Haymarket Riot There was a lot of radical political organization in Chicago There were anarchist workers clubs and papers. In the middle of the May Day strikes, the Arbeiter Zeitung called for a meeting at 7:30 pm. The police were waiting to break up the demonstration.

Haymarket Riot The speakers at the rally were all anarchist or socialist labor organizers. August Spies, Albert Parsons, Samuel Fielden all spoke about the need to organize for an 8 hour day and better wages. At 10:30 someone threw a bomb at the crowd of policemen waiting to break up the rally. The police began firing at the workers.

Haymarket Riot Seven policemen died and 60 were wounded. They may have shot each other in the melee that followed. Four workers were killed immediately. No one knows how many were injured. Estimates are about 250. The police began arresting anarchists, labor organizers, and ignoring due process.

Haymarket Riot Since many of the anarchists were German, the public turned on new German immigrants. Albert Parsons, Samuel Fielden, Louis Lingg, August Spies, Adolph Fischer, George Engel and Michael Schwab were all tried and hung for murder. They became martyrs for the labor movement.

Haymarket Memorials

Knights of Labor Association with radicals in this event weakened the K of L dramatically. Other groups Brotherhood of Locomotor Engineers Western Federation of Miners American Federation of Labor 1885 United Mine Workers 1890 American Railway Union Industrial Workers of the World