.They decided that whenever there were ships carryingJapanese goods arriving at the seaport,nobody woulddisembark the goods. The struggle of workers reached anew stage during the May Fourth Movement.
On June 5,1000 students who were on strike inBeijing were arrested during their speech by militarypolicemen. To support the arrested students in Beijing,Shanghai workers went on strike on June 5. TianjinStudent Union organized thousands of studentsexpressing their support at the playground of NankaiSchool. The Chairman and Vice Chairman reported theprinciples of their assembly. Ma Jun,the Vice Chairman,declared the six pledges: 1. defend the nation; 2. rescuenational authority; 3. avenge the national humiliation; 4.rid the national traitors; 5. go through safety and danger;and 6. fight to the end,which reflected the students`determination to fight against imperialism and feudalismto the end.
On June 6,facilitated by the students` patrioticactions,20,000 Tianjin people from all walks of life heldGeneral Assembly at Hebei Park (now Zhongshan Park),which represented that the patriotic movement in Tianjinnot only included students and intellectuals but alsoall classes. The couplets on the pillars of the pavilionclaimed that all people should unite to fight against thenational traitors.
During the national assembly,the representasivesof Tianjin Student Union went to Tianjin Chamber ofCommerce and required it to declare the shopkeepers`strike. Urged by the workers,students and businessmen,the strike began on June 10. In the afternoon,TianjinChamber of Commerce issued an urgent telegram toBeijing Government and required to "punish Cao,Luand Zhang,protect the students and apologize to thepeople". Under the pressure of the strikes of workers,students and businessmen,Beijing government foundit difficult to deal with and was more worried about theuncertainty in Tianjin. It held emergency meeting in theevening. Cao Rulin,Lu Zongxiang and Zhang Zongyuwere disposed from their positions. Zeng Liujuan,asenate member,hurried to Tianjin for declaring theissue. On June 28,the Chinese delegation to Paris PeaceConference refused to sign on the treaty under thepressure of the people of China.
the May Fourth Movement achieved certainsuccess. To lengthen and further the movement,TianjinStudent Union decided to compile The Journal of TianjinStudent Union. Zhou Enlai was the Chief Editor. As thetongue of the revolution,it played an important role inthe movement against the imperialists.
On July 21,The Journal of Tianjin Student Unionstarted publication. In the last ten days of August,ZhouEnlai,Liu Qingyang,Guo Longzhen,Ma Jun,andother Tianjin students presented petitions to Beijinggovernment and required to set free the arrestedstudents. On September 16,Zhou Enlai,Liu Qingyang,Guo Longzhen,and Deng Yingchao set up the JuewuAssociation,which became one of the most importantforcesof Tianjinpatrioticmovement.